About

Optimizing Commercial Development

Inspired by making a difference; passionate about leaving a legacy.

Commercial Teams Need to be Involved Early on

Rapid Commercialization Partners, Inc., (RCP) is an expert firm dedicated to optimizing commercialization for clinical-stage biotech companies headquartered in Cambridge, MA.

RCP was founded to bring a legacy of innovation to the commercialization of biotech products. Comprised of executive-level experts from critical functional areas within commercial biotechnology, we work as an integrated, but fractional extension of our client partners to build the commercial foundation, address observable inefficiency and bring needed therapies to patients faster and with improved fiscal responsibility.

Our Mission

To create a critical shift in how emerging biotech companies approach commercialization. We offer our clients the ability to begin commercialization without having to build a large commercial footprint at a time when capacity for investment may be minimal or premature. We help our clients to prepare a solid commercial foundation while implementing best practices and processes from the start.

Remove Obstacles and Circumvent Costly Distractions

Building an elite commercial organization takes time and investment. An RCP engagement provides a fully operational, multidisciplinary team of seasoned commercial executives from day 1, who understand the critical factors that drive performance and have a proven ability to achieve results.

We operate as an extension of our client's organization providing comprehensive, cross-functional commercial expertise and implementation, in addition to an extensive network of strategic alliances that serve our clients seamlessly during any engagement.

Our approach drives value by enabling our clients to continue growth and expansion while simultaneously preparing for commercialization. This duality eliminates time lost due to ramp-up and reduces the learning curve for new and/or existing commercial hires by providing an elevated platform from which to achieve future commercial success.

Our Goal

To ensure that the fundamentals are done correctly, to help build the market and develop critical external relationships necessary for success and to transition out through a defined exit plan that provides training and support over time. 

Phases of Commercialization

End-to-End Strategic Commercial Planning and Execution

PHASE I

  • Claims data
  • Epi data
  • Prevalence / Incidence
  • Forecast modeling

PHASE IA - IB

  • Key Stakeholder Engagement
  • Targeting
  • Indication Prioritization
  • Target Product Profile
  • Value Proposition
  • Clinical Trial Design and Outcome Assessment
  • Market Research
  • Message Strategy

PHASE II

  • Commercial Assessment
  • Market Assessment and Positioning
  • Patient Identification
  • Patient Journey Investigator / Key Opinion Leader (KOL) Development (Mapping and Engagement)
  • Market and Patient Access Landscape
  • Diagnostic Pathway
  • Disease Awareness
  • Ad Boards
  • Publication Plan
  • Competitive Intelligence
  • Patient Advocacy

PHASE IIA - IIB

  • Medical Affairs Integration
  • HEOR (Gap analysis, Evidence Generation Plan)
  • Market Access Patient Journey
  • Landscape Assessment, Pay Mix Assessment
  • Payor Communication Kit (Payor Insights and Requirements)
  • Pricing Strategy
  • High level funding flow
  • Diagnostic Landscape
  • Customer Segmentation
  • Brand Plan Campaign Development
  • Organizational development and scale-up

PHASE III

  • Message Development (commercial vs. medical)
  • Disease Awareness
  • Disease and Branded slide decks
  • Speaker Training
  • Congress Strategy
  • Pricing Study
  • Pricing Governance and Approvals
  • Payor Brand Plan
  • BOI Study
  • CRM
  • Training Platform
  • Launch Budget Planning
  • KPI Setting and Measurement
  • Patient Services
  • Pre-Launch Readiness Planning

Optimized commercial readiness leads to better outcomes

Excellence in Commercial Preparation Drives Value

There is no recourse to recapture lost productivity or lost revenue. Studies have shown that if a product fails to meet launch-year expectations, the probability of recovering revenue in subsequent years declines sharply. Many factors that contribute to missing expectations can be mitigated early with thorough planning and disciplined execution. It’s therefore crucial that commercial expertise be incorporated at the initial phases of the commercialization journey.

Commercial DecisionsCommercial OutcomesTIMESALESSub-optimal (Typical) Launch PerformanceAspirational Launch PerformanceOptimized Launch TrajectoryINTERVENTION
RCP contributing to sales

Excellence in commercial preparation and planning drives value, which supports future investment or potential acquisition. Independent of where a company is along their commercialization journey, RCP can help identify where gaps exist and deliver actionable solutions.

Bridge the Gap in Commercial Expertise

Integration of the commercial perspective can decrease time-to-market, ensure the product will meet stakeholder needs, differentiate from the competition, meet access requirements and optimize return on investment.

Ensuring that commercial fundamentals and insights are integrated with precision early on positively impacts the ability of our clients to meet or exceed revenue targets and achieve commercial milestones.

RCP provides industry experience and executional expertise on critical decision points early in the commercialization process that determine success.

