The Routes to Market report gives a comprehensive overview of the various commercialisation options currently open to digital therapeutics (DTx). The full report compares and contrasts the employer route, pharma partnerships, D2C and alternate options - helping you determine which route you should choose, when and why. 

In this blog post we explore 5 questions from the report. HealthXL Community members can access the full report from our platform. Not a member yet? You can download an exclusive free snapshot of Part II here. 

What are the current commercialization strategies for DTx? 

Provider, employer and D2C are the leading ‘Route to Market’ strategies in the commercialization of DTx. Only 14.2% of DTx companies have adopted the pharma route, possibly due to their rigorous clinical evidence and regulatory approval requirements. 

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Who is the employer route to market best suited for?

The employer route to market is unique in that there has been geographic differentiation in it’s representation. It is a route better aligned with US-based companies (or those looking to launch in the US initially) due to a more realised culture of employee benefits in that market. The employer route allows a DTx to reach a diverse cohort of individuals, not joined by a specific age group, therapeutic area or lifestyle, but rather by where they work. Additionally, solutions have the potential to reach the co-dependents or loved ones on employee benefits programs. Solutions that are applicable to such a diverse cohort, like those that address mental/behavioral health and chronic disease, may be better suited for the employer route.

What is the value of data in pharma-DTx partnerships? 

Partnerships with DTx companies have the potential to provide pharma with constant access to real time patient data at no incremental cost, providing them with an opportunity to unlock this value. It is estimated that an average top-20 pharma company that has adopted advanced RWE analytics across its whole value chain for in-market and pipeline products could unlock more than $300 million a year over the next three to five years.

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What can D2C DTx learn from Ro’s marketing strategy? 

Ro, a healthcare technology company, boasts 6 million patient-provider interactions since its launch and is currently valued at $5 billion after its recent Series D funding of $500 million. Ro employs the “Jobs-to-be-Done Approach” to help patients navigate their healthcare needs. By focusing on select health issues (such as hair loss) Ro can appeal specifically to what patients want prior to sign posting them to what they need. Ro has carved out an effective strategy to bring patients into the healthcare ecosystem. Once patients are on the platform Ro can work with patients to help them evaluate their overall health. 

Why might a DTx company choose an online platform route such as Pear Connect? 

Pear Connect is an online patient service centre for Pear Therapeutics’ prescription DTx. It is a D2C-like model for PDTs which leverages telemedicine for the digital prescription and delivery of their PDTs. A DTx company may consider this pathway to increase accessibility to their prescription products, by creating their own D2C-like distribution model. Pear’s PDTs are all available within this central repository and Pear Therapeutics assist in any troubleshooting among patients, healthcare providers and insurance companies. The pathway also connects patients with physicians from the comfort of their own home and allocates patients a dedicated support advocate to guide them during their treatment course. 

*Report Authors Include: Laura Ardill, Alette Brinth, Sarah Cronin, Chandana Fitzgerald, Tess Huss, Frank Kenny, Sarah Ann Kikkers, Sophie Madden, Aislinn Mc Philips, Jinsy Raichanna, Meaghan Schedel and Nadia Worgan.