prepare with confidence
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Prepare with confidence

Case interviews give you a look at the kind of work and impact you can make at ZS. Try our sample cases to strengthen how you analyze, strategize and innovate. There is no perfect answer. We are looking for how you approach challenges, learn from feedback and bring new ideas to the table. These examples show what the experience is like.
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Situation description

Our client, Zoltners, expects the FDA will soon approve its drug, SINHA, for the treatment of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). During clinical trials, SINHA achieved a best-in-class 30% reduction in exacerbations (severe episodes that can lead to hospitalization), a key endpoint in COPD.

Zoltners is excited about the potential of this product and has asked ZS to help determine a suitable price for SINHA. This decision is crucial not only for maximizing the drug’s market potential and ensuring accessibility for millions of patients but also for solidifying Zoltners’ position in the pharmaceutical landscape.

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Practice case
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Question #1

What factors should Zoltners consider as part of its pricing strategy for SINHA? Please put together a high-level framework for how you could think about setting the price for SINHA.
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Consider what factors influence Zoltners’ pricing decisions. Use frameworks like cost-based (analyze SINHA’s costs and profit margin), value-based (assess customer willingness to pay and competitor pipeline), competition-based (review rivals’ prices, market share and product performance).
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Question #2

Zoltners wants to understand its potential market size. According to research, an estimated 5% of the U.S. population is affected by COPD. How many patients does this represent?
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Five percent of the U.S. population (about 330 million) equals 16.5 million people affected by COPD. The client mentioned this is an estimate, so it’s likely appropriate to assume 15 or 20 million. Be sure to confirm with your interviewer.
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Question #2b

Patients are very cost-sensitive, and many have expressed frustrations with the prices of available treatments. What could you say about their willingness to pay?
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If patients have raised concerns about the current treatments’ pricing, Zoltners may not be able to charge much more than their competitors.
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Question #2c

All treatments (including SINHA) are administered every other week and need to be used continuously to manage COPD. For each patient, how many doses per year does this equate to?
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All treatments are administered every other week so patients will need 26 doses per year.
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Question #2d

Zoltners’ production costs for SINHA are detailed below. Can you calculate the average cost per dose?
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practice case 2d

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Based on the production costs provided, we can determine that it costs $50 to produce each dose of SINHA:

1. Materials: $6 million for 200,000 doses equals $30 per dose

2. Labor: $375,000 per hour for 75,000 doses equals $5 per dose

3. Distribution: $150,000 for 10,000 doses equals $15 per dose

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Question #2e

ZS’s market research has found two existing competitors in the market. What can you hypothesize about SINHA’s competitive landscape?
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practice case 2e

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Competitors charge high prices. At $300—matching the lowest-cost rival—Zoltners could earn 80%+ profit margins. With superior efficacy, it enters with a strong clinical edge. Competitor A (65% share) leads on effectiveness, while lower-priced Competitor B holds 35% due to cost-sensitive patients.
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Question #2f

How would you connect your findings from previous questions back to your initial pricing framework to hypothesize the most viable path forward?
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Cost-based: Pricing at $300 (the lowest competitor) yields 80%+ margins.

Value-based: Patients may value SINHA’s efficacy, but 35% choose cheaper, less effective options, limiting price flexibility.

Competition-based: At $300, rivals lose both cost and efficacy advantages.

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Question #2g

The client may invest in doubling SINHA’s production rate. Is it worth it? Consider current annual output, patients served, market share captured and whether it’s realistic for SINHA to achieve that share based on demand, competition and production feasibility.
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practice case 2g

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40 working hours/week times 52 weeks/year equals 2,080 working hours/year (round to 2,000)

75,000 doses/hour times 2,000 hours/year equals 150 million doses/year

150 million doses developed divided among 26 doses/treatment equals about 6 million patients treated/year

6 million patients treated/year with 15 million in-market patients/year translates to about 40% utilization, suggesting expansion is needed and strategic

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Question #3

Zoltners explained its goal is to maximize market share as quickly as possible without sacrificing strong profitability. Based on this and the information provided previously, what pricing strategy and price would you recommend?
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To deliver a well-supported recommendation, you’ll need to synthesize the key insights you’ve captured and supplement them with good business judgment.

Based on our analysis of the information provided, our recommendation is to price SINHA at $300/dose.

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Question #4

What risks should we raise with our client? What next steps do we need to explore to validate our recommendation?
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Zoltners can annually treat 6 million people from a potential market size of 16 million so expanding capacity makes sense. If SINHA’s safety is lower, research the safety-efficacy tradeoff and its effect on willingness to pay. Also, determine how to invest strategically in sales and marketing to capture and sustain market share effectively.
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