RCP is a woman-owned business enterprise (WBE)

Christina J. Ansted, MPH, CCMEP is a dynamic, results-driven, and entrepreneurial biotechnology executive dedicated to building a legacy of innovation for how clinical-stage biotech companies approach commercialization, improving rates of success and to making a difference for patients living with rare or poorly managed disease.

Christina has extensive experience in the global commercialization of rare disease products, medical services, and medical communications with expertise in patient identification and diagnostic strategy. She is a solution-oriented leader, highly focused on optimization, outcomes, and driving value across an organization with a sophisticated approach to commercialization strategy and execution and building high performance teams.

Our Testimonials

Gregory Fuest

Vice President of Marketing and Commercial Strategy

"Christina is one of the best people I have ever worked with. We worked together at two companies where she was my direct report and peer. She always does an outstanding job in everything she tackles. She has a great ability to consistently identify opportunities, develop strategies, lead teams and execute flawlessly to achieve above expectations. I have seen her work in challenging environments on extremely complex and difficult projects always with a positive and cheerful attitude with a drive to succeed and bring value to the organization. I highly and without reservation recommend her."

Helene Dubrowsky

Global Director, Indirect Procurement at PTC Therapeutics, Inc.

"Christina is a take charge person who can meet challenges head-on. Not only did she expedite required programs with tight time constraints, but also communicated with workers and suppliers in a professional manner while conveying the urgency on obtaining the materials she needed to continue the project at hand. More impressive is her dedication to her duties, responsibilities, and personal work ethic. I am extremely confident that any organization seeking a person of her caliber will be more than pleased with her performance."

Daniel Silver, JD

Coordinator, Global Shared Medical Services at PTC Therapeutics, Inc.

"Christina’s acumen in the pharmaceutical industry truly does speak for itself; she is a dynamic force within the industry. One aspect of her leadership is her uncanny ability to build a team in the truest sense of the term. Everybody who worked on her team within GSMS felt like he/she was part of something greater than any individual. We worked with and for each other. It was Christina’s day-to-day diligence in making sure that each of us knew what we needed to do and had the resources to accomplish it that sustained our dedication to her. Her genuine warmth carried through to all of us."

Vincent Lévêque

Head of Marketing & Operations at Novartis Gene Therapies - EMEA

"It is rare you come across standout colleague like Christina. Christina is a very experienced global marketer with a strong scientific background. She played a critical role in the success of Soliris and the global launch of new products in Metabolic disorders. Her experiences in ultra-rare disease drugs combined to her understanding of the complexity of the different regions (EMEAC, LATAM, Asia Pacific) made her a key player of the global team, highly appreciated by the marketers in the local affiliates. In addition to her technical expertise, Christina is the type of colleague that you enjoy working with: always positive, solution finder and team oriented."

Chris Cheney

Ultra-Orphan Disease Commercialization Strategic Support

"Christina is intelligent, energetic, and hardworking. While with Alexion, she established herself as a quick learner and significant contributor to the team resulting in her rapid rise within the organization. Christina excelled in organizational skills, an intense focus on detail, excellence in customer relations and a strong scientific background and was specifically adept at translating medical data into marketing strategies and messages; she exemplified excellence in all the projects in which she participated. I offer my highest recommendation for Christina as she would be a uniquely valuable asset to any organization."

Serene Forte, PhD, MPH

Strategy and Leadership | Gene Therapy | Genetic Medicines | Rare Diseases | Develop and Launch Innovative Drugs

"Christina’s leadership skills were apparent right from the start as she built out and led her team. She is adept at motivating and orienting the individuals on her team to see what needs to be accomplished to move the business forward in a timely fashion. What really stands out is Christina’s commitment to patients and desire for wanting to bring them the right medicine at the right time for their specific disease. Her passion for rare disease and her experience within biotech shows in all she does from her leadership skills to her engagement skills to her business skills, as she strives to understand and find the necessary solutions to complex issues. Her ability to engage with all customers, from heads of research to payers to internal colleagues is above the rest. Christina has a 360-degree view of the biotech business that only comes from experience and with it she can solve complex issues relating to the fast-moving field of Biotech."

John King

Chief Commercial Officer at Vor Biopharma

"Christina has become a global commercial leader in rare disease with strong cross-functional collaboration. She is decisive and focused on tangible outcomes that directly contribute business objectives. She excels in her ability to integrate commercial and medical priorities into overall business strategy. When confronted with difficult timelines, new therapeutic areas, or lack of resources, Christina's passion and leadership have propelled her to deliver high quality results. Organizations seeking an experienced, efficient, and results oriented partner to prepare/guide them to commercial success would be fortunate to have Christina at the helm."

RCP has executed global launch planning in more than 5 major and emerging markets covering the U.S., Canada, European Union, South America, Australasia and Japan in over 12 countries.