# 044 -“Market Access” with Kasem Akhras

- Show: [Let's Combinate](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/lets-combinate)
- Published: 2022-08-03
- Length: 1h 13m
- Page: https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/lets-combinate/2022-08-03-044-market-access-with-kasem-akhras
- Listen: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/letscombinate/episodes/044--Market-Access-with-Kasem-Akhras-e1m0ea2

## Summary

Dr. Kasem Akhras, Senior Director at Novartis and author of 'Frontiers in Market Access', explains the evolution of market access from the 1980s to the present, detailing how managed care organizations shifted power from physicians to payers. He defines 'translational access' as the integration of health economics and outcomes research (HEOR) into early clinical development to shape Target Product Profiles (TPP) and secure reimbursement. Akhras discusses value-based pricing models, including cost-per-quality-adjusted-life-year (QALY) metrics, and explains why US pharmaceutical prices are higher due to statutory discounts and a fragmented, for-profit system compared to international reference pricing.

## Chapters

- [0:00](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/lets-combinate/2022-08-03-044-market-access-with-kasem-akhras#t=0) Introduction: Dr. Kasem Akhras and Novartis
- [5:32](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/lets-combinate/2022-08-03-044-market-access-with-kasem-akhras#t=332) Translational Access and Early Development Strategy
- [8:58](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/lets-combinate/2022-08-03-044-market-access-with-kasem-akhras#t=538) History of Market Access: 1980s to Present
- [23:33](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/lets-combinate/2022-08-03-044-market-access-with-kasem-akhras#t=1413) Payer Requirements: Real-World Evidence and Labels
- [35:55](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/lets-combinate/2022-08-03-044-market-access-with-kasem-akhras#t=2155) Securing Reimbursement and Managing Utilization
- [54:31](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/lets-combinate/2022-08-03-044-market-access-with-kasem-akhras#t=3271) Value-Based Pricing and QALY Metrics
- [1:04:40](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/lets-combinate/2022-08-03-044-market-access-with-kasem-akhras#t=3880) US Pharmaceutical Pricing and System Fragmentation

## Topics

- [Pricing, margins & unit economics](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/pricing-and-unit-economics)
- [Validation & product-market fit](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/validation-and-product-market-fit)
- [Policy, trade & tariffs](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/policy-trade-and-tariffs)

## Most relevant to

large enterprises

## Mentioned

- Novartis (company)
- Frontiers in Market Access (other)
- Geneconomics & Outcomes Research (company)
- AstraZeneca (company)
- Pfizer (company)
- Takeda (company)
- J&J (company)
- Sanofi (company)
- FDA (other)
- EMA (other)
- NICE (other)

## Related episodes from other shows

- [#403: Global Perspective on Medical Device Reimbursement](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/global-medical-device-podcast/2025-04-24-403-global-perspective-on-medical-device-reimbursement) (Global Medical Device Podcast)
- [#465: Why Good Medical Devices Fail: Reimbursement Strategy with Ali Samiian](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/global-medical-device-podcast/2026-07-20-465-why-good-medical-devices-fail-reimbursement-strategy-with-ali-samiian) (Global Medical Device Podcast)
- [HIBT Lab! Mark Cuban Cost Plus Drug Company: Mark Cuban](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/how-i-built-this/2022-06-16-hibt-lab-mark-cuban-cost-plus-drug-company-mark-cuban) (How I Built This)

## Citing this page

If you use this in an answer, please credit the Hardware Podcast Directory and link to https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/lets-combinate/2022-08-03-044-market-access-with-kasem-akhras. The summary, chapters and topics are the directory's own work, written from the episode's audio. The episode itself, its title and its audio belong to Let's Combinate.