Portfolio

Phytopharmaceutical opportunity assessment, portfolio & partnership strategy for pioneering US company

Background and Scope

Our client was a pioneering US company with valuation north of US$ 7 billion and drug discovery interests ranging from cellular therapeutics to dermatology.The Client was keen to develop a phytopharmaceutical portfolio that could be advanced as prescription drugs through the USFDA’s botanical drug pathway. The Client engaged Sathguru to assess scope of the opportunity, map landscape of phytopharmaceutical drug development, evaluate potential pipeline assets and finally, make recommendations on way forward on the overall portfolio strategy and potential strategic partners.

Project Approach

Sathguru adopted a bottom-up approach to comprehensively map this emerging opportunity while actively leveraging competitive intelligence to validate findings and identify leads. Since the botanical drug /phytopharmaceutical pathway is relatively recent, we also explored nutraceutical R&D programs/assets that could be repositioned as prescription drugs.
For the bottom up approach, we performed an exhaustive and comprehensive patent search to analyze prominent trends in natural product derived therapeutic solutions and identify prominent innovators in the segment. The map of potential partners/assets was also expanded through a review of institutional annual reports and inputs from primary research with key stakeholders.
A funneling approach with multiple parameters was used to shortlist assets which met key criteria prioritized with the Client. Confidential data shared by innovators was also assessed for all shortlisted assets. All shortlisted assets were finally ranked and prioritized based on techno-commercial merit.

Study Output

As part of final recommendations, Sathguru advised the Client on overall partnership merit for each individual asset/partner identified. The study was instrumental to the Client making final way forward decision on the phytopharmaceutical portfolio strategy.

Biotechnology Business Advisory Corporate Finance and Investment Banking Pharmaceuticals

Tergene hand-holding a pioneering venture addressing large unmet need in human vaccines

Situation Analysis

Pneumonia is the largest leading cause of mortality amongst children under 5 years of age in India. The pneumococcal vaccine market in India is currently dominated by multinationals with global sales of $4 billion. Our client Tergene, a venture led by an R&D veteran with prior history of product development addressing this unmet need in the market sought assistance from Sathguru to traverse from ideation to a feasible business in the vaccine sector.

Scope

Comprehensive hand holding including support on product strategy; early monetization of opportunities; fund raising- non-dilutive and dilutive
Access to next generation delivery platform for pipeline asset and
Sensitization to public health funders and procurers

Output

Helped venture navigate highly volatile and risky early technology development phase
Assisted progress to preclinical development in a well-funded manner in partnership with a large Indian pharmaceutical company from whom a strategic investment has been structured

Biotechnology Business Advisory Pharmaceuticals

Market entry strategy and business plan for human vaccines for a biotech company

Situation Analysis

Our client, a biotech company, was keen to assess the opportunity in human vaccines and develop a market entry strategy for the segment.

Scope

Sathguru performed a comprehensive opportunity assessment for the human vaccines segment and developed a business plan for the client. Sathguru assessed attractiveness of commercial opportunity and financial viability of the segment overall as well as individual products. Additionally, Sathguru also performed a techno-commercial review to understand viability of technology access and identify innovation trends shaping the mid-term industry landscape and market opportunity.

As a Phase I effort, Sathguru performed a dip stick study assessing high-level commercial opportunity across various product opportunities (currently marketed and emerging opportunities) to identify products to be considered for near term and mid-term portfolio inclusion. Based on this high-level Phase I effort, Sathguru prioritized products to be considered for Phase II which included a comprehensive review of technology access feasibility, product level RoI assessment and development of comprehensive segment strategy, business plan and financial model.

Study Output

An actionable business plan with specific recommendations on products to be pursued, capex to be incurred, technology access possibility to be explored with a full picture on financial implications.

Business Advisory Corporate Finance and Investment Banking Healthcare

Limited due-diligence of an IVF clinic chain on behalf of a PE Fund contemplating investment

Our client was a PE fund contemplating investment in an IVF clinic chain in India. To assess the opportunity more holistically and identify critical factors to drive growth in the future, the client was keen on a limited due-diligence

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Business Advisory Healthcare Policy & Regulations

Feasibility and risk assessment for a commercial breast milk bank in India

Our client intended to explore the possibility of a commercial breast milk bank in India and was keen to understand the high-level feasibility, risk and key consideration for the business plan.

