Introduction

KEY TAKEAWAYS: 
• Asset Maximization Teams integrate commercial and medical affairs from candidate nomination onward 
• Medical affairs maintains operational independence despite commercial organizational alignment 
• Five co-creation countries shape global strategy while local affiliates control execution 
• Social listening measures organic data amplification by healthcare professionals at congresses 
• STEM audits enable real-time course correction during transformation implementation phase 

Astellas Pharma faced a strategic paradox that forced a fundamental rethink of how treatments are developed and commercialized. The company manages a portfolio where products ten years into their lifecycle continue growing while launching five strategic brands that will define future growth. 

"We have products that are 10 years into their life cycle, and they are still growing, but we also have 5 strategic brands that we have recently launched, and they're launching across the world, which will drive the growth for the company moving forward," Emad Siddiqui explained at Reuters Events Customer Engagement Europe in London. But innovative science is not enough. As he emphasized: "My honest opinion is there is no point in developing drugs if patients can't get access to them, so we must collaborate and plan effectively to improve patient outcomes." This access imperative triggered an organizational transformation that began in April 2024. 

Breaking the Sequential Handoff Model 
Traditional pharma development follows a sequential relay race: research discovers compounds, early development tests them, late development proves efficacy and safety, and only then do commercial and medical affairs prepare for launch. Each handoff risks losing critical information and delays attention to market access until after core clinical programs are designed. 

Astellas demolished this model through Asset Maximization Teams (AMTs). "Through the AMT, which stands for asset maximization team model, we now have a team that is responsible for the asset from bench to bedside," Siddiqui explained. In addition to research and development members, these small, agile core teams include medical affairs, commercial, and market access representatives from candidate nomination through the entire product lifecycle. 

Rather than designing studies based solely on regulatory and scientific questions, teams now incorporate payer and patient perspectives and utilise real-world evidence inform study design. "We capture insights, we make sure the payer's needs are being met. We make sure the right endpoints are included in studies," Siddiqui noted. By embedding Health economic and market access expertise from candidate nomination onwards rather than Phase 3, Astellas aims to prevent late-stage value erosion. 

The governance model reflects this integration. "The global brand team, and this is very important, it's co-led by medical affairs and commercial," Siddiqui emphasized, signalling that medical affairs now shares strategic accountability rather than serving only as scientific support. 

The transformation required restructuring the company into two divisions. The Value Creation organization brought research and development together, while the Value Delivery organization combined medical affairs, commercial, market access, and customer engagement excellence. This outward-facing Value Delivery group aims to bring in insights efficiently, act on them, and meet customer needs in ways traditional silos prevented. 

Navigating the Independence Paradox 
The structural changes created concerns for some about medical affairs independence—a non-negotiable requirement for regulatory compliance and scientific credibility. Moving medical affairs from M&D reporting to a Value Delivery structure raised questions for some. 

"Medical Affairs used to be under the M&D organization. We now are under the value delivery organization led by a chief commercial and medical affairs officer. For some people, that was a concern," Siddiqui recalled. The concern was that medical affairs must maintain independence in study design, data interpretation, and scientific communication. 

Astellas addressed this through explicit separation between strategic alignment and operational independence. "As medical affairs, we still have our autonomy when it comes to executing and designing medical deliverables. Yes, strategically we align with our commercial partners, which is the right thing to do. But then we have our independence," Siddiqui clarified. 

In practice, cross-functional brand teams identify evidence gaps and strategic priorities together, but medical affairs retains control over the design and execution of clinical trials, publication strategies, and scientific content. This balance—commercial reporting with protected operational independence—aims to capture alignment benefits while maintaining scientific integrity. 

Global Strategy, Local Execution, Shared Ownership 
Global pharma companies often struggle when strategies that work at headquarters fail in diverse markets. Astellas addressed this through its "brand at the center" model, which redefines the relationship between global strategy and local execution.

The approach centers on Global Brand Teams that define brand strategy, while affiliates retain execution autonomy. "In our global brand teams, we have our 5 most important countries, which we call co-creation countries. We invite them and they form the brand strategy with us," Siddiqui explained. This selective inclusion model differs from top-down headquarters directives and from consensus approaches that involve every market. 

Global teams develop materials that are 90 percent ready for country use, with local teams adapting the remaining 10 percent for market-specific requirements. The United States requires different versions from the rest of the world, but this standardization significantly reduces duplicated effort. Global teams define strategy and handle globally impactful activities like data generation and publication, while execution happens at the affiliate level. 

Measuring What Matters in the Digital Age 
Traditional metrics for scientific communication—publication counts, congress presentations, attendee numbers—measure activity rather than impact. Astellas is exploring new approaches to understand whether information reaches target audiences and influences practice.

"I joined pharmaceutical medicine 19 years ago and over this 19-year journey, the way in which we engage now is very, very different from what it used to be," Siddiqui observed. The company now goes beyond traditional manuscripts and abstracts to bite-size information including infographics and interactive posters. Omnichannel approaches include congress microsites, interactive medical information portals, and publication portals. 

