AZ Diabetes Portfolio vs. competitors

Sincere question here (not a troll; interviewing for a position): Given what would appear to be superior outcomes data for competing agents in both the GLP-1 and SGLT-2 classes, what are the prospects for/what's it like selling Bydureon/BCise and Farxiga? Are customers differentiating between the AZ agents and those with better outcomes data, or do they view the outcomes as "class effect", or due to differences between the studies that account for the different results seen in the outcomes trials? Just trying to gather some insight into the market given all the new data. Or... is it all coming down to who's got the better formulary status?

 

AZ lagging significantly in both classes....

 

AZ should be a company you hope to interview with only after all else fails. If you are at the end of your rope and all hope is lost sort of situation. Their Diabetes division is quite a laugh, if you need one.

 

Can you elaborate on your comment re. the Diabetes division?

 

Been here over 10 years and launched every diabetic drug AZ has.

It is DIFFICULT to sell AZ Diabetes meds now. The bottom line is every competitor has CV outcomes data and we have a trial with Bydureon and a trial with Farxiga that failed to show a reduction in CV events. So, does that sound like an uphill battle? it is.

As an example...Tanzeum, which isn't even promoted any longer, had a successful CV outcomes trial read out last year....whereas Bydureon's was unsuccessful.

...and I'm sure going half a year without any samples is really going to help out BCise. Basically, there is nothing else to put in the bag right now or we'd just hand BCise off to a contract company.

 

When will AZ pull out from the Diabetes space? BCise is not cutting the butter and Farxiga is barely making it. Meanwhile, AZ continues to spend millions of dollars on its second-rate Diabetes sales force. It’s time to sell these underdog drug molecules to a generic drug company.

 

Recent changes to the therapy areas has me guessing that the bidding is already on for diabetes, among others. Stay tuned

 

You are aware 99% of pharma companies have this structure or is your head in the sand.

 

Is your head up your ass?

 

So, how does AZ expect to compete with inferior outcomes data (or lack thereof) and no efficacy advantage? For either Farxiga or BCise? And, no samples of BCise???

 

The point exactly! AZ has no fighting chance in Diabetes. Therefore, save yourselves the ongoing shame and start investing the money in your other therapeutic divisions.

 

A contract company could not sell BCISE. It could sell Farxiga. Lack of organization by upper "leaders" is the reason BCISE is where it is number wise. They dropped the ball on it the moment they couldn't get the auto-injector to the market in a timely manner years ago and have continued to drop the ball with it every year since. Lilly would have had a field day with this product, because Lilly understands how to market an injection. AZ is just pretending to have a clue and playing "lets do what the competitors are doing...only lets do it a year after they do it" No samples during a launch is a joke. No clinical sales papers to use in the field is a joke. Not paying to properly remove the other numbers in systems of pharmacies is a joke. Changing metrics of measurements during a launch, is a joke. It caused confusions for the doctors, pharmacies and the patients. People were getting the wrong product left and right and their was no solution on the back-end to correct the issue. My four year old could have seen this coming.

The reason they won't hand off BCISE to a contract company has nothing to do with not having another product in the bag. Contract companies are paid for signatures (most of the time). If they are not paid on signatures, they are paid on metrics such as per call, etc. The reps make very little bonus, are not eligible for awards trips or other incentives of doing well. Most have a check the box mentality and I can't say I blame them for it. They are underpaid and they know it. If you think a signature and loading the fridge up with BCISE is enough to sell it, then you must actually be apart of the "leadership" team. Stop thinking like a primary care, sample dropping rep.

 

Farxiga will be fine in long run.
Bcise is done.

 

Too many reps for one product.... and Farxiga cannot compete with others... bad shape I’d say

 

Maybe there's a reason that BMS elected to sell these to AZ many years ago?

 

Bcise is in trouble, but Farxiga can do well if this company ever decides to get managed care coverage. Certain parts of the country have very good coverage and other do not. The problem becomes that you compete against the nation on a very uneven playing field with goals pushed down to you from people that have no idea what your circumstances are. Good luck if you get hired.

 

yes, a contract company cannot sell BCise...but neither can anyone else. It is going to become either (1) totally dead or (2) a sample drop for a contract rep. AZ will pick up a few RXs where formulary dictates and and that is it. There is no selling BCise. It is dead last and trying to dig itself further into a hole.

Now we can all move on to focusing on changing the entire mindset of the market to focus on HF for SGLT2s. Good luck with that. We haven not been able to change the mindset of the market since...what? Nexium? maybe Crestor? Not looking good.

 

if you believe this, please quit now. Despite the sabatoge of the company, I have sold bcise well. You sound like the typical sample dropping, signature gathering, rep. Bcise is a great product in the wrong hands. Keep collecting signatures and thinking you are actually selling. That’s the last way to sell an injection.

 

The almighty savior has spoken! Do you honestly believe that your stellar BCise sales performance will save you and the company? Where have you been hiding? If you really think of yourself as the superior rep, go work for a company that will actually recognize you for it. AZ doesn’t care about you and neither does anyone else you work with including your DM. Arrogant little prick you are.