Scaling a Commercial Team for Success: GQR Life Sciences and Acadia Pharmaceuticals’ Partnership in Expanding DAYBUE®
Bringing a first-in-class treatment to market is no small feat—especially in the competitive and highly specialized world of life sciences. When Acadia Pharmaceuticals prepared to expand their Rare Disease team supporting DAYBUE®, the first and only FDA-approved treatment for Rett syndrome, the company knew it needed a top-tier team—and it needed it fast.
To make this vision a reality, Acadia turned to GQR Life Sciencesto support the rapid expansion of its commercial team. The challenge? Fill 38 highly specialized roles in just 12 weeks to ensure DAYBUE’s success in market launch and sustained adoption.
What followed was a tightly aligned, fast-moving, and results-driven partnership that set a new benchmark for life sciences recruitment.
The Goal: Build a Best-in-Class Commercial Organization in 12 Weeks
DAYBUE’s launch demanded more than just volume hiring. Acadia needed professionals with niche therapeutic experience in neurology, rare diseases, and pediatric healthcare—individuals who could immediately contribute to market access, provider education, and patient support.
The roles were diverse in scope, requiring strategic thinking, scientific expertise, and frontline communication skills. From Area Business Managers and Medical Science Liaisons to Family Support Educators, each hire would directly influence how providers and families experience DAYBUE.
With just weeks before launch milestones, the stakes were high—and the hiring timeline was tight.
GQR's Approach: Agile Life Sciences Recruitment with Embedded Partnership
To meet this accelerated hiring goal, GQR deployed a comprehensive solution tailored to the unique needs of the pharmaceutical commercial launch:
A centralized process model built through GQR’s RPO framework, giving Acadia full visibility into recruiting performance and pipeline status.
Embedded recruiters acting as strategic advisors within Acadia’s internal hiring teams.
Full-cycle contingent and contract search support to expand candidate reach.
Access to Nebula, GQR’s proprietary AI-driven recruiting platform, to amplify candidate sourcing, talent branding, and visibility.
Development and distribution of custom Acadia-branded recruitment content on platforms like LinkedIn to raise awareness and attract top talent.
Beyond the technology and tactics, it was the human connection that made the difference. GQR’s recruiters didn’t just fill roles—they became an extension of the Acadia team, aligning closely with hiring managers to deeply understand role expectations, cultural fit, and therapeutic alignment.
Overcoming Key Challenges in the Life Sciences Hiring Landscape
Recruiting in the pharmaceutical and biotech sectors comes with its own set of challenges. For Acadia, this included:
Urgency & Volume: Hiring nearly 40 people in under 3 months.
Geographic Complexity: Sourcing talent in specialized regions with limited candidate pools.
Therapeutic Competition: Attracting and retaining candidates in a high-turnover neurology landscape.
To solve these, GQR leveraged competitive intelligence, talent mapping, salary benchmarking, and deep local market expertise to ensure the right candidates were identified and engaged quickly.
The result? A 35% reduction in time-to-hire, and a 92% offer acceptance rate—a testament to how well candidates were vetted, informed, and aligned to the opportunity.
The Results: Rapid Scale with Long-Term Impact
At project completion, GQR delivered:
38 out of 38 roles filled.
A diverse slate of hires, with 20% coming from underrepresented backgrounds.
Over 656 candidates sourced, 639 interviews conducted
78 placements in the last 12 months, spanning commercial and medical affairs.
Each candidate was evaluated through GQR’s multi-step vetting process, including technical interviews, soft skills assessments, and behavioral evaluations. This ensured that every hire was not only qualified, but also a strong cultural and interpersonal fit.
Voices from the Field: What Acadia Says About the Partnership
"The collaboration with Chelsea and GQR was a true partnership. She was highly communicative, insightful, and delivered phenomenal talent that helped us build a best-in-class RML team across the nation." — Keith Ferguson, Regional Business Leader, Acadia Pharmaceuticals
"Chelsea took time to understand our needs and delivered high-caliber candidates. Thanks to her, we filled our opening quickly and with confidence." — Jacinta Handon, Regional Sales Manager, Acadia Pharmaceuticals
"Ashley consistently delivered excellent candidates and support throughout the process. GQR truly set themselves apart in this effort." — Chris Bodkin, Hiring Manager, Acadia Pharmaceuticals
Making a Difference Beyond the Hire: Candidate Experience Matters
GQR’s recruiters also made a lasting impression on candidates, guiding them through the hiring process with transparency, support, and care. This contributed to the strong offer acceptance rate and positive onboarding experience.
"Chelsea helped me feel confident and well-prepared throughout the process. I’m grateful for her support in making such a meaningful career move." — Chris Tarpey, Regional Marketing Liaison, Acadia Pharmaceuticals
"Thanks to Ashley, I’m now in a role I’m excited about. She listened, communicated, and delivered. I can’t thank her enough." — Kelly Keiser, Area Business Manager, Acadia Pharmaceuticals
A Blueprint for Pharmaceutical Commercial Hiring Success
The success of the Acadia-GQR partnership illustrates the power of embedded recruitment in life sciences. When timelines are tight, stakes are high, and precision is critical, having a partner who understands the nuances of biotech hiring, commercial launch recruitment, and specialized therapeutic roles makes all the difference.
At GQR Life Sciences, we’re proud to have played a role in helping Acadia deliver DAYBUE to the patients and families who need it most.
If your organization is preparing for a product launch, expanding your medical affairs or commercial team, or facing talent challenges in rare disease markets, we’re here to help.
