Life sciences PLM needs to start earlier, go longer, and be more collaborative

PharmaVOICE's October cover story is worth a read for anyone in life sciences, especially if you're involved in product life cycle management (PLM). The story, "A Changing Market Environment Requires New PLM Strategies," drills into some of the latest thinking and analysis about PLM strategy and coping with the ongoing challenges of pipeline maintenance.

Writer Robin Robinson featured insight from five industry sources, including Rob Bazemore, President of Janssen Biotech; Chris Bogan, CEO of Best Practices; Andrew Hunter, Senior Manager of Kalypso; Mike Rea, CEO of IDEA Pharma; and yours truly.

ProtoSphere 1.5.4 is here in a Flash

ProtoSphere 1.5.4 is now out for general release. The major new functions we've added are video and Flash-content support, as well as Mac support. So companies can now train in ProtoSphere using videos, Flash-based courseware, and other interactive learning modules.

We've been teeing you up for the new features with the feature peek videos we've been rolling out on our blog. Now when you give our ProtoSphere trial demo a whirl, you'll be able to experience them all in living color.

For all the details on what's new in ProtoSphere 1.5.4., read over the press release we issued announcing it. Next time you fire up ProtoSphere, test out the new features and let us know what you think!

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New ProtoSphere v.1.5.4 Now Supports Video and Flash Content

Five new features extend ProtoSphere’s lead as the virtual collaboration environment for learning and training

LANSDALE, Pa.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--ProtonMedia today released ProtoSphere Standard Edition v.1.5.4 with new video and Flash content support. Now large enterprises can train in ProtoSphere using videos, Flash-based courseware, and other interactive learning modules. In total, ProtoSphere v.1.5.4 includes five new features to help companies streamline their learning and training activities, accelerate knowledge transfer, and improve knowledge retention. They include:

Life sciences executives, are you seeing this trend in your organization?

We've seen a common thread running through our conversations with life sciences executives over the past 90 days, and I wanted to blog about it to see if you are experiencing or observing the same thing. I'm thinking this could be an emerging trend that we as an industry need to be paying attention to.

Our team has continued to hear life sciences executives talk about how they are planning to shut down parts of their physical campuses, and set up virtual workplaces and remote working programs.

Executives have told us the primary reason driving their creation of virtual workplaces is their need to shrink their cost centers. Training facilities, for instance, are one of the largest cost centers we hear life sciences executives talk about.

How the Virtual Diabetes Institute keeps continuing medical education costs low and engagement high

Completing continuing medical education coursework has become increasingly challenging over the past several years, primarily due to escalating program and travel costs, and already massive time pressures on physicians. Yet the need to improve disease treatment through engaging educational activities and professional competency standards has not gone away.

One of the goals of SciMed's new Virtual Diabetes Institute is to address this issue for physicians caring for patients with Type 2 diabetes. I recently talked to writer Miriam Pia about this, and she penned an article for Hypergrid Business covering how the Virtual Diabetes Institute supports more engaging and interactive training at lower cost for these physicians.

Continuing medical education goes virtual with launch of Virtual Diabetes Institute

Clinic room for exams in the Virtual Diabetes Institute

I promised you details on SciMed's new Virtual Diabetes Institute, and here they are. We've been working for the past several months with medical education provider SciMed to create this innovative learning environment in ProtoSphere. The initiative is supported by an independent educational grant from Merck.

The Virtual Diabetes Institute is one of the first applications of virtual environment technology in continuing medical education. It is used by physicians caring for Type 2 diabetes patients. Physicians can participate in CME-certified activities in a more realistic, engaging, and collaborative way to help them better treat patients.

I see the Virtual Diabetes Institute as significantly raising the bar on CME, and by extension, the treatment of patients with Type 2 diabetes.

I'll let our press release take it from here with the full story. Read on for more details on how we designed and created the Virtual Diabetes Institute, how physicians are now using it for their continued training and learning, and SciMed's future plans and outlook for the Virtual Diabetes Institute in life sciences.

