Pre-Positioning: The Grammatical Roots of Pharma’s Early Market Strategy

In the world of pharmaceuticals, where molecules become medicines through a gauntlet of trials, regulations, and market forces, the idea of “positioning” is paramount. You know how core I think it is to getting this right…

But what if we took it a step further - or rather, a step before? Enter pre-positioning: the art of placing your asset strategically ahead of time, setting the relational dynamics that will define its success. This isn’t just a play on words; it’s rooted in the very etymology of “preposition,” those linguistic building blocks that “place before” to create meaning and structure.

As I build out Version 2 of Deep Positioning here on this Substack, I’ve been reflecting on how early strategies can make or break a product’s trajectory. Drawing from recent posts like “POSITION: a new Market Shaping model”, where I introduced the PRE-LAUNCH POSITION Model, and “Deep Positioning in the Fog”, this article explores pre-positioning as the foundational layer - much like how prepositions in a sentence establish context before the main action unfolds.

The Etymological Hook: From Grammar to Strategy

Let’s start with the basics. The term “preposition” comes from the Latin praepositio, meaning “placed before” (prae for “before” + ponere for “to place” or “position”). In grammar, prepositions are the words that precede nouns or pronouns to show relationships in time, space, or logic: in the market, against the competition, before launch. They’re small but mighty, often overlooked yet essential for coherence.

Philosopher Michel Serres personifies them as “angels of movement,” connectors that orient and relate elements in a system. In his work, prepositions aren’t just grammatical; they’re relational tools that situate things in the world. Apply this to pharma, and pre-positioning becomes the act of “placing before” - strategically situating your molecule in Phase I or even pre-clinical stages to define its relationships with patients, payers, regulators, and competitors.

Just as a preposition like “before” anticipates what follows, pre-positioning anticipates market needs, trial outcomes, and value narratives. It’s proactive, not reactive, ensuring your asset doesn’t end up commoditized in a sea of “me-too” drugs.

Tying into Deep Positioning: The PRE-LAUNCH Foundation

In “POSITION: a new Market Shaping model,” I outlined the PRE-LAUNCH POSITION Model as a framework for pharma success. Pre-positioning is its spiritual predecessor: the groundwork that makes market shaping possible. Think of it as building the sentence structure before writing the story.

For instance, in “Unmet Need is Not Fixed”, I argued that unmet needs evolve - they’re not static targets, especially if you create market needs that need your product. Pre-positioning involves identifying and shaping those needs early, perhaps through biomarker exploration or patient insight gathering in pre-clinical phases. By “pre-placing” your value proposition, you create a relational web: Your drug isn’t just for a disease; it’s positioned in relation to emerging patient wants, against outdated standards, and before competitors can redefine the space.

Revisiting “The Notion of Your Potion – Revisited”, the IDEA serves as the “true North Star” in Deep Positioning. Pre-positioning aligns that star early: What if we treated the molecule’s initial concept as a preposition, setting up the entire narrative? For example, pre-positioning a novel oncology asset as “first-in-class for precision targeting” through early data validation can lock in partnerships and funding, much like how “in” specifies location in a sentence.

And in “Deep Positioning in the Fog,” I emphasized starting shaping in Phase I to navigate uncertainty. Pre-positioning is that fog light: By allocating resources to early market intelligence or supply chain stockpiling (think APIs pre-positioned for demand surges), you mitigate risks and enable faster pivots.

Practical Examples: Pre-Positioning in Action

To ground this, consider real-world pharma scenarios:

• Case Study: Biomarker-Led Oncology Drug. A company pre-positions its asset by investing in companion diagnostics during pre-clinical. This “places before” a strong regulatory narrative, positioning the drug in a niche market with high unmet need. Result? Accelerated approval and premium pricing, avoiding the commoditization trap.

• Supply Chain Angle. Borrowing from broader logistics, pre-positioning in pharma could mean stockpiling key materials near manufacturing hubs, akin to humanitarian aid strategies. In volatile markets, this ensures continuity - your product is “pre-placed” for launch, reducing delays.

• Pitfalls to Avoid. Over-pre-positioning is a risk: Committing too rigidly early (e.g., to a specific indication) can backfire if trial data shifts. Flexibility is key, much like how prepositions adapt in dynamic sentences.

These examples highlight pre-positioning’s relational power: It’s not about isolation but connection - linking R&D to commercial, science to strategy.

Challenges and the Road Ahead

Of course, pre-positioning isn’t without hurdles. Resource constraints in early phases, regulatory uncertainties, and the “fog” of incomplete data all complicate it. Yet, as discussed in “5 years, pt 2…”, viewing value propositions as “better positioning” encourages this forward-thinking mindset.

In Version 2 of Deep Positioning, I’ll explore how pre-positioning evolves the framework, perhaps integrating AI-driven foresight or collaborative ecosystems. It’s the “invisible work” that makes the visible success possible - like prepositions holding a sentence together.