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McKinsey Cancer Center

Helping clients discover, develop, and distribute more effective medicines, deliver better care, and provide broader access to solutions that help patients and their families combat cancer.

The McKinsey Cancer Center (McKCC) combines the extensive cross-functional oncology experience of our team with methodologies for generating deep market insights, advanced-analytics platforms, and input from a network of leading external experts. We work to advance cutting-edge oncology innovations (both therapeutic and diagnostic) with pharmaceutical and biotech companies and investors. Approaches we design make it possible for health-care providers to deliver better care, and solutions we propose help health systems and policy makers realize the best possible outcomes for cancer patients. Operating in all geographies, the McKinsey Cancer Center conducts more than 100 client engagements annually across strategy, R&D, business development, marketing and sales, market access and policy, and care-delivery topics. We share our cutting-edge knowledge at international oncology conferences, as well as in peer-reviewed publications and other leading industry journals.

How we help clients: our global network

The McKinsey Cancer Center provides industry-leading oncology expertise across the health ecosystem, including pharma and biotech companies, specialty pharmacies, investors, health systems, providers, and payers around the world. We work closely with an external advisory board of renowned oncology clinician–scientists, plus our own global network of oncology experts and help advance market research through partnerships and innovative research collaborations.

Conferences and meetings

We convene experts across the world to share the latest thinking and research at hosted events, such as the McKinsey Cancer Congress Series at the American Society for Clinical Oncology (ASCO) and the European Society for Medical Oncology (ESMO) conferences. In addition, we routinely attend key conferences of the American Association for Cancer Research (AACR), the American Society of Hematology (ASH), and the Society for Immunotherapy of Cancer (SITC).

Publications and perspectives

Our latest insights are featured in peer-reviewed and other journals—for example, the Lancet, on the International Cancer Benchmarking Partnership (ICBP), documenting discrepancies in cancer-survival rates. We also publish with the World Innovation Summit for Health (perspectives on affordable cancer care) and in McKinsey’s Health International (insights on health systems and optimizing clinical care). Our perspectives on specific topics, such as new therapeutic technologies and changes in oncology’s development paradigm, regularly appear in print.

Featured Event

McKinsey Cancer Congress Series at ESMO 2021

On September 16, the McKinsey Cancer Center will virtually convene over 100 participants to the 2021 European Society for Medical Oncology (ESMO) McKinsey Cancer Congress Series symposium: Advanced analytics in oncology – Learnings from the “real world".

This year, we are excited to facilitate a conversation with Elise Bordet, RWE Data and Analytics Lead, Sanofi; Parker Moss, Chief Commercial Officer, Genomics England; Philippe Menu, CMO, SOPHiA GENETICS; and Christian Meisel, CMO, Molecular Health.

To join us please visit https://cvent.me/yq0zmN?RefId=Summary to directly register, or contact us at mckinsey_cancercenter@mckinsey.com to receive an invite.

Examples of our work

100+ client engagements a year

in pharma, biotech, cancer centers, intermediaries, payers and health systems, private equity and other investors, and nonprofits

Major oncology-engagement types

including marketing and sales, R&D, business development, market access, care delivery, strategy, organization, operations, and corporate finance

Broad set of capabilities deployed

leveraging proprietary data, digital and advanced analytics platforms, market research and information capabilities, and broad functional and industry expertise

Operating in all geographies

including mature and developing markets, serving both multinational corporations and local players

Creating a multibillion-dollar oncology leader

The McKinsey Cancer Center supported the carve-out of an oncology franchise by helping to strengthen R&D capabilities and partnerships in a dedicated innovation unit, integrating two portfolios into a larger franchise, and out-licensing select Phase II and III assets. This effort created a multibillion-dollar oncology leader and an agile oncology R&D innovator.

Delivering one of pharma’s top three product launches

We helped drive uptake of a $3 billion blockbuster drug by defining its launch-readiness road map for a regional organization and more than 15 affiliates, supporting the launch performance of $300 million in first-year sales, closing country launch-execution gaps, and helping to exceed analysts’ projections fivefold.

Building a cancer franchise from scratch

In 12 months, we helped build a $3 billion oncology franchise by supporting its go-to-market plan, licensing deals, and M&A; blueprinting a 150-person global, regional, and local launch organization; and supporting the integration of an acquired oncology portfolio and organization.

