Challenge
On the brink of bringing its first product to market, Alexion Pharmaceuticals was undergoing a fundamental transfor­mation from a research and development (R&D) organization into a viable commercial business. The company recognized that it needed to create the infrastructure, capabilities and processes necessary to support commercial operations while not impeding U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approval of its first prescription drug or endangering its pipe­line and ongoing clinical trials. Above all, Alexion needed to do these things quickly and cost-effectively.

Solution
Alexion turned this challenge into an opportunity to build an enterprise strategy. The company selected Clarkston Consulting to implement an integrated enterprise resource planning (ERP) system that aligned with its business goals. In addition to providing complete project management for the engagement, Clarkston helped Alexion design processes from the ground up that would support operations following the launch of the company’s first FDA-approved product.

Benefits
Alexion has a single, unified system that will sustain its growth well into the future. The company has gained crystal-clear visibility into its commercial operations, as well as the ability to manage its business in a fully integrated and com­pliant manner. It was able to accomplish these efforts in a condensed timeline that minimized costs and created capa­bilities precisely when they were needed.

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