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SciMed Unveils Industry-First Virtual Diabetes Institute in ProtonMedia’s ProtoSphere

Virtual collaboration environment brings continuing medical education to life

LANSDALE, Pa.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Virtual collaboration has come to continuing medical education (CME) with the launch of the Virtual Diabetes Institute, an innovative learning environment created in ProtonMedia’s ProtoSphere and developed with SciMed, a leading provider of continuing medical education for physicians. The Virtual Diabetes Institute gives primary-care physicians a more realistic, engaging, and collaborative way to participate in CME-certified activities designed to improve the management of patients with Type 2 diabetes.

Doors are open! Tour life sciences' first Virtual Diabetes Institute.

I have some great news to share with you today. We've been working with medical education provider SciMed over the past several months on a major project to hit life sciences and continuing medical education (CME). It's been a labor of love, and our teams are excited to pull the curtains off and share our innovation with you!

We've created the industry's first Virtual Diabetes Institute. It's an innovative learning environment made in ProtoSphere. It gives primary-care physicians a more realistic, engaging, and collaborative way to participate in CME-certified activities for improving the management of patients with Type 2 diabetes.

Microsoft's 2011 Life Sciences Innovation Award? I accept!

Better late than never with this video! Here's footage of Michael Naimoli, Managing Director of Life Sciences for Microsoft, announcing PPD and ProtonMedia as winners of Microsoft's 2011 Life Sciences Innovation Award at the DIA conference in June. Heather Schultz, Senior Director of Global Learning and Performance for PPD, and yours truly are accepting the honors.

It's up to you and I to help America reclaim its innovation edge

Innovation has always been fundamental to the success of any organization. But as our country remains mired in an economic slump -- one that could worsen should the federal government fail to raise the debt ceiling by Aug. 2 -- innovation is taking on increased importance.

While no analysts are saying America is losing its innovation edge, it's clear that the gap between America and rest of the world is narrowing fast. Take China for instance. For us to remain competitive, we need to accelerate innovation beyond what the country has been able to organically sustain.

As a recent NPR article makes clear, some economists believe innovation of new technology is crucial to creating new jobs and boosting our economy, which grew at an annualized rate of only about 2 percent during the first half of the year.

Conference Board economist Ken Goldstein was quoted in the article as saying, "Without innovation, not only would you be stuck at 2 percent -- we might be lucky to get 2 percent growth."

eCliniqua notes how ProtoSphere is humanizing collaboration in life sciences for clinical teams

One of the interesting people I met at DIA 2011 was Ann Neuer, a writer in the clinical trials industry. We chatted about collaboration and learning in the clinical space.

I filled her in on some new things we're seeing in life sciences, and why organizations have been using ProtoSphere to achieve that human-to-human interaction when holding conferences, meetings, and other events virtually.

Cisco's Cius tablet off life sciences' radar

You might have caught Cisco's announcement last week that it will be shipping its new Cius tablet on July 31. Cisco has also introduced AppHQ, its Android app store for Cius.

Network World's Jim Duffy has been following the story, and recently asked me what my opinion is of the Cius and its acceptance in the enterprise marketplace. He included some of my thoughts in his latest article on the news.

During our interview, we got to talking about the Cius in the life sciences industry. From where I sit, the Cius is not on the radar of life sciences executives. All of my conversations relating to tablets are squarely focused on iPad pilots in 2011-2012 and rollouts in 2012-2013.

We add another Microsoft Life Sciences Innovation Award to our shelf

So I promised to share the goings-on here at DIA 2011, and here's an exciting update for you. Microsoft gave ProtonMedia and PPD its 2011 Life Sciences Innovation Award. This is the second time we've won the award. We took one home last year with Merck for the virtual poster session we developed together in ProtoSphere.

