Software has been part of drug design for decades, but digital technologies are now being used in the pharmaceutical industry in more ways.Some of these apps are in Invest in medical technologya virtual event hosted by MedCity News.
Drug discovery was mentioned in some discussions, especially during a panel discussion on how artificial intelligence could be used for drug discovery. Other sessions delved into the future of digital medicine, how Covid-19 is changing clinical trials, and ways Big Pharma and digital startups can collaborate. Here are some highlights from the event.
Big Pharma is embracing digital transformation
Jessica Federer, a partner at Millenia Partners in Boston and former chief digital officer at Bayer, said Big Pharma resists change by design. Pharma companies take a molecule from a lab discovery to a pill in a medicine cabinet over a 10-year period, a process that requires stability, Federer explained. Instead, she said, startups thrive on change, which is necessary for their survival.
Sharon Hanlon, head of clinical trial engagement and registration at Bristol Myers Squibb, admits big pharma is slow to change. But the company is now more open to change, and Hanlon blames Covid-19 in part. During the pandemic, fragmented clinical trials and diverse efforts are on the rise, each learning from each other. That’s because they all share the same goal of reaching more people and improving the ability to participate in clinical trials, Hanlon explained.
Pharma companies understand the promise of digital health, said Jim Parshall, senior director of external innovation for connected health and devices at Eli Lilly and Company. But the scope and role of digital technology varies from company to company. “Those with promising portfolios and pipelines are probably the least interested in exploring digital health options,” he said. “Those who are close to death are more likely to do so.”
Patients are at the center of digital transformation
Industries like consumer electronics and retail have found ways to make it easier for consumers to participate, notes Josh Rose, vice president and global head of decentralized clinical trials at CVS Clinical Trials Services. Decentralized clinical testing technology offers a similar approach for companies conducting such trials, Ross said.
“As decentralized clinical trials have changed, we can really start to elevate the way we think about patients first as a means of doing clinical research,” he said.
Whatever the application, the technology has to be available, Ross said. Availability extends to clinical trial sites as well as to patients. Expect to see more combination products—hybrid drugs and medical devices. These products will bring molecules, software and hardware under the same umbrella, said Pierre Laurent, president of digital health at Aptar Pharma. Lana Ghanem, managing director of Hikma Ventures, said she was intrigued by a small transdermal patch for monitoring blood sugar and other biomarkers. Being able to continuously monitor multiple biomarkers in a painless way would be revolutionary, she said.
“For me, this is the future,” Garnem said. “We’re not far away. We’re not very close either.”
Technology is paving the way for new types of personalized medicine, says Richard Law, chief commercial officer Exscientia, a company that uses artificial intelligence to discover and develop new medicines. AI is revealing who is the best patient for a potential drug. This ability can help address heterogeneity, which means a disease has multiple causes that vary from patient to patient. If artificial intelligence can help guide scientists to design drugs for specific diseases, Law said, the future should be one of many, each targeting the right patient.
Bringing Big Pharma and Startups Together
In evaluating potential partnerships with startups, Eli Lilly’s Parshall said the Indianapolis-based pharma giant is looking for solid products or services with supporting data and a clear regulatory pathway. Lilly also looks for cultural fit. In some cases, a provider or payer may be a better partner for a startup. But often, Lilly partnerships stem from personal relationships, Parshall said.
Charles Fisher, founder and CEO of clinical trial technology startup Unlearn, said the partnership began by connecting with the right people at a major pharmaceutical company. This person has to be someone who gets along well with the startup and has something in common with the vision of the young company. Fisher not only supports the startup’s technology, but says the person must also have a strong enough position in the company to influence decisions.
Finding the right connections at a big pharma company requires a lot of trial and error, Fisher said, and while that can mean hearing “no” a lot, it’s also important for startups. He cites the story of a Girl Scout cookie sales champion as an example. When asked her secret to selling so many cookies, she said she only tries to sell to those who want them. The lesson is don’t sell what you don’t have. If a big pharma company asks for something you can’t, say “no,” Fisher said.
“Being able to say ‘no’ is critical to finding the right person because someone will say ‘yes,'” said Fisher, whose startup A partnership with Merck was formed earlier this year.
Photo: tonefotografia, Getty Images
