Client Context
A mid-sized biopharmaceutical company needed to determine how to prioritize development across multiple solid tumor indications for a first-in-class targeted oncology therapy.
The Business Challenge
The team needed to determine where to focus clinical development across multiple viable tumor types, each with distinct scientific, regulatory, and commercial trade-offs in the U.S. Internal viewpoints were fragmented, with competing assumptions about which factors – market size, unmet need, or speed to approval – should drive prioritization. Without a clear decision framework, there was risk of misallocating Phase 1a/b investment and delaying validation of the broader platform.
Capabilities Applied
- Indication Prioritization
- KOL Insight Generation
- Clinical & Commercial Strategy Integration
- TPP Development and Refinement
Approach
Rather than relying solely on internal hypotheses or market sizing, HawkPartners anchored prioritization in real-world clinical decision-making by engaging oncology KOLs across multiple specialties and patient care perspectives. We integrated these perspectives into a structured, cross-functional scorecard assessing scientific viability, development feasibility, and adoption dynamics by tumor type. This created a clear, evidence-based framework to compare indication options and pressure-test strategic trade-offs.
Impact
The work reframed the prioritization question from “largest opportunity” to “most executable path to proof-of-concept.” This shift surfaced smaller, high-unmet-need indications as the most practical entry point, given fewer regulatory, operational, and adoption barriers. As a result, the team engaged in internal dialogue around a stepwise development strategy, establishing early validation in a focused population before expanding into larger, more competitive tumors. With more clarity on the path forward, the organization reached alignment on where to invest first and how to sequence development to de-risk the overall program.
