Change is constant in a pharmaceutical marketplace that’s evolving at ever-greater speed alongside the pace of scientific discovery. In this climate, drug developers can no longer expect that their most effective products will find success organically. Instead, they’ll need to develop strategies to help patients access the treatments from which they’ll achieve the greatest benefits.
Building a digital companion app is among the most effective of these strategies. Digital health solutions can improve engagement and adherence, clinical outcomes and quality of life for patients. These tools also make it possible to better support healthcare providers (HCPs) who prescribe the treatment. But finding the right partner to bring your companion app to market can be tricky. Not all digital health companies are equal in their expertise, capabilities and ability to meet the unique requirements of the pharmaceutical space.
In particular, drug developers should seek out a partner who has demonstrated that they are exceptionally qualified in each of the following four areas.
The quality of a company’s existing digital solution portfolio can be assessed by measuring the apps’ user bases and the ratings the apps have received in the app stores. High values in both categories are evidence of ease of use and patient satisfaction — and excellent end-user experiences are at the heart of patient-centricity.
An example of this is Migraine Buddy, with a 4.9/5-star rating on mobile app stores and more than 4 million downloads in 130-plus countries.
Since every treatment journey is unique, the ideal digital health partner should have deep experience building solutions for a broad array of use cases and across diverse therapeutic areas:
To futureproof your product’s patient access strategy, the partner should have expertise in building non-regulated products (such as companion apps and digital components of patient support programs) as well as those requiring regulatory approval (software as a medical device [SaMD]).
Aptar Digital Health has built widely adopted non-regulated apps like Migraine Buddy and BreatheSmart as well as the FDA-cleared SaMD app for oncology, Oleena. The company has also created many white-labeled companion apps and support programs for pharmaceutical companies.
A trustworthy digital health partner should be large and mature enough to take on multi-year, global-scale projects with confidence. Look for a company that’s taken a leadership role in building solutions across all major markets: the US, EU, Asia and beyond.
Financial stability is important, too. It can be hard to come by in a digital health market that — even amidst ongoing consolidation — is dominated by small companies and startups, many of which need to win funding to continue operating. In contrast, a financially stable partner will have access to deep in-house expertise and capabilities along with extensive resources to ensure business continuity.
A mature partner will also be able to activate a broad network of additional partners. As a division of Aptar Pharma, Aptar Digital Health is the go-to partner for many of the world’s largest pharmaceutical companies, says Marcus Bates, Vice President, Global Business Development and Global Head of Respiratory at Aptar Digital Health. “Over the years we have built a network of partners with validated solutions we can activate to give patients the best experiences possible. These range from digital apps addressing specific mental health needs, to at-home visual acuity measurements and blood sample collection devices, all the way through connected drug delivery devices.”
Few digital health companies can support both connected delivery devices and software-only companion apps, but such versatility is key. Aptar Digital Health can design digital solutions that integrate with a broad array of existing drug delivery devices, enhancing patient engagement and experience.
One example is supporting patients whose treatments are administered through subcutaneous injection. Effective digital health supports can reduce the time between prescription and first injection and help patients stay on the therapy longer.
As more and more digital solutions flood the market, it’s crucial to find a partner you can trust.
Aptar Digital Health has a track record of excellence providing digital health solutions that power comprehensive, patient-centered programs to enhance patient experience and help you reach your business objectives.
