In this article, Jeff Benedict, Chief Commercial Officer at Sharp and Tonya Schmouder, Strategic Client Relationship Manager, Sharp, examine the critical elements behind a successful commercial drug launch. Aligning early on packaging requirements not only mitigates risk but also creates opportunities to reduce costs and accelerate time-to-market. Comprehensive planningA successful commercial launch requires robust, forward-thinking planning that covers every stage of the packaging process, from pre-launch preparation through post-launch support. Collaboration ensures artwork is designed to include the technical requirements of the packaging process, as well as the material vendor’s capabilities. When planning a global pharmaceutical launch, it is critical to understand and proactively address regional differences in packaging, serialization and regulatory requirements.