CLD Insights

AI in Drug Development Is Changing the Field Conversation: Are MSLs and Sales Teams Ready?

Suzanna.Bailey@CLDINC.com (Suzanna Bailey, PhD | Senior Medical Director) — Mon, 27 Apr 2026 13:00:00 GMT

From AI Hype to Field Reality

Much of the current discussion around AI and field readiness has focused on tactical applications, such as AI-simulated HCP conversations for upskilling. Less attention has been paid to how AI-driven drug development reshapes the scientific narrative for field teams and the questions they will face as a result.

Planning for the Unexpected: Training for Launch When Timelines Change

lyndsey.ladd@cldinc.com (Lyndsey Ladd | Manager, Workshop Strategy) — Thu, 16 Apr 2026 04:00:00 GMT

Product launches in life sciences are built on months and even years of careful planning, with training tightly aligned to anticipated FDA approvals. But approval timelines don’t always land where expected.

Real-World Data, Rare Disease, and the Evolving Needs of Field Training

Suzanna.Bailey@CLDINC.com (Suzanna Bailey, PhD | Senior Medical Director) — Tue, 24 Feb 2026 05:00:00 GMT

Real-world data (RWD) are playing an increasingly important role in understanding how therapeutics perform in routine clinical practice. While randomized clinical trials remain the foundation for regulatory authorization, real-world evidence allows us to evaluate how therapies are used once they enter broader clinical practice. By capturing outcomes across more clinically heterogeneous patient populations, diverse care settings, and real-world patterns of dosing, adherence, and persistence, these analyses provide important context about effectiveness, safety, and how treatments are integrated into routine care.

Regulatory Acceleration Is No Longer Hypothetical—It’s Here

Suzanna.Bailey@CLDINC.com (Suzanna Bailey, PhD | Senior Medical Director) — Wed, 07 Jan 2026 05:00:00 GMT

The FDA has shifted from talking about acceleration to re-engineering how and when it intervenes in the review process for high-priority therapies. With the agency issuing its first approval under the Commissioner’s National Priority Voucher (CNPV) pilot program in roughlytwo months—andproactively awardinga national priority voucher for a relapsed/refractory multiple myeloma combination based solely on compelling Phase 3 data—the bar for organizational readiness has been fundamentally reset.

The FDA Is Signaling a Major Shift in How We Think About Evidence and Approval

Suzanna.Bailey@CLDINC.com (Suzanna Bailey, PhD | Senior Medical Director) — Wed, 03 Dec 2025 05:00:00 GMT

In a recentNew England Journal of Medicinearticle, FDA officials Vinay Prasad and Martin Makary introduced thePlausible Mechanism Pathway—a regulatory approach designed to accelerate access to personalized therapies when traditional randomized trials aren’t feasible.

Applying the Power of Storytelling to Sales Conversations

mary.calvagna@cldinc.com (Mary Calvagna) — Tue, 09 Aug 2022 04:00:00 GMT

”The purpose of a storyteller is not to tell you how to think, but to give you questions to think upon.
Brandon Sanderson | Author

In the video featured here, we explore the power of storytelling and techniques for incorporating it into your sales training. You will learn how it creates order and structure for a sales call, enhances conversations with healthcare providers, and makes them personalized and memorable. In addition, we will provide specifics on how to train your sales force on storytelling techniques, showing representatives how to tailor each story to the interests and needs of the provider and their patients.

Learning Objectives:

Describe the key elements of storytelling
Explain how “storytelling” helps to make product messaging memorable and inspires customers to take action
Describe how to tailor a sales call to tell the product story in a customer-specific manner with a distinct beginning (opening), middle (problem identification and solution), and end (close/call to action).

Sales Training Tools for Trainers Workshop

CLD Named Most Impactful Vendor 2018 by TGaS Advisors – CLD

mark.currier@cldinc.com (Mark Currier) — Thu, 11 Apr 2019 05:00:00 GMT

“The awards are based on benchmarks conducted for life sciences companies in the biopharmaceutical industry. The methodology includes the use of TGaS's patented Pharmastance® technology, which allows for capabilities and efficiency comparisons among a cohort of peer companies. The benchmark data is drawn from a variety of quantitative and qualitative sources and goes through special processes to ensure an "apples-to-apples" comparison. In addition, life sciences companies were invited to nominate vendors that had favorably impacted their business in measurable ways. Winners received a significant number of "likely to recommend" positive ratings and scored high on their ability to align, plan and execute to outcomes and to listen and respond effectively.”
TGaS Advisors

BOSTON–(BUSINESS WIRE)–TGaS Advisors, a division of Trinity Partners, announced that Custom Learning Designs (CLD) is one of eleven companies named winners of the second annual search for the biopharmaceutical industry’s Best of Benchmark, or “BoBs,” awarded in 12 categories. The BoBs, awarded for commercial excellence, are based on the firm’s benchmarking of both life sciences companies and their vendor partners. CLD was one of three winners in the category of Most Impactful Vendor (Vendor Insights Practice). The BoBs will be presented in a special awards ceremony on April 29, 2019, at the Renaissance Hotel Convention Center in Schaumburg, IL.

“As CLD celebrates its 40th Anniversary, I am reminded that commercial excellence is the result of consistent execution over time,” said CLD CEO, Donna Kilcoyne. “TGaS Advisors’ announcement of CLD as BoB winner in the Most Impactful Vendor category is a testament to CLD’s longevity in a highly competitive space. To be the only training company to win in this category makes this an honor. Learning that TGaS’ strong pre-requisite award criteria required CLD to have a minimum number of prior ratings, exceed benchmark averages in all measured categories, and receive multiple nominations, truly makes this an achievement. Most importantly, the last 40 years and this award would not be possible if not for our team of exceptional in-house training professionals, past and present, that are the engine of CLD.”

“We congratulate CLD for this outstanding achievement,” said TGaS President Gary McWalters. “The Most Impactful Vendor category of the BoBs awards is a great honor, as the nominations come directly from pharmaceutical companies themselves. In today’s landscape, where we are so reliant upon vendors to achieve success, commercial leaders are looking for vendors that can tangibly impact their business. This award recognizes vendor leaders in this space.”

>> Read the Official BusinessWire Press Release Here