Designing a roadmap to reduce cancer mortality by 15 percent

We identified initiatives to save the lives of up to 400 colorectal-cancer patients a year by redesigning the care pathway in five health systems across the globe and identifying improvements in care to reduce mortality by up to 15 percent. In addition, we defined cost-savings opportunities of $100 million (10 percent of annual health-system spending).

Defining new outcomes based partnerships

We helped develop a suite of over 400 solutions and services associated with different oncology products (such as inpatient and outpatient) for outcomes-based partnerships between pharmaceutical companies and national or regional payers. These solutions give patients earlier access to specific medicines in multiple health systems.

Featured experts

Dr. Björn Albrecht
Partner, Paris
Heads the McKinsey Cancer Center and leads our work on cancer globally, working with biotech and pharmaceutical companies, health...
Dr. Laura Furstenthal
Senior Partner, Bay Area
Serves healthcare clients globally as well as not-for-profit organizations, governments, and Nobel laureates, guiding innovation...
Tina Hou
Partner, Shanghai
Leads new product launch, commercial model innovation, and data and analytics for biotechnology and big pharmaceutical companies...
Minyoung Kim
Partner, Tokyo
Brings global insight to healthcare and technology organizations, having served multinational and local companies in Japan, Korea,...
Olivier Leclerc
Senior Partner, Southern California
Serves a large range of pharmaceutical, biotech, and medical-products clients, from multibillion-dollar corporations to pre-IPO...
Yukako Yokota
Partner, Tokyo
Utilizes her passion for healthcare R&D to help global and local clients develop innovations and use the right strategies to bring...

Featured insights

Article

Precision medicine in practice: Strategies for rare cancers
– The small number of people with rare diseases raises challenges for the development and launch of all therapies for such conditions,... but rare cancers face extra barriers to widespread treatment.
Article

Fulfilling the promise of advanced analytics in oncology
– Advanced analytics will transform cancer care, but companies have been slow to adopt it. Progress requires a strategy that not... only builds data and talent but also embraces experimentation.
Article

Delivering innovation: 2020 oncology market outlook
– At the dawn of a new decade, we take stock of advances and unmet needs in the oncology pharmaceutical market. What will it take... to deliver innovation to patients over the next ten years?
Article

Managing China’s growing oncology burden
– Significant increases in incidence rates have made cancer a high priority in China. Progress has resulted from innovative treatments... and greater access to care, yet much more needs to be done.
Article

Biopharma portfolio strategy in the era of cell and gene therapy
– Many biopharma companies are investing in cell and gene therapy, albeit cautiously, amid a nascent market. Understanding investment... opportunities and entry strategies will help guide their portfolio decisions.
Video

Accelerating progress in cancer care: Perspectives from six oncology leaders
– McKinsey recently spoke to industry leaders in oncology research and cancer care to ask about their vision of the future for oncology.
Article

Playing to win in oncology: Key capabilities for success
– Five key trends are driving growth in oncology. To be successful in oncology, a focus on capabilities is critical—both the ones... in place today and the ones needed to stay competitive.
Article

Precision medicine: Opening the aperture
– To keep pace with the evolving ecosystem for precision medicine, pharma players must be attuned to three crucial components: data... collection, individualized solutions, and supporting business models.

Related Insights

Improving colorectal cancer care using a pathway approach

Based on the collective effort of 5 health systems in the Global Colorectal Cancer Improvement Network, this report lays out a... global improvement agenda for colorectal cancer.
Download the PDF

Cancer survival in Australia, Canada, Denmark, Norway, Sweden, and the UK, 1995-2007

This is the first study in a programme to investigate international survival disparities, with the aim of informing health policy... to raise standards and reduce inequalities in survival.
Read more on NCBI

Delivering affordable cancer care: a value challenge to health systems

Report of the WISH Delivering Affordable Cancer Care Forum 2015.
Download the PDF on WISH.ORG

New at McKinsey blog

Blog Post

Boosting the systems that fight cancer: Meet our oncology experts
– A paradox of our time: we’re living longer, healthier lives, but cancer’s impact on them will only increase.

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