Prioritizing Patients and Value

What we asked: “Looking ahead to the next 5–10 years, what will be the key disruptors and/or what can be improved upon in the pharma industry?”

Response from: Jon Zwinski, CEO/General Manager, Chiesi USA

Shifting the way pharmaceutical companies approach business has the potential for exponential improvement, not only across the industry in which we work, but also in the world in which we live. The connection between the planet’s health and our own is clear, especially when it comes to lung health. The WHO estimates that more than 90 percent of people globally breathe unhealthy air, primarily because of the burning of fossil fuels. Yet our traditional fee-for-service healthcare system has not approached environmental quality as a health issue.

Very early in my career, the owner of a group of urgent care facilities shared a story with me that shaped how I view the meaning of the word “value.” He directed his employees to never think about profits. Instead, he encouraged them to focus on every patient that walked through their doors. Their only concern as a business, he said, was to take care of patients, to ensure each of them was satisfied and felt cared for. “If we do that, and if we execute on that,” he said, “the profits will come.”

This philosophy guides my approach to business and is one I believe the entire industry should adopt when it comes to patient and care focus. More and more providers and payers are moving away from fee-to-service toward fee-for-value – a broad approach that incentivizes population health outcomes. Under these agreements, providers and payers can lead the way in treating environmental quality as a health issue. By considering all stakeholders in each step of the journey, and taking into account not only the patients we serve but entities such as communities and the planet, we can ultimately connect business success with our ability to improve the world we live in.

Response from: Audrey Greenberg, Founder and Officer, Center for Breakthrough Medicines:

There has been a whirlwind of change in the industry – and technology has been at the heart of this transformation. AI and ML have become essential tools, speeding up drug discovery, improving clinical trials, and tailoring treatments to individual patients. Plus, with a deeper understanding of our genes, we’re developing medicines that are as unique as the people who take them. Additionally, digital health tools are changing how we connect with patients and gather information.

However, it’s more than technology. Rules and regulations within the pharma industry have also played a big role. We’ve seen faster approval processes for groundbreaking treatments, and those have been a game-changer. By expediting the development and commercialization of innovative therapies, regulatory changes have facilitated quicker patient access to life-changing treatments.

I believe the future of drug discovery is marked by considerable promise, with AI poised to play an increasingly pivotal role. Advancements in AI, particularly in generative models, hold the potential to revolutionize the de novo design of therapeutic molecules. Moreover, the convergence of AI with vast datasets and profound insights into human genetics is propelling the field towards personalized medicine.

Last, another area where technology is making a real difference is in finding new uses for old drugs. AI can analyze mountains of data to discover hidden potential in existing medicines. This could speed up the development of new treatments, lower costs, and help patients with rare diseases.

Read over 100 other views on the future of the pharma industry on our special web page.