Ashfield Engage, part of UDG Healthcare plc, announced that it has been selected by US-based Pacira BioSciences, Inc. to provide strategic commercialization services for its non-opioid pain management products in select European countries.
Pacira has partnered with Ashfield Engage to develop a commercial strategy and deliver outsourced operations in numerous European countries, including the UK, Germany, Sweden, Austria, Netherlands and Finland.
Ashfield Engage will recruit a multi-disciplinary team of Key Account Managers, Medical Science Liaisons and Clinical Educators that has been carefully structured for the needs of each product and market.
Discussing the partnership, Eoin McAtamney, Vice President, International Business Development at Ashfield Engage, said: “Pacira is an extremely action-orientated, patient-centric organization, and its innovative products offer great promise in the European market, particularly given the burden on healthcare providers following the COVID crisis.
“We have created a hyper-targeted, lean solution that is fit for purpose and maximizes every key engagement in the commercial journey. Our team is currently working to deliver this multi-country strategy and we are proud of the part we can play at such a pivotal time for Pacira.”
Pacira BioSciences’ mission is to provide an opioid alternative to as many patients as possible, aspiring to transform patient outcomes and quality of life. The Pacira portfolio of non-opioid pain management products includes EXPAREL® (liposomal bupivacaine), a local anesthetic administered at the time of surgery to control postsurgical pain and reduce or eliminate the need for opioids, and the iovera° system, a handheld cryoanalgesia device indicated for use in peripheral nerves and osteoarthritis of the knee.
Max Reinhardt, President, Rest of World at Pacira BioSciences, added: “We are entering Europe at a critical time and believe the Pacira portfolio of solutions will be of great value providing effective postsurgical pain management and the treatment of osteoarthritis of the knee. This will enable more effective recovery after surgery at a time when major health systems are focused on increasing surgical throughput and reducing length of stay to address elective surgery waiting lists.
Ashfield Engage demonstrated a compelling solution that was tailored specifically to our needs, enabling us to reach hospitals, surgeons and anesthetists most effectively. We are confident that we have found a partner with an intimate knowledge of our markets, whose values align with our own and we are excited by the potential of this partnership.”
About Ashfield Engage
Ashfield Engage, part of UDG Healthcare plc, is an expert, global partner in customer strategy and execution. Ashfield Engage helps clients connect with all healthcare audiences to ensure people get knowledge, support and medicines when and where they need them. As experts in strategic engagement, Ashfield Engage creates personalized, impactful experiences, across all channels. Every program is underpinned by human connections, omnichannel engagement and adaptive analytics.
Ashfield Engage has over 20 years’ experience with a team of over 5,000 employees, delivering services in more than 50 countries. Offering services across Medical Affairs, Market Access, Commercial, Patient Solutions and Event Experiences, Ashfield Engage helps its clients to engage with their stakeholders across the whole commercialization journey. Under the Ashfield umbrella, Ashfield Engage sits alongside Ashfield Advisory and Ashfield Health.
About Pacira BioSciences
Pacira BioSciences, Inc. is the industry leader in its commitment to non-opioid pain management and regenerative health solutions to improve patients’ journeys along the neural pain pathway. The company’s long-acting local analgesic, EXPAREL® (bupivacaine liposome injectable suspension) was commercially launched in the United States in April 2012. EXPAREL utilizes DepoFoam®, a unique and proprietary product delivery technology that encapsulates drugs without altering their molecular structure, and releases them over a desired period of time. In April 2019, Pacira acquired the iovera° system, a handheld cryoanalgesia device used to deliver precise, controlled doses of cold temperature only to targeted nerves.