Biotechnology Business Advisory Pharmaceuticals Policy & Regulations

BIRAC – landscaping of vaccine and biologic product development in India

Title Description

Sathguru was involved in landscaping product development capabilities and product pipelines of public and private sector entities to identify opportunities for accelerating commercialization

Situation Analysis

Our client, the Biotechnology Industry Research Assistance Council (BIRAC), was scouting for expert consulting service providers to support its effortstowards conceptualizing potential Product Development Partnership (PDP) opportunities to accelerate development of vaccines and biologics in India. Complementing BIRAC’s emphasis on vaccines and biologics, the study included an effort to identify projects with significant advancement in the public research system. We engaged with most of the leading public research entities in the DBT and CSIR network, key public funders, representative sample of private entities andsignificant philanthropic funders and PDP managers.

Scope

Assessed public and private funding landscape for discovery and development.
Assessedtechnologytransfer capabilities and their adoption.
Benchmarked tech transfer capabilities against global frameworks and structures.
Identified research groups in India (public institutions) with translatable assets that could be advanced under a Product Development Partnership(PDP) model.

Our Approach

Interacted (either in-person or through telephonic conversations) with several public research institutions and private biopharmaceutical companies
Focused on public research entities that are recipients of significant government funding for vaccine development; public funders that focus on vaccines and biologics, and non-government funders that are focused on driving or funding product development consortia and private companies that have significant focus on vaccines and biologics

Study Output

Comprehensive view of pipeline and research groups for public investors with an intent to accelerate such research.
Identification of gaps in tech transfer and strengthening.
Critical Assessment of PDP models adopted in India and globally (both), and recommendations for structuring enhanced value creating consortiums.

Biotechnology Business Advisory Pharmaceuticals Policy & Regulations

Assessing preparedness in India for certain emerging vaccines

Title Description

Sathguru led a study to assess local manufacturing capacity, pipeline strength and specifications of products in India for certain vaccines that were under consideration by the Government for near term adoption in the national immunization program.

Situation Analysis

Our client, the Immunization Technical Support Unit, is a collaborative effort of the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare (MoHFW), Government of India, the Public Health Foundation of India (PHFI) and other partners with funding from the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation to provide techno-managerial support for scaling up India’s Universal Immunization Program (UIP) and support implementation of India’s strategic goals for immunization. To support decision making on adoption of additional vaccines in the UIP, ITSU was keen to understand capacity in India in specific identified vaccines.

Scope

Sathguru interacted with several doctors, clinical staff, mothers and families across segments and income classes in the chosen location. Through this extensive primary research effort, Sathguru analyzed high-level findings on product need, acceptability across clinical community and end user groups, key barriers to adoption, social and risk considerations, risk mitigation possibilities, operational considerations and commercial implications.Sathguru analyzed all regulatory implications of product related and health related regulations currently applicable in India.

Our Approach

The approach included analysis of information from a combination of sources – secondary research, primary research with Indian and multinational companies and information gathered from our prior interactionwith various stakeholders.

Study Output

A report illustrating a comprehensive picture of current and emerging capacity in the identified vaccines with critical details on product specifications and qualitative insights required for use in policy making and implementation.

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Business Advisory Devices and Diagnostics Healthcare International Development

A landscaping effort for an international developmental agency on POC diagnostics research and innovation in India

Sathguru helped a major international developmental agency to landscape POC diagnostics and research innovation in India.

Innovation Advisory

Scouting for and in-licensing vaccine technologies for market leading biologics company

Background and Scope

A market leading company in veterinary biologicals wanted to strategically expand portfolio and develop prioritized products with high potential for mid-term growth. The company engaged Sathguru to landscape technology possibilities, assess relative merit, scout for potential technology partners and in-license the technologies for six identified veterinary vaccines from global public institutions or private companies.

Our Approach

Mapping global technology and IP landscape:

To map the evolving technology landscape and potential sources of technology, Sathguru conducted a detailed review of published research articles and all Intellectual Property including granted and provisional patents around the prioritized vaccines. We comprehensively mapped evolving technologies as well as details of institutions/researchers engaged in developing these.

Assessing relative merit and consultatively determining technology strategy (where needed):
Based on technology trends identified, along with the Client’s R&D head, we assessed relative merit for their R&D investments and technology strategy. For certain vaccines, due to regulatory merit we converged on prioritizing access to legacy technology already used by globally approved products including use of same strain. For vaccines with multiple technology possibilities including options such as recombinant and immune complex /vector based vaccines, a subjective and multi-factoral approach was taken to prioritize nature of technology to be accessed. Regulatory implications and timeframe for approval, considerations around scale-up and manufacturing, commercial receptiveness and technology access possibilities were all considered for such final prioritization of technology type and technology sources to be explored.

