The Access Group 2014
400 Connell Drive, 2nd Floor
Berkeley Heights, NJ 07922
Telephone: 908-508-6700
Facsimile: 908-508-6701
E-mail: [email protected]
Website: theaccessgp.com
The Access Group is a premier professional services network specializing in healthcare communications and strategy consulting for the pharmaceutical and biotechnology industries. The network is dedicated to complete product life cycle management through a network of eight distinct but interconnected companies, creating strategic brand solutions that drive demand across multiple stakeholder channels.
The Year’s Accomplishments
According to executives, the Access Group devoted 2013 to achieving client-building alignment and expanding service offerings across the network’s entities. Two of the network’s companies – Promidian (management consulting) and S3/Strategic Selling Solutions (managed markets training) – were major forces in growing the network’s client base to include biotechnology and pharmaceutical clients such as Amgen, Bayer, Biogen Idec, Genentech, Gilead, and Onyx.
2013 was a year of industry recognition and acknowledgement for the Access Group and the unique projects and client value that the network brings. The network won several industry awards for its creative and sales training work for BoehringerIngelheim, as well as a creative award for a managed markets deliverable developed for Vertex. In addition, the Access Group was recognized by a major national industry publication with an appearance on its top 100 agencies list and has also received regional kudos for its creative and artistic design work.
“This is a very exciting time for the Access Group, as our model, message, and people continue to resonate with our clients and the industry,” says Dave Gagliano, president and CEO. “Our Government|Policy|Systems (GPS) team has continually provided educational resources to our client partners about the critical changes that are occurring as a result of health care reform, and our management consulting and managed markets training offerings have gained significant traction as shown with the number of new clients working with the firm. Overall, we grew our client manufacturing base nearly 20 percent in 2013 and had good success in making investments in our intellectual capital to support that growth.”
The network added numerous books of business in 2013, including new clients Anacor Pharmaceuticals, Astellas Pharma US, BioMarin Pharmaceutical, Celgene, Millennium Pharmaceuticals, Patheon, and Salix Pharmaceuticals. Significant business for Promidian occurred on behalf of numerous pre-launch products in development. Catalyst, a managed markets company of the Access Group, launched Brintellix for Takeda in 2013. In addition, S3 supported training initiatives for the launches of Bayer’s Nexavar and Adempas. Furthermore, the network’s promotional company, MedAccess, launched ReGenicaDay and Overnight Repair, Hydrate Luxe, Gentle Rejuvenation, and Obagi360 for Obagi Medical Products.
The Access Group has added talent across its entities to keep pace with growing assignments. New leadership additions include Nestor Correa, VP, interactive at the Access Group, and Elena Datollo, VP of business development at Catalyst. In addition, Promidian added staff members to support a major influx in management consulting business, including Julie Kalter, analyst; Kun Lee, VP; Bharat Mehrota, manager; and Sheldon Ng, director. Another fundamental aspect of the growth of the Access Group in 2013 was its ability to recognize talent and leadership from within, promoting Seth Gordon to managing partner from partner and Kevin Barnett to partner from managing director of Promidian.
Structure And Services
Since the inception of the Access Group in 2010, the network has provided more than 83 new product and service offerings. According to its leaders, the network’s strategy for success is to continuously evolve a diversified portfolio of training, management consulting, trade initiatives, digital media applications, and payer and purchaser programs, in addition to branded and unbranded marketing communications.
“As a provider of complete life cycle management, it’s vital for us to adapt to a changing marketplace,” Gagliano says. “Bringing to market so many innovative service solutions is a testament to our partnership with our clients and their insight to collaborate with us to deliver these solutions.”
Future Plans
Executives say future growth for the Access Group emphasizes increasing service alignment and cross-company offerings to further demonstrate the value of a network that supports “all-in-one” brand strategy and management consulting, marketing, selling solutions, medical communication, and professional promotion services.
Integration across complementary business entities, as well as becoming a leader in management consulting and integrating that into its holistic brand support model, is what will further differentiate the Access Group from traditional network agencies.
“2014 will see significant investments in our government policy, management consulting, training, and interactive group offerings, as we look to build upon client needs in strategic counseling and industry advancements in health information technology,” Gagliano says. “Additionally, we will continue to add clients and further expertise in the key therapeutic areas of oncology and specialty products, areas where we have experienced explosive growth over the past three years, particularly as the industry continues to migrate into the biotechnology space, which has witnessed significant merger and acquisition activity.”
The Access Group’s GPS division will launch new offerings to help clients navigate health insurance marketplaces for the uninsured, long-term care, and the organized customer. The network’s management consulting provider, Promidian, will fulfill client demands for launch planning and strategy development, while addressing market access challenges driven by the Affordable Care Act and increasing brand value in light of patent expirations. On the interactive front, the Access Group will be heavily vested in advancing its clients’ digital technology functionality, focusing on mobile-centric applications that increase customer engagement by translating customized tablet solutions, websites, and content management systems to the mobile environment.
Philanthropy/Citizenship
With the continued impact felt from Hurricane Sandy and an increased burden placed on law enforcement, the Access Group supports the New York tri-state law enforcement efforts through the National Association of Police Organizations. It also continues to work with the Go4theGoal Foundation, a nonprofit organization that helps children affected by cancer reach their goals and funds cutting-edge research to find a cure. The Access Group also supports the Cancer Hope Network, a nonprofit organization dedicated to improving the lives of patients who are undergoing treatment for cancer and their family members. In addition, through numerous corporate team-building initiatives throughout the year, the Access Group has become an active contributor to a local N.J.-based food bank and to an organization that provide bicycles for children.