Consulting Redefined
Go-To-Market (GTM) planning is getting harder. Investors expect sharper opportunity sizing and tighter commercial plans. AI and China’s rapid innovation open new paths for BD&L and R&D, while intensifying global competition. Political headwinds make ex-US success more important, and breakthrough modalities (from obesity drugs to stem cell and rare-disease therapies) demand highly tailored, sustainable commercialisation models.
Winning now requires smarter, truly 'glocal' GTM planning anchored in local market nuance. But many consultancies struggle to integrate real local insight or to work with the agility biopharma teams need.
This is why I founded Vivara: to help bring more treatments to patients with GTM plans built for today’s reality. I offer the extremely rare combination of deep China and Western market expertise, shaped by hands-on GTM work across the US, EU5 and China, and a decade supporting both first-launch biotechs and large pharma. With Vivara, you get a partner who truly integrates global strategy with local knowledge,so you can prioritise opportunities, de-risk decisions, and execute with confidence.
Tony Xu, PhD
Vivara Managing Partner
Solutions
First Step to GTM: Defining Guiding Corporate Strategy
NPP/ Portfolio Strategy
-
How can we shape our portfolio for sustained growth?
-
Which pipeline indications/ assets to prioritise?
-
What separates a minimal viable profile from a transformational profile?
-
What are the risks, gaps and synergies across our portfolio?
-
What external opportunities or assets could strengthen our position?
Valuation/ BD Support
-
What is our forecast and valuation?
-
What scenarios (e.g., launch timing, market dynamics, partnership structure) should we model, and what sensitivities does it bring?
-
What costs and risks could influence outcomes, and how do they map to our GTM strategy and market nuances?
Second Step to GTM: Understanding Local Market Insights
Market Landscape
-
How do the US, EU, CN, and JP markets differ (e.g., setting of care, Tx basket, Tx stakeholders, regulatory situation, addressable segment, reimbursement, etc.)?
-
What opportunities and risks does the local market present (e.g., novel accelerated launch options, infrastructure & funding, IP risks, etc.)?
-
Which market forces most influence our valuation and GTM strategy?
Customer Insights
-
How do HCPs/ payers/ patients/ other stakeholders perceive our offer, what barriers block adoption, and which levers along the journey could accelerate uptake?
-
Which discrete segments to target?
-
How should our strategy tailor to market and customer segments (e.g., ‘pathfinders’ vs ‘brand builder’ vs ‘value generation’)?
Third Step to GTM: Building a Winning GTM Model
GTM Strategy
-
What critical capabilities and activities are needed to win in each market?
-
Which GTM model (e.g., go-alone, co-promote, out-license, etc.) should we prioritise for EU, US, CN, and JP?
-
What are the trade-offs to consider (e.g., strategic synergy, time to peak/ operational feasibility, capital/ cash flow, legal/ geopolitical risk, scale effort, deal financials)?
GTM Budget
-
What organisational structure do we need by market, and when should we invest in key roles?
-
How should our org structure flex by GTM model and strategy?
-
What level of commercial spend (headcount and external) is needed in the US, EU, CN, and JP to realise our commercial aspirations?
Benefits
Vivara's unique benefit rests on three pillars: true partnership mindset, deep market-grounded insight, agile value-driven collaboration
1
True Partnership
Any strategy is only as good as how applicable and implementable it is for you. Therefore, a true partnership mindset means focusing on understanding your problems and thinking in your shoes, so solutions fit your reality. This is Vivara's most important guiding principle and forms the foundation of the 'Deep Insight' and 'Agile Collaboration' pillars.
2
Deep Insight
Any planning, be it a forecast or an organisational blueprint, only succeeds when local market realities are woven into your unique context. That calls for sharp local-market insight plus seasoned GTM know-how covering multiple markets, including CN, EU5, and the US.
For more than a decade, I’ve specialised in GTM topics and have previously co-founded the Europe and APAC practices at traditional consultancies, and published multiple thought-leadership pieces on CN and EU5 GTM. Having lived and worked in Shanghai, London, and now Munich, and supported by a wide network of industry experts, payers, and HCPs, I bring a rare blend of global reach and on-the-ground insight that can power your project’s success.
3
Agile Collaboration
Many consultancies often leave client teams stuck with padded budgets, junior “pay-for-training” staff, and rigid minimum fees and engagement teams that can’t flex when priorities shift. Vivara was built to remove those barriers. You pay only for senior expertise, not layers of juniors or 'ghost partners'. Engagements can start small, scale up, or evolve as your needs evolve, and every question gets direct, market-savvy partner attention. If you want a flexible, knowledgeable sparring partner instead of a rigid, expensive firm, Vivara is built for you.
What My Clients Say
“This is really useful. I can already say that based on what you have shown me, we need to rethink what we do with China”
CEO, first launch biotech
30+
Companies I have partnered with (from global top 10 biopharma to 'first launch' biotechs)
3
Continents my clients are based in (US, EU4+UK, Nordics,Switzerland, China, Japan)
∞
All commercial and medical functions (Comm Ops, Marketing, Market Access, Sales, Med Affairs, Patient)
