Regulatory & access fragmentation
One approval does not make one market. Pricing, reimbursement and launch requirements differ country by country, and sequencing them wrong costs years.
Pharma & consumer health commercialization
From healthcare innovation to commercial reality.
For non-European companiesEnter Europe
Regulatory, market access, partners and launch — one gateway into European markets.
For European companiesExpand internationallyLicensing, distribution, direct entry or M&A — growth beyond Europe.
25+years operating experience
50+international licensing & BD deals
12+senior operators in the network
The challenge
Different starting points. The same commercial question.
How do you move from an attractive market or product opportunity to a business that works in practice? Upcura combines strategic market-entry thinking with the operating disciplines required after the strategy is approved.
The partner dilemma
The wrong partner is more expensive than no partner. Screening for real capability and commitment — not just interest — decides how an asset performs.
Build vs. buy vs. license
Direct entry, partnering or a hybrid: the right model depends on the asset, the investment appetite and the capabilities already in place.
Strategy that survives implementation
Most market-entry plans are written to be approved, not executed. The gap between the slide deck and the P&L is where value is lost.
How we work
TWO ROUTES. ONE GOAL.
We help you choose and execute the right path to commercial success in Europe.
ROUTE A: DIRECT ENTRY
We build and commercialize with you.
1
STRATEGIC BLUEPRINT
- Market attractiveness
- Regulatory pathway strategy
- Market Access / P&R strategy
- Commercial potential
- Business case & launch sequence
2
COMPANY & OPERATING MODEL
- Legal entities / affiliates
- Governance & organization
- In-house vs. outsourced
- FTE model & resource plan
- Local vs. regional roles
3
BUSINESS INFRASTRUCTURE & PARTNERS
- 3PLs
- Distributors / Wholesalers
- IT Infrastructure
- External service providers
- Finance / Legal / HR support
- Quality / PV service partners
4
FUNCTIONAL SETUP & EXECUTION
- SOPs & compliance framework
- Hiring & team build-out
- Systems, tools & reporting
- Cross-functional launch readiness
- KPI definition & governance
- Local training & onboarding
5
LAUNCH, SCALE & OPTIMIZE
- First commercial launch & early traction
- Regional & channel expansion
- Portfolio & pricing optimization
- Performance monitoring & KPIs
- Resourcing ramp-up
- Margin & P&L improvement
ROUTE B: PARTNERED ENTRY / OUT-LICENSING
We find and secure the right partner to take you further.
1
STRATEGIC BLUEPRINT
- Market attractiveness
- Regulatory pathway
- Market Access / P&R considerations
- Commercial potential
- Territory & partnering strategy
2
PARTNER SEARCH & QUALIFICATION
- Define ideal partner profile
- Identify & screen potential partners
- Assess capabilities & strategic fit
- Assess commercial appetite
3
NEGOTIATION & DEAL
- Deal structure & economics
- Term sheet & key protections
- Negotiation strategy & leverage
- Contracting through to signature
4
TRANSITION & ALLIANCE MANAGEMENT
- Handover & knowledge transfer
- Governance
- Ongoing partner management
- Performance oversight
The route depends on the asset, the market, the company’s investment appetite and the capabilities already in place. Upcura can help define the right model and support its execution.
Transactions & growth
Already know your route? We also work transaction-first.
Not every engagement starts with strategy. For companies with a defined direction, Upcura supports specific transactions end-to-end.
01PartneringPartner strategy, screening and qualification.
02LicensingDeal structure, economics, negotiation and contracting.
03M&A / divestmentsStrategic assessment, transaction support and execution.
04TransitionHandover, governance and implementation after signature.
05Growth & optimizationScale the model and adapt resources as the business evolves.
Why Upcura
Built around operators, not generic consulting teams.
The network is deliberately senior and flexible. We bring in the expertise a situation requires, while keeping the commercial objective visible across every workstream.
Senior from day one
Work is led by professionals with substantial operating experience in pharma and consumer health—not handed down through a junior pyramid.
End-to-end perspective
Market access, regulatory, legal, quality and supply chain connect directly to commercial and medical — not treated as separate projects.
