A heart-to-heart conversation between Big Pharma and Big Fund managers included some pointed criticism of the industry's unproductive R&D operations and concerns about pressure from payers as well as patients for less expensive drugs. The managers are asking for more information on early-stage therapies, a plan for handling safety concerns without cutting back on development and a common sense approach to demonstrating the value of a drug to payers. The fund managers are also looking for a sales strategy that takes into account consumers who can afford to pay the full rate, at a discount or not at all.

- read the report [1] from The Wall Street Journal (sub. req.)

Related Articles:
PwC to pharma: Adapt and invest or die. Report [2]
Where's the ROI on drug R&D budgets? Report [3]
Is pharma's drug discovery model sustainable? Editorial [4]