Managing outreach to potential technology providers and entire technology licensing transaction:
Sathguru reached out to all the global research institutions through their respectiveTechnology Transfer Office and private companies identified to explore in-licensing of strains and technologies prioritized. Our extensive network with global TTOs and research institutions and historical engagement with most of them was vital in accelerating these discussions. Over a course of about 12 months, we managed all steps of the transaction to successfully conclude the intended licensing transactions. This included multiple steps of negotiation of the term sheet and licensing agreements with multiple global sources of technology each having its own preference on licensing terms and transaction modalities. Where needed, technology was pooled from multiple sources for a single vaccine.

Additional handholding partnerships or knowhow access to enhance probability of success and accelerate R&D efforts:
In addition to in-licensing vaccine strains and technology needed, we also identified partnerships that can enhance probability of technology development and accelerate the overall product development process. This includes a key handholding agreement with a prolific and celebrated researcher worldwide who has been a constant support for the company ever since.

Project Output

Sathguru in-licensed vaccine strains and related technologies for six different vaccines from various global sources (USA, Canada and Europe), shaped hand holding partnerships with recognized global researchers in the space and comprehensively supported realization of portfolio aspirations of the Client. Sathguru’s support has enabled the client to develop a robust pipeline of veterinary vaccines with technology that is globally contemporary and timeline that is aggressive and accelerated.

Agribusiness

Development of business plan for a leading Indian conglomerate expanding into agri-business sector

Project Scope

The client evinced interest in exploring agribusiness opportunities in fallow land available with the groupthat led to conceptualization of the project. Sathguru helped the client in assessment of the business goals of the client, identification of a thematic area and developed detailed business plan to for venturing into agribusiness.

Project Approach

Sathguru adopted a two-phase engagement model, wherein the initial phase involved in detailedassessment of thematic areas through expectations alignment, options analysis and opportunity selection and the second phase involved formulation of comprehensive strategic business plan.

Phase 1:

Sathguru conducted a one day Management Workshop for expectations alignment with the Group Promotors, key decision makers. The workshop helped in understanding the Goals, Strategies, Operations and Key Performance Indicators for consideration.
Based on the outcomes of the workshop, Sathguru converged their sectoral expertise with the objectives and expectations set forth for identification of 2 – 3 thematic areas based on following parameters

Industry attractiveness and outlook, level of competitive intensity, returns, etc
Ease of entry, process complexity, technological affinity/ capability, scalability & sustainability
Risks – strategic risk, financial risk, operational risk, technological risk, regulatory risk, time-to-market
Existing and potential linkages with the group to draw capabilities, transferring of skills and sharing of activities/ assets

Phase 2:

Sathguru with its techno commercial expertise and holistic understanding of the agri-business developed a detailed business plan for finalized thematic area with financial projections. Detailed business plan included:

Opportunity Assessment & Landscape analysis: Overall market growth trends, key segments, policies, Potential Crops/Products, Value Chain Assessment, Competitor Analysis, Customer trends
Technology Assessment: Technology trends, Technology access, Regulatory pathway, Commercialization options
Business Strategy: Articulation of vision & mission Business goals & objectives, Business model, Technology strategy, Product/ Market Strategy Distribution & Channel Strategy HR strategy & Organogram
Financial Model and projections: Feasibility Analysis, CAPEX and Funding Requirements, Risk Analysis

Recommendations

A high tech vertical farming/ protected cultivation as a promising thematic area for the group based on the industry attractiveness, high growth potential in the country, client’s expectations, existing linkages and strategic alignment with group activities,
Cultivation of high value exotics vegetables to fetch higher profits and target both B2B and B2C segment. In B2C segment, Sathguru recommended to target the premium retail stores and online market,
Access to innovative technology providers globally to address market requirements and sustainable growth, and
Developed a unique business model that integrated the farm services aspect into product sales to effectively capture the market share

Impact/ Client benefit

The output of this engagement immensely benefited our client to understand the dynamics ofagri-business industry in general and high tech vertical farming/protected cultivation in particular. The plan presented by Sathguru was acceptedby the management team.

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