6 Key Elements of Successful Brand Launches

In today’s increasingly competitive and fast-moving pharmaceutical landscape, the path to a successful launch demands far more than scientific promise—it requires a modern, multidimensional approach that unites innovation, insight, and execution. In this excerpt for PM360's Think Tank series, Kristine McGaughey, ConnectiveRx VP of Implementation, shares 6 important pillars pharma hubs need to put into action to transform great therapies into lasting brand success.

1. Strike the Right Balance

• For market access teams, balancing speed with readiness starts with planning in parallel, not in sequence. The best hub launches don’t wait for every box to be checked before moving forward; they focus on getting the essentials right, fast.

2. Focus on the Essentials 

• Start with a Minimum Viable Launch, the core capabilities you need to open access, engage patients, and capture critical data. That might mean EHR-based intake, benefit verification, copay workflows, and real-time status updates. Once those are solid, you can build to full maturity by layering in added features like nurse outreach, automation, or patient-facing apps.

3. Stay in Touch

• Keep alignment constant. Instead of one big sign-off, maintain a steady rhythm with all your stakeholders—patients, providers, access, finance, and your hub partner. Weekly touchpoints surface issues early and keep everyone moving in the same direction.

4. Flawless Execution

• Operational discipline is what keeps a fast launch running smoothly. It’s about having your checklists, stress tests, and ownership clear before the volume hits. And when things start moving fast, a shared dashboard helps everyone see what’s happening and step in right away when something needs attention.

5. Dynamic Agility

• Protect speed by being intentional about what can wait. If a new integration or service is “nice to have,” park it in Phase 2 with clear entry criteria. That focus prevents rework and protects gross-to-net.

6. Establish progress markers

Set time-based checkpoints—Day 7, 30, 90, 180—and agree in advance on how to respond to issues like payer denials or drops in adherence. The real evolution is in thinking: you’re not sacrificing quality for speed, you’re building a launch that creates value on Day 1 and keeps improving in real time.