Social listening at major medical congresses now provides proxy metrics for organic reach and healthcare professional–driven amplification. "We have experimented with social listening to see what the impact of those data disclosures are across the world. And in that way, we can see how we have supported or impacted the customer," Siddiqui explained. 

The approach yielded concrete insights at the recent American Society of Clinical Oncology meeting. "At the recent ASCO congress Astellas presented ground breaking data on two of our big oncology assets, what we actually realized afterwards through the social listening was that these disclosures became one of the most widely augmented communications captured through social listening, through Twitter, etc.," Siddiqui revealed. 

Implementation Realities and Success Metrics 
Organizational transformation succeeds or fails in implementation, not design. Change management at Astellas required extensive communication about the "why" behind changes, addressing both rational concerns about roles and emotional concerns about job security. 

Astellas Leaders conducted town halls and maintained constant communication to explain the vision. But communication alone was not enough. "Every leader had to show up together. So medical affairs and commercial, particularly in the value delivery organization—I would show up with my counterpart in commercial and we would be visibly aligned with our vision," Siddiqui explained. 

The company implemented STEM audits to evaluate "brand at the center" implementation across global, regional, and local levels, enabling course correction while the new operating model is still forming. The audit examines how brands work at all levels and identifies areas requiring adjustment. 

Looking forward, success will be measured through multiple lenses. Key performance indicators include accelerating drug development milestones for assets currently hitting proof of concept which will define Astellas's future in the coming years. "We've got assets which are reaching proof of concept, and they will be the future of Astellas in the next 4 years or so" Siddiqui noted. 

Net promoter scores tracking external customer perception provide another metric. Astellas aims to become one of the top customer engagement companies, emphasizing improved engagement with healthcare professionals, payers, patients, and governments. "I think one of our aims is to become one of the top customer engagement companies, and we're putting a lot of emphasis on this,” Siddiqui stated. 

Ultimately, the transformation's key measure is whether Astellas brings innovative treatments to patients sooner and ensures the right patient benefits from the right treatment at the right time. "In three years' time, I would like to see Astellas continuing to deliver innovative treatments to patients, and sooner. We can develop strong brand strategies to ensure the right patient can benefit from the right treatment at the right time, and through this we drive the growth of our brands " Siddiqui emphasized. 

The transformation also positions Astellas for emerging capabilities. As the company moves toward omnichannel engagement and personalized content, Siddiqui identified generative AI as necessary to meet content creation demands. "As we move towards omnichannel and personalized content creation, there is going to be a lot of new content that will be created. I think for us to meet these demands, generative AI will play a key role. Otherwise, it becomes very difficult to create so much content," he explained. The fundamental premise remains unchanged: there is no point in developing drugs if patients cannot get access and benefit from them. 

To get you highlights of Pharma Customer Engagement EU faster, we are using generative AI technology to summarise the transcripts of the sessions. If you have any feedback about the summary, please contact lucy.fisher@thomsonreuters.com. 

"Stories have a beginning, a middle, and an end. What does that mean? Well, our beginning is our tailgate," Vossschulte described. "Then there's kickoff... And then of course, you have the game, and then you have the end of the game."

Each phase receives deliberate design attention. The tailgate hosts 40,000 fans across 20,000 parking spots. Kickoff includes pregame experiences like holding the American flag on-field. The conclusion doesn't simply eject attendees but features staff farewells—"Have a good night. Thank you guys so much for coming"—even after losses.

Pharma patient journeys often fragment across disconnected functions. Diagnosis belongs to one team, treatment initiation to another, adherence to patient services, outcomes to medical affairs. Each touchpoint may perform adequately in isolation yet lack narrative cohesion. Patients don't experience their healthcare as operational stages—they live stories with emotional arcs, uncertainty, hope, setbacks, and milestones. The Eagles demonstrate that organizations capturing this narrative architecture don't just improve satisfaction scores—they create demand that waiting lists measure rather than market share calculations.

Operational excellence at scale requires more than training manuals. The Eagles deploy "First and Goal," a framework translating customer-centricity into memorable daily behaviors for thousands of game-day staff. The acronym structures specific commitments: First, I will create a memorable fan experience. Greet every fan with a smile. Own my zone. Appreciate everyone. Live the mission: safe, clean, and friendly.

The smiling requirement isn't superficial sentiment but behavioral science application. Vossschulte referenced Ivy League research demonstrating measurable health benefits from smiling—endorphin release that physiologically improves wellbeing. More remarkably, studies show smiling at others creates health effects in recipients. "When you smile at other people, it actually has an effect on them. A healthy effect. You can, in fact, make people healthier by smiling at them," he emphasized. The framework's power emerged through cultural transformation metrics rather than customer surveys.

"I retrained our whole building, and I knew I had succeeded one day when I came in through security and our security guards were like, can't come in here today," Vossschulte recounted. Concerned something was amiss, he pressed for explanation. "You're not smiling." Security enforcing cultural standards on leadership confirmed the framework had penetrated organizational identity beyond compliance theater.

