Actelion's apprenticeship deal

Actelion Ltd. considers a well-trained sales force so important that it will put its new sales team to work for no revenues in return for on-the-job training.

Last week Actelion struck a deal with Genentech Inc. to co-promote DNA's TNKase tenecteplase and develop and co-market Actelion's tezosentan. Part of the deal includes a loan from DNA to establish a 50-person sales team at Actelion, which initially will work alongside DNA's sales reps for training. But Actelion will not receive royalties, commission or other financial rewards for these sales. The company's plan is to build an experienced sales and marketing group before the launch of tezosentan to treat acute heart failure, which the company estimates will be in 2001...