SVA's Commercialization Launch Readiness Expertise Benefits Gelesis

THE STORY

Gelesis is a consumer-centered biotherapeutics company advancing a novel category of treatments for weight management and gut-related chronic diseases. Their non-systemic, superabsorbent hydrogels are the first and only made entirely from naturally derived building blocks and are inspired by the composition (i.e., water and cellulose) and mechanical properties (e.g., elasticity or firmness) of raw vegetables. They are conveniently administered in capsules to create a much larger volume of small, non-aggregating hydrogel pieces that become an integrated part of meals and act locally in the digestive system. The portfolio includes PLENTITY^®, an FDA-cleared product to aid in weight management, as well as potential therapies in development for Type 2 Diabetes, Non-alcoholic Fatty Liver Disease (NAFLD)/Non-alcoholic Steatohepatitis (NASH), and Functional Constipation. 

Gelesis engaged SVA Life Sciences in preparation for their launch of PLENITY^®, an orally administered, non-stimulant, non-systemic aid to weight management. Gelesis asked SVA Life Sciences to help them work through launch demand and supply planning challenges. The objective was to assemble the information and processes required to design and kick off a Sales and Operations Planning (S&OP) process. The S&OP process was to be designed to enable pre-and post-launch collaboration between Commercial, Finance, and Product Supply.

SVA Life Sciences managed a four-stage project comprised of:

1. Process mapping the product journey
2. Developing a prototype inventory tracking model
3. Developing a prototype supply planning model
4. Designing and facilitating the implementation of a formal Sales and Operations Planning (S&OP) process

SVA Life Sciences first conducted a product journey analysis and created process maps to identify and resolve potential gaps affecting the flow of product from manufacturing, through the 3PL, and into the distribution channels. The goal was to develop cross-functional knowledge and alignment on the flow of product, data, and money to ensure the business could sufficiently address patient need at launch. Then, SVA worked with the Gelesis team to create an inventory tracking model and a supply planning model synchronized with the demand forecast. Finally, SVA worked with Gelesis to design, implement, and hand off a formal S&OP process that included a regularly scheduled cross-functional meeting cadence.