This mirrors Disney's "keys of excellence" and Chick-fil-A's service model—companies where operational frameworks become cultural languages enabling consistent experiences across thousands of employees. For pharma companies, the application challenge involves translating these principles across field forces, patient services, medical affairs, and digital channels. Each function currently operates with distinct metrics, incentives, and vocabularies. A unifying framework grounded in behavioral science rather than corporate platitudes could align disparate touchpoints into coherent brand experiences.

The approach requires prioritizing people over policies. Vossschulte contrasted this with various guest service counter experiences where procedures supersede customer needs. "Policy over customer service. Never a good thing," he observed. "But your fans, your staff, your customers, your clients—everyone has to feel that with you, they come first." In healthcare, regulatHI normaory requirements and clinical protocols create necessary constraints. Yet within those boundaries, organizations choose whether patients encounter bureaucratic machinery or human-centered service. The Eagles prove that customer-first philosophy scales through cultural frameworks, not policy exceptions.

The Eagles maintain unprecedented demand without formal loyalty programs. No points systems, no tiered memberships, no "buy more, get more" mechanics. Vossschulte critiqued this industry standard directly:

 "There was this big push many years ago to create these loyalty programs. Buy more, you get more," he noted. "But if it's not sincere, if it's not a real engagement, if it's not really that back and forth with humans, if it's not a story behind it, it really doesn't mean much."

Authentic relationship-building replaces transactional schemes. Staff receive training on appreciating diverse needs—neurodivergent fans, ADA requirements, children whose stadium view consists primarily of adult anatomy. "Get on their level. Hey. What's up? High five. Got your jersey on. We might need you on the field later on," Vossschulte described as the approach to young fans. These moments cost nothing financially yet build emotional bonds mechanical reward programs cannot replicate.

The concept extends through "common language"—a principle Vossschulte considers humanity's superpower. "I believe that we humans have a superpower, and that is language," he explained. "If we all spoke the same language—and by the way, that's not just speaking English... that also means body language. It also means smiling language." Common language creates organizational cohesion across functional silos. At his previous engineering firm, architects and mathematicians couldn't collaborate effectively despite technical competence. Shared vocabulary, behavioral norms, and cultural touchpoints enable coordination that org charts alone cannot achieve.

For pharma companies, patient support programs often resemble the transactional loyalty schemes Vossschulte critiqued. Copay cards, refill reminders, nurse hotlines—all valuable services, yet mechanistic rather than relational. As biosimilar competition intensifies and clinical differentiation narrows, authentic relationships may constitute the only sustainable advantage. Patients don't develop loyalty to prior authorization support—they develop loyalty to organizations demonstrating genuine understanding of their lived experience.

The synthesis reveals transferable principles: narrative architecture structuring journeys as stories rather than processes, cultural frameworks codifying values into scalable behaviors, employee experience investment recognizing staff as experience delivery mechanisms, authenticity prioritized over transactional mechanics, and common language unifying cross-functional collaboration. Healthcare engagement operates under regulatory constraints, clinical complexity, and ethical considerations that sports entertainment doesn't face. Yet underlying psychology remains constant—humans respond to stories, authentic relationships, and consistent experiences regardless of industry context.

Practical applications emerge across pharma operations. Patient journey mapping could adopt narrative frameworks identifying emotional arcs, not just clinical milestones. Cross-functional customer experience frameworks like "First and Goal" could align field teams, patient services, medical affairs, and digital channels around shared behavioral commitments. Service standards grounded in behavioral science—like the smiling research—provide evidence-based rationale for seemingly soft skills. Patient support programs could emphasize relational depth over transactional breadth, building fewer but more meaningful touchpoints.

Vossschulte closed with an unlikely organizational unifier: dad jokes. "I actually, with our game day staff, my common language is dad jokes," he revealed. "It has literally united our game day staff. If you go to any other stadium in the NFL, I'm actually now known as the dad joke teller." The anecdote transcends humor—it demonstrates how seemingly trivial cultural touchpoints create organizational identity and cross-functional cohesion that formal programs cannot. Staff now approach him demanding jokes. Colleagues from other teams recognize him by this characteristic.

The metaphor applies directly to healthcare engagement. Pharma companies invest heavily in sophisticated CRM platforms, omnichannel orchestration, and predictive analytics. These tools matter. But organizations often underinvest in the cultural elements creating human connection—shared languages, behavioral norms, authentic moments, narrative coherence.

The Eagles prove that customer engagement excellence doesn't require revolutionary technology or massive budgets. It requires commitment to storytelling, cultural frameworks enabling consistent service, employee experience investment, authenticity over transactions, and common languages unifying diverse teams. These principles cost little financially yet demand significant leadership commitment.

"Investing in service is a smart business decision," Vossschulte emphasized. "If you give, you will get back. I don't know, the universe just works that way."

For pharma executives seeking sustainable competitive advantage in patient engagement, the lessons from Lincoln Financial Field offer unexpected but actionable guidance: sometimes the best customer engagement strategy starts not with loyalty points, but with a smile and a story.

To get you highlights of Pharma Customer Engagement USA faster, we are using generative AI technology to summarise the transcripts of the sessions. If you have any feedback about the summary, please contact lucy.fisher@thomsonreuters.com

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