Certara adds Compass Strategic Consulting team to its Evidence & Access group

Certara, a Princeton-based pharmaceutical developer, announced Thursday that the entire staff from Compass Strategic Consulting has joined its Evidence & Access group.

The group, Certara said, was formed through the acquisition of Analytica Laser and BaseCase.

The entire Compass team is based in New Haven, Connecticut.

 “Determining cost versus value for novel drug therapies is an economic and ethical issue impacting healthcare around the world, and it is at the heart of our expanded offering,” Roman Casciano, senior vice president of Certara Evidence & Access, said.

“The Compass team is highly experienced and brings new depth and capabilities to Certara Evidence & Access. Compass specializes in developing and executing strategies to achieve drug access and price objectives in the U.S. and global markets, including initial price setting, quantitative launch pricing, contracting strategies, and payer segmentation. Compass has also built a due diligence practice that can respond rapidly to deal demands, which will be of immediate benefit to our customers. Compass’ extensive analyses of early-stage clinical opportunities and market landscapes, and assessments of pipeline assets fit well with Certara’s Evidence & Access core strengths in building product value propositions and evidence to support health technology assessments,” Casciano said.

Under terms of the deal, Paul Gallagher, former Compass president, has been named Certara’s vice president of U.S. Access Strategy.

“Partnering with Certara, which has a vast global reach and expertise in regulatory science and drug development, provides a win-win situation for our clients who are referred to us because of our deep understanding of the complex and segmented U.S. health care delivery and payment systems,” Gallagher said. “One of our unique advantages, which allows us to identify and understand disruptive trends and initiatives in the marketplace, such as the recent Department of Health and Human Services safe harbor proposal related to certain reductions in drug pricing, is the Compass Expert Panel. This panel is comprised of vetted decision makers from health plans, pharmacy benefit managers, care delivery systems, specialty societies, and government organizations. Having access to this expertise is critically important as the industry grapples with payment options for complex and potentially curative new treatments, such as gene and cell therapies.”