Commercial outcome first
Strategy is judged by one test: can it be implemented, generate revenue, protect value and move your business toward profitability.
In practice
What “senior from day one” looks like
Generic consulting
Partner
Managers
Junior analysts
You meet the partner. A rotating junior team does the actual work.
VS
Upcura
Every specialist: senior-level, from day one
You
The senior specialist you meet is the one who does the work.
Leadership & network
Credibility should be visible.
Upcura is led by a career pharma operator and backed by a deep network of senior specialists — brought in around the specific challenge, not presented as a fixed team.
Marek StruszczykFounder & CEO, Upcura Health
Founder / CEO
Marek Struszczyk
Marek built his career designing market-entry strategies and execution plans for new markets and product roll-outs across multiple countries, and leading licensing, M&A and divestment negotiations through implementation.
“Every activity a healthcare company undertakes should ultimately create a stronger, more profitable business.”
25+years pharma & consumer health
50+international licensing & BD deals
40+markets launched, incl. biologics
The wider network spans market access, regulatory, legal, quality & pharmacovigilance, supply chain, finance, marketing, medical and sales. The right specialists are introduced around the specific challenge rather than presented as a fixed generic team.
Selected work
The work behind the claims.
A sample of situations we have led — drawn from 50+ transactions, including three joint ventures. Specifics are shared in conversation, not on websites.
Build
Direct presence in Europe
Established and ran pharma affiliates across European markets — full P&L, from legal entity to sales force.
Enter
European entry, ongoing
A Japanese specialty pharma company preparing a rare-disease asset for European access and launch.
License
Partnered growth
A global out-licensing network built partner by partner — 36 partners at its peak.
Divest
Exiting well
A non-core asset divested at twice the initially expected value.
Integrate
Post-deal execution
Cross-border acquisitions made operational from day one — structure, people and P&L, not just the SPA.
The network
Senior specialists, assembled around your challenge.
Every engagement draws on operators who have done this work at VP, GM or Board level — not a fixed team, but the right expertise for the situation at hand.
Commercial & marketGovernance & compliance
Market access, pricing & HEOR
VP-level leadership in global pricing, HTA and health economics — negotiations and submissions across NICE, G-BA, HAS and other major European bodies, plus US pricing experience, spanning biologics and specialty launches.
Country & regional general management
GM- and EVP-level operators who have built, run and restructured affiliates and regions across the UK, Nordics, DACH and CEE — under direct, partner and hybrid models, including a business built and sold for €400M.
Commercial leadership — Rx & consumer health
Board-level commercial leadership spanning specialty Rx, generics and consumer health, including a €1.2bn-revenue commercial organization and enterprise-wide omnichannel and analytics transformation.
Medical affairs
Physician-led medical affairs leadership across country, regional and global roles — specialty, rare disease and consumer portfolios across Europe, the Middle East and Asia-Pacific.
Quality & pharmacovigilance
VP-level global quality assurance, with quality systems designed for partner and license-out models spanning dozens of countries — built for inspection readiness.
Legal & compliance
General-Counsel-level pharma legal leadership — licensing, M&A and corporate transactions from term sheet to closing, plus regulatory and compliance across the product lifecycle.
Regulatory affairs
Two decades of international regulatory affairs and drug safety leadership, guiding submissions and lifecycle strategy across European and global procedures.
Business development & alliance management
Alliance and licensing leadership with partnerships spanning major originators and specialty players, negotiating and governing deals above €50M from Phase III through commercialization.
How an engagement starts
From first conversation to proposal in weeks, not months.
No lengthy discovery phase and no junior pyramid. Three steps, and you know exactly who you would be working with and what it would cost.
Intro call
A 30-minute conversation about your product, market or transaction — and an honest view on whether and how we can help.
Rapid assessment
We frame the commercial questions that matter, outline the realistic routes and identify the senior expertise the situation requires.
Proposal, team named
A clear scope and the specialists who will actually do the work. The people you meet are the people who deliver.
Where do you want to take the business next?
Tell us the product, market or transaction you are considering. We will identify the commercial questions that matter and the senior expertise required.
Prefer direct contact? marek@upcura.health · +34 638 465 196