60 seconds with Marina Kousta, Analyst

Q: Tell us about you

A:I studied Political Science and International Relations as an undergraduate student. I quickly realised I was most interested in economics and health policy, which led me to pursue a postgraduate degree in International Health Policy. I became intrigued by the intricacies and complexities pertaining to the pharmaceutical market and I decided to pursue a career in market access consulting. My previous experiences were focused on the rare disease sector, as well as the implementation of value-based contracts for highly innovative therapies mostly in the EU, US and Japan.

Outside of work, I enjoy exploring London’s parks and attending HIIT sessions. On the last Friday of each month you will probably find me hanging at Tate Late!

Q: What is your role and Lightning Health?

A:My role is to support in the execution of global stakeholder research and consultancy projects. This spans across the lifecycle of healthcare technologies, to ensure we continue to provide a spectrum of value-added services. This includes conducting primary and secondary market research and analysis to generate strategic and actionable insight.

I also support the work of the API platform for on-demand payer and physician research, through liaising with market-specific experts, and triangulating their insights to inform our clients’ decision making.

As Lightning Health grows, I hope to assist in wider aspects of the business and help develop further our areas of expertise.

Q: What is your area of special interest?

A:Having previously worked in the rare diseases spectrum, I am familiar with the orphan drugs-specific policies across a number of markets. I have worked primarily in the implementation of managed entry agreements, their feasibility by market and handling negotiations with payers for highly expensive new treatments.

I wish to draw on my past experiences to complement my work at Lightning Health, whilst continuing to build expertise in the orphan drugs’ sector to facilitate patient access to medicines, especially in areas characterised by high unmet need.

Article published 4 June 2020.