Author: Florian Stieglitz, Market Access Consultant
Faced with increasing complexity from internal organisational restructuring that created frictions around decision making processes, our client recognised the need to realign its Market Access organisation in Germany. We guided the process by conducting in-depth interviews, defining guiding principles, and creating an evaluation framework to assess structural options. Together with the leadership team of the market access department , we designed and aligned on a new organisational model that ensures clearer accountability, stronger leadership roles, and sustainable talent development. The result: a leaner, more consistent structure that strengthens the client’s ability to secure patient access, deliver value across its portfolio and bolster the internal position of market access significantly towards other departments in the company.
Client Challenge
The client is a leading global pharmaceutical company with a strong presence in Germany, operating across several therapeutic areas with seven marketed Rx products and an active pipeline. Like many peers in the industry, the company faced the dual challenge of increasing payer scrutiny and rising internal complexity. In Germany in particular, EU HTA regulations, AMNOG requirements, and local stakeholder expectations demanded earlier and more integrated access strategies. At the same time, the shortage of senior market access talent and the need to create development opportunities for junior staff put additional pressure on the organisational setup.
The Market Access department had evolved into a loosely embedded, function-based model under shared leadership, with employees flexibly assigned to different assets. While this setup provided flexibility, it created blurred accountabilities, inefficiencies, and inconsistency in internal communication with other departments. With seven assets, some with overlapping indications, and a pipeline to prepare for, there was no consensus on whether the organisation should align more closely by asset or by therapeutic area. Stakeholders noted the absence of senior Access Leads with clear decision-making authority, the duplication of work across teams, and the lack of structured career paths. This misalignment risked slowing down AMNOG launches, weakening payer negotiations, and undermining the company’s credibility with external stakeholders.
Kintiga Approach
The Kintiga team started with interviews of senior leaders and department heads to understand strengths, pain points, and external pressures. Building on guiding principles already defined by the management, we worked with the leadership team in market access to develop an evaluation framework for organisational models. Using this framework, we co-created and discussed asset-based, therapeutic area-based, and function-based structures, drawing on client input and big pharma best practices. Through facilitated workshops, the leadership team aligned on a model that balances asset-level leadership with functional expertise, supported by clear rationale and FTE consequences.
Results
At the end of the project, a clear and comprehensible decision template was presented to the management. The jointly developed solution is consistent with the agreed guiding principles, enjoys broad support within the leadership team in the market access department, and addresses the central challenges facing the organisation. This provides the company with a solid foundation for implementing the new structure in the next step and strengthening its market access function in the long term.
Contact us now at enquiries@kintiga.com.
Glossary of terms:
- EU HTA – European Union Health Technology Assessment
- FTE – Full-Time Equivalent
- AMNOG – Arzneimittelmarkt-Neuordnungsgesetz: The German Pharmaceutical Market Restructuring Act.
- HTA – Health Technology Assessment
- Rx – Prescription
