Top-Performing Medical Science Liaison Teams Prioritize Portfolio to Maximize Impact

RESEARCH TRIANGLE PARK, N.C.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Drug and device companies allocate 67% of medical science liaisons’ (MSLs) time to supporting marketed products, according to a new study by Cutting Edge Information.

“MSL Activities and Performance Measurement: Harnessing KOL Relationships for Optimal Clinical Support”

Time allocations fluctuate by geographic region, but MSL teams in Canada and the US spend 50% and 60% of their time, respectively, discussing marketed products. This amount of time is higher in less restrictive markets in Europe and the Asia Pacific region, where MSLs focus on marketed products 74% and 80% of the time, respectively.

Cutting Edge Information’s recent study, “MSL Activities and Performance Measurement: Harnessing KOL Relationships for Optimal Clinical Support,” found that most life science companies’ MSLs must carefully divide their time among several different products—both marketed and investigational. To best support these products, MSLs base their time allocation on a product’s lifecycle and its priority in the overall portfolio.

MSL teams choose to focus on marketed products for a number of reasons. Marketed products typically have more available scientific data to discuss with key opinion leaders (KOLs). These products also offer more opportunities for activities including investigator-initiated trials and speaker programs. These characteristics fit well with physicians’ needs: with little free time, some opinion leaders may need to talk about products that are approved and available for prescription rather than one that is years away from launch.

“New trial results may be the impetus behind a physician’s willingness to meet with an MSL, but there are other significant benefits to dedicating time to investigational products,” said Elio Evangelista, director of operations at Cutting Edge Information. “For example, talking about a pivotal Phase 3 trial can elicit excitement for the product ahead of launch. Additionally, physicians welcome discussions on upcoming therapy-changing products.”

“MSL Activities and Performance Measurement: Harnessing KOL Relationships for Optimal Clinical Support” (http://www.cuttingedgeinfo.com/research/medical-affairs/msl-medical-science-liaisons/) examines MSL teams at top life sciences companies. It is designed to help MSL teams: