DRIVING MARKET SUCCESS FOR
EMERGING LIFE SCIENCE COMPANIES

Integrated commercial strategies for dynamic public affairs solutions

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About

Acuity Strategic Partners is a boutique consultancy blending deep life sciences industry knowledge with integrated strategies to shape the future of commercial, advocacy, government affairs, and communications. Count on our expertise for your life science company whenever and wherever you need it most.

What We Do

Commercial

From turnkey deployment solutions and marketing strategy to launch preparation and market access, we apply our expertise to ensure commercial success from start to finish.

Advocacy

We enhance your advocacy approach through comprehensive solutions, from grassroots mobilization to high-impact communications capabilities.

Government Affairs

We provide expert federal and state lobbying, legislative prioritization, and comprehensive compliance support.

Communications

We develop powerful messaging and meaningful narratives that influence your target audience and maximize your media dollars through digital, print, and video platforms.

Life Sciences

With its deep and diverse experience, the Acuity team is the perfect committed partner for emerging life science companies like yours.

At Acuity Strategic Partners, we help your organization achieve success by:

Maximizing your results while maintaining operational expense integrity.

Setting realistic expectations and making agile adjustments as the market or your needs change.

Offering comprehensive market plans that match existing capabilities.

Case Studies

Advocacy
Advocacy
Patient Access Team

Challenge
An emerging life sciences company faced patient access issues with Medicaid for a rare metabolic disease treatment.

Approach
Our team addressed these challenges by integrating State Government Affairs, Patient Advocacy, Market Access, and Patient Engagement services.

Results
We established a transparent state process for coverage requests, field force, and hub services in new state processes to ensure patient coverage of rare disease products by Medicaid.

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Advocacy
Advocacy
Rare Disease

Challenge
A company developing a treatment for an ultra-rare metabolic disorder desired the creation and subsequent partnership with a patient advocacy organization.

Approach
We helped organize and create the US-based patient advocacy organization, providing strategic and tactical support.

Results
The company gained trust and insight into the needs of the patient community, which informed its strategy and clinical drug development stages.

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Advocacy
Advocacy
Legislative Advocacy for Rare Disease Patient Access

Challenge
Patients with rare diseases often face significant barriers to accessing new and innovative treatments, primarily due to high Medicare Part D copayments. Recognizing this, we formed a coalition to advocate for lower copay amounts under Medicare Part D to make these essential treatments more accessible to those in need.

Approach
In 2018, Acuity spearheaded the formation of the Rare Access Action Project (RAAP), a nonprofit coalition comprising community advocates and life sciences companies. RAAP aimed to reduce out-of-pocket expenses for patients by promoting legislative change. By working in a bipartisan manner, RAAP engaged with committees of authority, conducted lobbying, and used earned and paid media to highlight the challenges faced by patients with rare diseases under current Medicare policies.

Results
RAAP championed a significant legislative change, amending Medicare Part D to alleviate copayment burdens for rare disease patients. This legislative success underscored Acuity’s pivotal role in strategizing and driving the advocacy efforts and reinforced its status as a transformative force within the rare disease community. Acuity has continued to steer RAAP’s initiatives, focusing on meticulously implementing the new policy and extending their advocacy to state levels to enhance patient access to vital therapies nationwide.

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Commercial
Commercial
Expertise in Hemophilia

Challenge
Biogen aimed to transition from a multiple sclerosis–focused biotech leader to a trusted figure in hemophilia.

Approach
We proposed a multistakeholder collaboration for free genotyping at treatment centers, partnering with key organizations.

Results
Biogen established trust in the hemophilia community, gained positive exposure, and built relationships crucial for its product launch.

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Commercial
Commercial
Complementary Product Acquisition

Challenge
A small pharma company sought a complementary product to optimize sales force efficiency and demonstrate further commitment to the patient community supported by its first product launch.

Approach
Our team engaged with patient advocacy organizations to pinpoint the greatest patient needs, leading to the identification of an emergency treatment option for a rare and sometimes fatal disease. A global search was conducted to find a development-stage product that met these needs and complemented the company’s vision for building the company.

Results
The product was identified, and a market assessment was completed. The company licensed US rights for the product, boosting stock price and garnering praise from patient advocacy groups. The acquisition demonstrated Acuity’s ability to drive tangible financial gains.

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Commercial
Commercial
Development Asset Opportunity Assessment and Fundraising

Challenge
The venture-backed startup’s objective was to in-license a small molecule compound for the treatment of a rare endocrine disease after the compound failed to meet its primary endpoint in the original oncology phase 3 clinical trial.

Approach
We performed qualitative market research and comprehensive commercial assessments, including competitive analysis and value proposition development, to support in-licensing and venture capital fundraising for the product’s new indication.

Results
The startup successfully in-licensed the product and secured a significant Series A investment from a leading VC firm. A phase 2b study is scheduled to be completed in 2024.

Schedule a call today Next Case Study
Commercial
Commercial
European Firm’s US Commercial Buildout

Challenge
A mid-sized European pharmaceutical company acquired a portfolio of marketed products. The company faced challenges in supporting the products in the US market because there was a lack of infrastructure, which impacted its ability to operate in a timely and cost-effective manner while growing revenue.

Approach
We conducted a comprehensive needs assessment and sales force mapping. We developed a custom CRM and established a new sales organization tailored to the US market, incorporating patient advocacy into our strategy. Additionally, we enhanced the distribution network and created new patient support programs to provide services previously unavailable.

Results
Integrating US and European operations for rare diseases into a stand-alone organization was a pivotal move. This strategic consolidation not only sustained product sales but also drove significant market growth, resulting in a marked increase in the company’s US revenues and share price. This expansion exemplifies Acuity’s ability to facilitate rapid market entry and scale operations effectively in the competitive US pharmaceutical landscape.

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Commercial
Commercial
Rare Disease Product Launch Support

Challenge
A small public pharmaceutical company faced significant financial constraints as it prepared to launch its first pediatric rare disease product in the US, necessitating effective medical affairs field support.

Approach
Our team developed comprehensive policies and procedures to guide sales and medical affairs, focusing on compliance and optimizing interactions with healthcare providers. We also crafted a targeted engagement strategy based on prescription data and provided specialized training on the disease state and product details to equip the sales and medical affairs teams for success.

Results
The product launch surpassed initial prescription goals and established a robust patient base, positioning the company as a reliable partner to healthcare providers and patients.

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Commercial
Commercial
Specialty Pharmacy Network Design

Challenge
A US company needed to redesign its specialty pharmacy distribution model to reduce gross-to-net costs and improve the patient experience for a diverse product portfolio.

Approach
We conducted a comprehensive evaluation and recommended a full-service distribution solution. Our strategy involved a phased onboarding process, transitioning to a single distribution partner to optimize service efficiency. This plan included a thorough assessment of third-party logistics companies focusing on patient support.

Results
The network maintained over 95% of existing patients and successfully launched a new investigational drug, improving patient assistance offerings and demonstrating Acuity’s proficiency in optimizing distribution networks for enhanced patient experience and operational cost efficiency.

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Commercial
Commercial
Legacy Product Relaunch

Challenge
A small European rare disease pharma company wanted to build a US commercial infrastructure, including product relaunches for two recently acquired rare disease products. The company aimed to relaunch the products with an enhanced focus on commercialization and physician education, aiming to simultaneously improve patient access.

Approach
We reengineered the specialty pharmacy network, created new multichannel marketing tactics and materials, and built a sales and medical affairs team.

Results
US revenue and profitability quickly became an integral part of global business. The specialty pharmacy switch improved patient access and payer coverage while lowering service fees. The product relaunch comprised multichannel communication focused on physician education and access while leveraging improved data from the distribution network.

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Government Affairs
Government Affairs
Medical Device Reimbursement Pathway

Challenge
An emerging medical device company sought a reimbursement pathway that reflected the potential cost savings of its novel technology and ability to negotiate payment terms for hospitals.

Approach
We organized a coalition to build support for enhanced payment policies, demonstrating the value of the device in reducing overall care costs.

Results
The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) approved a pass-through payment structure, significantly facilitating hospital adoption of the technology and reducing patient care costs. This approval underscored Acuity’s profound impact on policy advocacy and set a new benchmark for future medical technology innovations, giving our client a substantial competitive edge in the market.

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Meet the Team

Financial Visionary and Entrepreneurial Leader Spanning Over Three Decades

With a robust career exceeding 33 years in the financial services sector, Mike Hamrick is a model of excellence in various disciplines, including capital markets, investment management, risk management, insurance, strategic planning, and business consulting. His professional journey is marked by collaborations with some of the largest Fortune 500 companies, family offices, and closely held business owners, traversing diverse industries such as technology, education, media, government services, politics, and entertainment.

Mike’s insights and analyses have graced the pages of esteemed publications like Newsweek, Entrepreneur.com, Washington Times, Politico.com, RealClearPolitics, Entrepreneur.com, dailycaller.com. and Fox News.com. His expertise has been sought in written columns and interviews by prominent platforms such as Dow Jones, The Wall Street Journal, National Underwriter Magazine, and DR News, showcasing his breadth of knowledge and influence in the financial realm.

Mike earned a master’s in business administration from George Mason University, which included an enriching international residency at Oxford University. He also holds a B.S. in Accounting from the Fisher School of Accounting at the University of Florida, underlining his foundational expertise in finance.

Get in touch:
mhamrick@acuitystrategicpartners.com

Connect on LinkedIn

Political Strategist and Life Sciences Advocate, Pioneering in Policy and Patient Empowerment

Evan Kozlow has worked as a political consultant and public affairs specialist, developing an extensive background in non-profit and campaign start-up and management, media production, issue advocacy and grassroots mobilization.

Throughout his professional career, Evan has held significant roles in the political and government landscape, including having served as the Deputy Executive Director at the National Republican Congressional Committee, as Chief of Staff for a Member of Congress and began his career working for the Majority Leader in the NJ State Senate.

Beyond the political arena, Evan has successfully engaged in the life sciences community. He has helped manage and promote public policy events such as “Financing & Innovation for Global Health” (FIGH), a Johnson & Johnson event that worked to develop a new platform to develop innovative solutions to global health challenges.

Most notably, as a co-founder of the Rare Access Action Project (RAAP), Evan has worked to identify and advocate for creative policy solutions to address structural issues in access and coverage. Evan’s skills are particularly notable in the rare disease sector, where he specializes in patient recruitment and training and has worked to produce patient videos highlighting the emotional, physical, and financial challenges of rare disease patients and their families.

Get in touch:
ekozlow@acuitystrategicpartners.com

Connect on LinkedIn

Pioneering Commercial Strategist in Pharma With a Legacy of Transforming Patient Care

Paul Stickler has over 30 years of pharmaceutical commercial experience spanning international and domestically based companies. Starting as a primary care sales representative at Abbott Laboratories (Abbvie) and advancing to Sr. Vice President, Commercial at Eton Pharmaceuticals, Paul has led every major aspect of commercialization from primary care to rare disease. He designed, built, and executed commercial plans that added value/revenue across many therapeutic areas (genetics, endocrinology, hepatology, neurology, psychiatry, cardiology, pediatrics, neonatology), biologics, hospital systems/IDNs/GPOs, contracting, business development, distribution (building specialty pharmacy networks, including patient reimbursement and support center) and built out infrastructure (sales, marketing, training, operations teams).

While at Eton Pharmaceuticals, a rare disease startup, Paul built a team and infrastructure and launched the pediatric endocrinology product Alkindi Sprinkle in an expedited period. Before Eton Pharmaceuticals, Paul worked for an international company based in Italy as Vice President of Commercial Operations at Recordati Rare Diseases, a billion-dollar global pharmaceutical company focused on orphan and rare disease products. At Recordati, Paul successfully led sales and marketing activities for many orphan drug products, including Cystadane, Carbaglu, and Panhematin. Before Recordati, Paul held sales and marketing leadership roles at leading international and domestic pharmaceutical companies, including Lundbeck, Inc. (Denmark), where he led the launch of Xenazine and Sabril, Ovation Pharmaceuticals (USA), and Abbott Laboratories (Abbvie-USA).

Paul has won many awards over his career, including sales awards (Abbvie), marketing awards for the campaign of the year (Manny Award-Eton), President’s award from the American Porphyria Foundation, and supply chain excellence recognition from Cardinal Health (Recordati). He is the author of an article published in the Journal of Medical Economics related to healthcare use in rare diseases. Paul is Chairman of the Board of Trustees for the American Porphyria Foundation, has reviewed small business grants for the National Institute of Health, and is a lecturer for the University of California, San Diego.

Paul received a Bachelor of Arts degree in Political Science from Purdue University.

Get in touch:
pstickler@acuitystrategicpartners.com

Connect on LinkedIn

Expertise and Experience Commercializing Specialty/Orphan Drugs and Biologics

Jay Welsh brings over 30 years of expertise in the biopharma industry, consistently showcasing a deep understanding of the ever-evolving US healthcare market and what’s required to build and implement successful commercial strategies. He has launched 20+ specialty and Orphan products.

Beginning his career in sales, sales management and leadership development at Forest Laboratories (now Abbvie), Jay led sales teams in multiple product launches and played a pivotal role in establishing Forest’s hospital and specialty sales organizations.

At Ovation (acquired by Lundbeck in 2009), he held senior marketing and sales roles and helped launch multiple drugs and biologics for rare and ultra-rare diseases. At Recordati Rare Diseases, he was an instrumental member of the leadership team tasked with building the commercial organization and marketing several specialty/Orphan products. This was later replicated at Altathera and again at HRA Pharma Rare Diseases. At HRA, Jay revitalized a legacy therapeutic and diagnostic acquired from BMS and Novartis respectively, transitioning them to a limited distribution network while increasing patient access, advocacy outreach and physician education.

Jay’s work with start-ups has enabled him to extend into areas such as portfolio assessment and valuation, leading to several successful transactions such as licensing Linsitinib from Astellas as part of a $35 million Series A investment as an advisor to Sling Therapeutics, and negotiating the North American commercial rights for XTMAB-16 at Meitheal Pharmaceuticals in a deal valued near $700 million.

Jay holds a B.A. in Biology from William Jewell College and an M.B.A. from the University of Chicago Booth School of Business.

Get in touch:
jwelsh@acuitystrategicpartners.com

Connect on LinkedIn

Excellence in Executive Administration and Operations for Client Success

Kelsey Haddow possesses vast experience in executive administrative roles and operation management within government consulting firms.

With over 10 years of experience managing client-centric office operations, she has exceptional abilities in facilitating internal and external communication.

Kelsey ensures the day-to-day administrative and operational functions run smoothly for client success. She works closely with C-level executives to align business objectives and streamline operations to conserve time and boost efficiency.

Get in touch:
khaddow@acuitystrategicpartners.com

Connect on LinkedIn

Financial Visionary and Entrepreneurial Leader Spanning Over Three Decades

With a robust career exceeding 33 years in the financial services sector, Mike Hamrick is a model of excellence in various disciplines, including capital markets, investment management, risk management, insurance, strategic planning, and business consulting. His professional journey is marked by collaborations with some of the largest Fortune 500 companies, family offices, and closely held business owners, traversing diverse industries such as technology, education, media, government services, politics, and entertainment.

Mike’s insights and analyses have graced the pages of esteemed publications like Newsweek, Entrepreneur.com, Washington Times, Politico.com, RealClearPolitics, Entrepreneur.com, dailycaller.com. and Fox News.com. His expertise has been sought in written columns and interviews by prominent platforms such as Dow Jones, The Wall Street Journal, National Underwriter Magazine, and DR News, showcasing his breadth of knowledge and influence in the financial realm.

Mike earned a master’s in business administration from George Mason University, which included an enriching international residency at Oxford University. He also holds a B.S. in Accounting from the Fisher School of Accounting at the University of Florida, underlining his foundational expertise in finance.

Get in touch:
mhamrick@acuitystrategicpartners.com

Connect on LinkedIn

Political Strategist and Life Sciences Advocate, Pioneering in Policy and Patient Empowerment

Evan Kozlow has worked as a political consultant and public affairs specialist, developing an extensive background in non-profit and campaign start-up and management, media production, issue advocacy and grassroots mobilization.

Throughout his professional career, Evan has held significant roles in the political and government landscape, including having served as the Deputy Executive Director at the National Republican Congressional Committee, as Chief of Staff for a Member of Congress and began his career working for the Majority Leader in the NJ State Senate.

Beyond the political arena, Evan has successfully engaged in the life sciences community. He has helped manage and promote public policy events such as “Financing & Innovation for Global Health” (FIGH), a Johnson & Johnson event that worked to develop a new platform to develop innovative solutions to global health challenges.

Most notably, as a co-founder of the Rare Access Action Project (RAAP), Evan has worked to identify and advocate for creative policy solutions to address structural issues in access and coverage. Evan’s skills are particularly notable in the rare disease sector, where he specializes in patient recruitment and training and has worked to produce patient videos highlighting the emotional, physical, and financial challenges of rare disease patients and their families.

Get in touch:
ekozlow@acuitystrategicpartners.com

Connect on LinkedIn

Pioneering Commercial Strategist in Pharma With a Legacy of Transforming Patient Care

Paul Stickler has over 30 years of pharmaceutical commercial experience spanning international and domestically based companies. Starting as a primary care sales representative at Abbott Laboratories (Abbvie) and advancing to Sr. Vice President, Commercial at Eton Pharmaceuticals, Paul has led every major aspect of commercialization from primary care to rare disease. He designed, built, and executed commercial plans that added value/revenue across many therapeutic areas (genetics, endocrinology, hepatology, neurology, psychiatry, cardiology, pediatrics, neonatology), biologics, hospital systems/IDNs/GPOs, contracting, business development, distribution (building specialty pharmacy networks, including patient reimbursement and support center) and built out infrastructure (sales, marketing, training, operations teams).

While at Eton Pharmaceuticals, a rare disease startup, Paul built a team and infrastructure and launched the pediatric endocrinology product Alkindi Sprinkle in an expedited period. Before Eton Pharmaceuticals, Paul worked for an international company based in Italy as Vice President of Commercial Operations at Recordati Rare Diseases, a billion-dollar global pharmaceutical company focused on orphan and rare disease products. At Recordati, Paul successfully led sales and marketing activities for many orphan drug products, including Cystadane, Carbaglu, and Panhematin. Before Recordati, Paul held sales and marketing leadership roles at leading international and domestic pharmaceutical companies, including Lundbeck, Inc. (Denmark), where he led the launch of Xenazine and Sabril, Ovation Pharmaceuticals (USA), and Abbott Laboratories (Abbvie-USA).

Paul has won many awards over his career, including sales awards (Abbvie), marketing awards for the campaign of the year (Manny Award-Eton), President’s award from the American Porphyria Foundation, and supply chain excellence recognition from Cardinal Health (Recordati). He is the author of an article published in the Journal of Medical Economics related to healthcare use in rare diseases. Paul is Chairman of the Board of Trustees for the American Porphyria Foundation, has reviewed small business grants for the National Institute of Health, and is a lecturer for the University of California, San Diego.

Paul received a Bachelor of Arts degree in Political Science from Purdue University.

Get in touch:
pstickler@acuitystrategicpartners.com

Connect on LinkedIn

Expertise and Experience Commercializing Specialty/Orphan Drugs and Biologics

Jay Welsh brings over 30 years of expertise in the biopharma industry, consistently showcasing a deep understanding of the ever-evolving US healthcare market and what’s required to build and implement successful commercial strategies. He has launched 20+ specialty and Orphan products.

Beginning his career in sales, sales management and leadership development at Forest Laboratories (now Abbvie), Jay led sales teams in multiple product launches and played a pivotal role in establishing Forest’s hospital and specialty sales organizations.

At Ovation (acquired by Lundbeck in 2009), he held senior marketing and sales roles and helped launch multiple drugs and biologics for rare and ultra-rare diseases. At Recordati Rare Diseases, he was an instrumental member of the leadership team tasked with building the commercial organization and marketing several specialty/Orphan products. This was later replicated at Altathera and again at HRA Pharma Rare Diseases. At HRA, Jay revitalized a legacy therapeutic and diagnostic acquired from BMS and Novartis respectively, transitioning them to a limited distribution network while increasing patient access, advocacy outreach and physician education.

Jay’s work with start-ups has enabled him to extend into areas such as portfolio assessment and valuation, leading to several successful transactions such as licensing Linsitinib from Astellas as part of a $35 million Series A investment as an advisor to Sling Therapeutics, and negotiating the North American commercial rights for XTMAB-16 at Meitheal Pharmaceuticals in a deal valued near $700 million.

Jay holds a B.A. in Biology from William Jewell College and an M.B.A. from the University of Chicago Booth School of Business.

Get in touch:
jwelsh@acuitystrategicpartners.com

Connect on LinkedIn

Excellence in Executive Administration and Operations for Client Success

Kelsey Haddow possesses vast experience in executive administrative roles and operation management within government consulting firms.

With over 10 years of experience managing client-centric office operations, she has exceptional abilities in facilitating internal and external communication.

Kelsey ensures the day-to-day administrative and operational functions run smoothly for client success. She works closely with C-level executives to align business objectives and streamline operations to conserve time and boost efficiency.

Get in touch:
khaddow@acuitystrategicpartners.com

Connect on LinkedIn

Network Partners

Driving Biotech Growth and Innovation Policy

John Heffernan is currently principal at Park Street Strategies, LLC, which he founded in 2014. He represents a diverse clientele focused on biotechnology and life sciences, as well as other sectors within the innovation economy. John is a seasoned professional in association management, coalition building, government affairs and economic development.

He was formerly a member of the senior management team at MassBio, the largest life sciences trade association in the world, where he oversaw federal and state policy, as well as economic development. He spearheaded efforts to create and maintain a climate in which the life sciences industry can thrive. He also led an effort to revitalize the Massachusetts Biotech Caucus, which creates a venue to educate legislative staff, elected and appointed officials and other stakeholders on the vital role innovation plays in the local economy and global healthcare.

John is a native of Boston and received a Bachelor of Arts from Fordham University and successfully completed the Emerging Leaders Program at the Center for Collaborative Leadership at the University of Massachusetts, Boston.

Get in touch:
jheffernan@acuitystrategicpartners.com

Connect on LinkedIn

Matt Salmon, former Congressman of Arizona’s fifth district, is now serving as the Vice President of Government Affairs and Professor of Practice at Arizona State University. He oversees the university’s international, federal, state, local, tribal, and cultural relations teams and assists the university in advancing its global strategy, creating an institution committed to excellence, access, and impact.

He represented Arizona for five terms in Congress before retiring in 2016. During his time as a U.S. Representative, Salmon was a Member of the House Committee on Foreign Affairs, serving as Chairman of the Subcommittee on the Western Hemisphere and the Subcommittee on Asia and the Pacific and leading numerous delegations to China.

Matt lived in Taiwan as a Mormon missionary for two years and speaks fluent Mandarin. He earned his bachelor‘s degree at Arizona State University and holds a Master of Public Administration from Brigham Young University.

Jeff Trotter, an entrepreneur, researcher, consultant, and innovator, has been a pioneer in the evolving health economics and outcomes research community and is an industry leader in the design and implementation of patient registries, observational studies, and other RWE (real-world evidence) initiatives.  Jeff currently supports the scientific and strategic RWE initiatives of life-sciences and related organizations through his independent consultancy, J Trotter Research & Consulting.

In 1990, Jeff founded Ovation Research Group, an internationally known research and consulting firm (acquired by ICON Clinical Research) and has been in executive management with other research companies (ClinTrials Research, ICON, PharmaNet/i3, inVentiv Health (now Syneos)).  Most recently, Jeff served as Senior Vice President – Worldwide Evidence for Worldwide Clinical Trials, a leading mid-sized contract research organization, after Worldwide acquired the Late Stage (RWE) research business unit of Continuum Clinical, a professional services company including additional capabilities in Patient Recruitment and Medical Communications, that Jeff co-founded in 2014.

Jeff has spoken widely in front of varied industry audiences and has published over 75 original articles and research papers — including a book for the American Hospital Association, The Quest for Cost-Effectiveness in Healthcare: Achieving Clinical Excellence While Controlling Cost.  Jeff is a founding member of the International Society for Pharmacoeconomics and Outcomes Research (ISPOR), and holds a Master of Management (MBA) degree from Northwestern University’s Kellogg School of Management and a Bachelor’s degree in Accounting from the University of Illinois.

Driving Biotech Growth and Innovation Policy

John Heffernan is currently principal at Park Street Strategies, LLC, which he founded in 2014. He represents a diverse clientele focused on biotechnology and life sciences, as well as other sectors within the innovation economy. John is a seasoned professional in association management, coalition building, government affairs and economic development.

He was formerly a member of the senior management team at MassBio, the largest life sciences trade association in the world, where he oversaw federal and state policy, as well as economic development. He spearheaded efforts to create and maintain a climate in which the life sciences industry can thrive. He also led an effort to revitalize the Massachusetts Biotech Caucus, which creates a venue to educate legislative staff, elected and appointed officials and other stakeholders on the vital role innovation plays in the local economy and global healthcare.

John is a native of Boston and received a Bachelor of Arts from Fordham University and successfully completed the Emerging Leaders Program at the Center for Collaborative Leadership at the University of Massachusetts, Boston.

Get in touch:
jheffernan@acuitystrategicpartners.com

Connect on LinkedIn

Matt Salmon, former Congressman of Arizona’s fifth district, is now serving as the Vice President of Government Affairs and Professor of Practice at Arizona State University. He oversees the university’s international, federal, state, local, tribal, and cultural relations teams and assists the university in advancing its global strategy, creating an institution committed to excellence, access, and impact.

He represented Arizona for five terms in Congress before retiring in 2016. During his time as a U.S. Representative, Salmon was a Member of the House Committee on Foreign Affairs, serving as Chairman of the Subcommittee on the Western Hemisphere and the Subcommittee on Asia and the Pacific and leading numerous delegations to China.

Matt lived in Taiwan as a Mormon missionary for two years and speaks fluent Mandarin. He earned his bachelor‘s degree at Arizona State University and holds a Master of Public Administration from Brigham Young University.

Jeff Trotter, an entrepreneur, researcher, consultant, and innovator, has been a pioneer in the evolving health economics and outcomes research community and is an industry leader in the design and implementation of patient registries, observational studies, and other RWE (real-world evidence) initiatives.  Jeff currently supports the scientific and strategic RWE initiatives of life-sciences and related organizations through his independent consultancy, J Trotter Research & Consulting.

In 1990, Jeff founded Ovation Research Group, an internationally known research and consulting firm (acquired by ICON Clinical Research) and has been in executive management with other research companies (ClinTrials Research, ICON, PharmaNet/i3, inVentiv Health (now Syneos)).  Most recently, Jeff served as Senior Vice President – Worldwide Evidence for Worldwide Clinical Trials, a leading mid-sized contract research organization, after Worldwide acquired the Late Stage (RWE) research business unit of Continuum Clinical, a professional services company including additional capabilities in Patient Recruitment and Medical Communications, that Jeff co-founded in 2014.

Jeff has spoken widely in front of varied industry audiences and has published over 75 original articles and research papers — including a book for the American Hospital Association, The Quest for Cost-Effectiveness in Healthcare: Achieving Clinical Excellence While Controlling Cost.  Jeff is a founding member of the International Society for Pharmacoeconomics and Outcomes Research (ISPOR), and holds a Master of Management (MBA) degree from Northwestern University’s Kellogg School of Management and a Bachelor’s degree in Accounting from the University of Illinois.

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