For all its reliance on innovation as a business driver, pharmaceuticals is a traditionally conservative industry that advances by small and careful steps. As we  map out some of the dominant pharma trends for 2020, perhaps we should also reflect on what ‘innovation’ actually means, what its value is, and what it costs.

Launch excellence for pharmaceuticals depends on a multitude of factors, from pricing, reimbursement and health technology assessment (HTA) to positioning, sequencing, sales, marketing, media coverage and the competitive landscape. None of these can get off the ground, though, without regulatory approvals in key markets. Here, we tally up 2019 new drug approvals to date in the US and the European Union.

Digital technology and media have disrupted and revolutionised pharmaceuticals from research to market entry and beyond. That presents some challenges to product launches but also opportunities to maximise launch efficiency. In an ever more global, complex and volatile market environment, digital transformation of a traditionally conservative industry creates fresh possibilities to bring both launch strategy and execution into alignment.  

Your dazzling new pharmaceutical product is going nowhere fast unless it reaches patients on time and on terms that balance affordability with the need to recoup years of investment. Is your organisation really taking control of the market access challenges that make all the difference between launch success and an also-ran?

Are you prepared for the domino effects of today’s highly networked launch environment? In an ever more interconnected and globalised pharmaceutical universe, there is a strong likelihood the launch of a new product will have significant reverberations beyond national borders. That is why 360˚ visibility of all associated activities from market to market is an indispensable component of launch readiness.