This year, Microsoft recognized PPD's use of ProtoSphere to create a virtual clinical trial training environment. Michael Naimoli, Managing Director of Life Sciences for Microsoft, announced the winners at last night's Life Sciences reception here at the DIA show, and it was indeed an honor to accept the award for the second year running!

We issued a press release today announcing the news, so I will turn your attention to that for more details on the award and project we did with PPD to win it. Thanks to the Microsoft folks for recognizing us!

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PPD and ProtonMedia Win 2011 Microsoft Life Sciences Innovation Award

Microsoft recognizes ProtonMedia for the second consecutive year for its innovation in life sciences with its ProtoSphere virtual collaboration technology

DIA 2011

LANSDALE, Pa.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Microsoft Corp. has named PPD, Inc. (Nasdaq: PPDI) and ProtonMedia winners of a Microsoft 2011 Life Sciences Innovation Award, recognizing their innovative use of ProtonMedia’s ProtoSphere in creating PPD® 3D. The virtual, collaborative environment improves the cost-effectiveness, speed and quality of clinical trial training for life sciences organizations developing new medicines for people in need.

ProtonMedia raises $4.5 million in Series B financing

The past few months have felt like a whirlwind. And today I'm pleased to share with you some exciting news. We've completed a $4.5 million financing round led by Kaplan Ventures.

We announced the news in a press release today, which tells you more about what we'll be using the funding for, as well what it means for our partnership with Kaplan EduNeering and the work we're doing together in life sciences compliance training.

We completed a $2.5 million Series A financing two years ago, which now brings total investment in the company to $7 million.

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ProtonMedia Raises $4.5 Million in Series B Financing Led by Kaplan Ventures

Kaplan EduNeering concurrently forms strategic reseller partnership with ProtonMedia

LANSDALE, Pa.--BUSINESS WIRE--ProtonMedia today announced the successful completion of a $4.5 million Series B venture financing led by Kaplan Ventures. ProtonMedia will use the funds to extend its leadership position within life sciences by further integrating its ProtoSphere virtual collaboration environment with ComplianceWire®, Kaplan EduNeering's validated cloud-based learning management system.

Virtual clinical trial efforts catching on, reports Outsourcing-Pharma

You might have heard about Pfizer's plans to conduct a virtual clinical trial to assess the safety and efficacy of the company’s Detrol LA product. The company will gather patient data through mobile phone and Web-based technologies, rather than clinic visits.

Pfizer's effort continues to signal a shift in the life sciences industry as it strives to conduct clinical trials more efficiently and cost effectively, writes Nick Taylor in an article on Outsourcing-Pharma this week.

More collaborative life sciences technologies to see at DIA 2011 in Chicago

We're Chicago-bound in a few days for the Drug Information Association (DIA) 2011 Annual Meeting, which runs June 19-23. I told you last week that Microsoft has asked us to showcase ProtoSphere and its integration with Lync at its booth, #1111.

In addition, we'll also be demonstrating our integrated compliance training solution with Kaplan EduNeering at the company’s booth, #224. So if you're planning on attending, you'll be able to see two important communication and collaboration technologies that have come to life sciences in the past seven months.

We formally announced the news in a press release today, so I will turn your eyes to that for more details on what we have in store at DIA 2011.

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ProtonMedia to Showcase Collaborative Life Sciences Technologies at Microsoft Booth at DIA 2011

ProtonMedia to demonstrate how life sciences companies can use Microsoft Lync and ProtoSphere together for next-generation virtual communications and collaboration

DIA 2011

LANSDALE, Pa. -- (BUSINESS WIRE) -- ProtonMedia today announced it will showcase its ProtoSphere application and integration with Microsoft Lync at Microsoft booth #1111 at the Drug Information Association (DIA) 2011 Annual Meeting. Attendees will see how ProtoSphere uses Lync as the heart of its communications features, giving the application the most scalable VoIP of any virtual collaboration environment. ProtonMedia will also be demonstrating its integrated compliance training solution with Kaplan EduNeering at the company's booth, #224, at the show. DIA 2011 takes place June 19-23 in Chicago.

