Proteolix: A 'Me-Too' Success

by Larry Lasky


In an industry rife with failures, Proteolix, a biotechnology company, was a rare success. The Proteolix case provides a compelling example of a biotech company that has chosen a 'me-too' strategy, a less risky strategy than the strategy of discovering a drug for a novel target. However, even me-too drug strategies in the biotech industry face an uphill battle. The protagonist, Susan Molineaux, along with her team, faced many challenges along the way and the case study provides students with a map of some of her key decisions at important points in the company's history. The case study asks students to evaluate Molineaux's and her team's decisions and to identify the company's drivers of success. The Proteolix case also allows students to understand the biotechnology industry, its unique challenges, and the particular challenges facing a me-too drug company that is attempting to dislodge a drug to treat life-threatening indications.

Learning Objectives


To teach students about the biotechnology industry and a 'me-too' strategy.

Details

Pub Date: Jul 31, 2012

Discipline: Entrepreneurship

Subjects: Startup, Corporate strategy, Start-ups, Growth strategy

Product #: B5719-PDF-ENG

Industry: Biotechnology,Venture capital

Geography: United States, California

Length: 14 page(s)


Berkeley Haas Case Series
Berkeley Haas Case Series The Berkeley Haas Case Series is a collection of business case studies written by faculty members at the Haas School of Business. Cases are conceived, developed, written, and published throughout the year, on subjects ranging from entrepreneurship and strategy to finance and marketing. Each case includes a teaching note for use in the classroom.

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