KOL mapping: Rare disease stakeholder engagement

The challenge

Large biopharma was preparing to launch a rare disease asset. Putnam was asked to identify key stakeholders in priority markets, map out potential roles and evidence generation capabilities of identified KOLs, and validate assessment with internal and external rare disease scientific and clinical experts and advocacy organizations.

Our solution

Stakeholder mapping

• Developed a framework to assess rare disease stakeholders based on publications, clinical trials, registries, leadership influence, societies, key presentations, social media influence and research and speaking payments.
• Created tiering criteria to classify KOLs based on overall expertise and influence.

Validation of stakeholder mapping

• Engaged with internal biopharma experts and conducted external qual research to validate stakeholder mapping and tiering, including potential evidence generation capabilities.
• Shortlisted and prioritized KOLs based on combined matrix of influence and engagement feasibility.

The results

We developed a prioritized list of KOLs with validated tiering classification and potential roles for engagement. The engagement plan was based on the client’s strategic imperatives and the capabilities and interests of identified stakeholders.