January 13, 2026
One Shot at Liftoff: Turning Scientific Excellence into Launch Execution
For emerging biopharma companies, the transition from clinical success to commercial launch is the highest risk inflection point in the enterprise lifecycle. Scientific validation may confirm that a product works, but sustained launch success depends on execution—often under intense time, capital, and organizational constraints.
Emerging biopharma leads in first-in-class innovation, but innovation also amplifies execution risk. With little margin for error, early missteps in regulatory readiness, market access, operating models, or go-to-market execution can compound quickly and erode enterprise value.
This perspective examines why launch failures are often predictable, why generic launch playbooks fall short for emerging organizations, and how leading companies take a more disciplined, risk-based approach—prioritizing what must be flawless, clarifying leadership decision rights, and addressing execution risk before it compounds.