PhillyBurbs finds ProtoSphere engaging

There's a lot of things to like about Crissa Shoemaker DeBree's recent coverage of ProtoSphere on PhillyBurbs. But frankly, we can't get over the awesome photo of Ron.

Thanks for featuring us!

Microsoft booth to showcase collaborative life sciences technologies at DIA 2011 in Chicago

Here's exciting news for anyone interested in creating more effective teams. Microsoft has asked us to showcase ProtoSphere and its integration with Lync at its booth at the Drug Information Association (DIA) 2011 Annual Meeting.

ProtoSphere uses Lync as the heart of its communications features, giving our application the best-sounding and most scalable VoIP of any virtual collaboration environment.

About 8,000 life sciences professionals are expected to gather in Chicago in June for DIA 2011. One of reasons the DIA Annual Meeting attracts levels of attendees that rival a rock concert is because it's one of few, if not the only conference every year where life sciences professionals can be steeped in the latest innovations in pharmaceuticals, medical devices, clinical research, regulatory compliance, IT, and professional development all in one place.

PPD tells the Philadelphia Business Journal why training in ProtoSphere rivals that in the real world

You might have heard that ProtonMedia is working with PPD to jointly develop a new virtual clinical trial training technology. It will combine ProtoSphere with PPD® Adaptive Solutions, the company's suite of data and information technology solutions, to help life sciences organizations improve the cost effectiveness, speed, and quality of clinical trial training.

PPD has also begun using ProtoSphere to hold virtual meetings and training sessions with employees from around the globe. Stacy Weil, PPD's Executive Director of Global Performance Optimization, recently talked to Philadelphia Business Journal reporter Peter Key about why her company decided to use ProtoSphere and results she's seeing.

Pharmaceutical Executive features Merck's virtual poster session held in ProtoSphere

Merck's use of ProtoSphere to hold the pharmaceutical industry's first virtual poster session has garnered quite a bit of media interest since the company first permitted us to share details of its project last year. And that interest does not seem to be waning.

It was covered as news in Nature Chemistry and CIO magazine, presented at the ShareFEST Conference, and earned Bio-IT World's Best Practice Award and Microsoft's Life Sciences Innovation Award.

And now, the editors of Pharmaceutical Executive asked me to provide the backstory in a contributed article. It's out now in this month's issue.

You have to ask yourself why the press, which wants to write about what's interesting and innovative to pharmaceutical marketers, continues to be enamored with this story. I think there are two reasons.

See the latest in virtual learning centers at The Society of Pharmaceutical and Biotech Trainers 2011 Conference

How would you like to experience first-hand how you can use a virtual immersive environment for life sciences training? Your opportunity to do so is coming up May 11 at The Society of Pharmaceutical and Biotech Trainers (SPBT) 2011 Annual Conference in Orlando, Fla.

That's when I'll be joining David Werboff, Director, eLearning solutions at Informa Training Partners, to present the Instructional Design Strategies in a Virtual World workshop. David has expertise in a broad range of development technologies, media, and delivery platforms, along with extensive experience in instructional design and quality-centered development processes.

The workshop will show life sciences trainers how they can use virtual immersive environments to hold instructor-led training sessions.

Benefits of this approach will also be brought to the fore, including cost and travel reductions, productivity increases, and improved knowledge sharing and knowledge retention. We'll analyze this approach in contrast to PowerPoint-based lecture and passive, non-interactive, push-down of content to learners online.

PPD adds 2 new technologies to its clinical trial processes

I've told you about the new virtual clinical trial training solution we're developing with PPD. We'll be integrating ProtoSphere with PPD® Adaptive Solutions, PPD’s innovative suite of data and information.

But that's not the only addition PPD is making surrounding its clinical trial processes. The company also recently launched an iPhone app for improving patient recruitment.

Nick Taylor covered the news this week on Outsourcing-Pharma. Hop over to his article for more details on PPD's innovations.