Developing IQVIA’s positions on key trends in the pharma and life sciences industries, with a focus on EMEA.
Learn moreDeveloping IQVIA’s positions on key trends in the pharma and life sciences industries, with a focus on EMEA.
Learn moreDeveloping IQVIA’s positions on key trends in the pharma and life sciences industries, with a focus on EMEA.
Learn moreDeveloping IQVIA’s positions on key trends in the pharma and life sciences industries, with a focus on EMEA.
Learn more"We strive to help improve outcomes and create a healthier, more sustainable world for people everywhere.
LEARN MOREReimagine clinical development by intelligently connecting data, technology, and analytics to optimize your trials. The result? Faster decision making and reduced risk so you can deliver life-changing therapies faster.
Research & Development OverviewGenerate and disseminate evidence that answers crucial clinical, regulatory and commercial questions, enabling you to drive smarter decisions and meet your stakeholder needs with confidence.
REAL WORLD EVIDENCE OVERVIEWElevate commercial models with precision and speed using AI-driven analytics and technology that illuminate hidden insights in data.
COMMERCIALIZATION OVERVIEWOrchestrate your success across the complete compliance lifecycle with best-in-class services and solutions for safety, regulatory, quality and medical information.
COMPLIANCE OVERVIEWWhen your destination is a healthier world, making intelligent connections between data, technology, and services is your roadmap.
TECHNOLOGIES OVERVIEWExplore our library of insights, thought leadership, and the latest topics & trends in healthcare.
DISCOVER INSIGHTSAn in-depth exploration of the global healthcare ecosystem with timely research, insightful analysis, and scientific expertise.
SEE LATEST REPORTSBy making intelligent connections between your needs, our capabilities, and the healthcare ecosystem, we can help you be more agile, accelerate results, and improve patient outcomes.
LEARN MOREBuilding on a rich history of developing AI for healthcare, IQVIA AI connects the right data, technology, and expertise to address the unique needs of healthcare. It's what we call Healthcare-grade AI.
LEARN MOREThe IQVIA Human Data Science Cloud is our unique capability designed to enable healthcare-grade analytics, tools, and data management solutions to deliver fit-for-purpose global data at scale.
LEARN MOREThe IQVIA Innovation Hub connects start-ups with the extensive IQVIA network of assets, resources, clients, and partners. Together, we can help lead the future of healthcare with the extensive IQVIA network of assets, resources, clients, and partners.
LEARN MOREIQVIA Decentralized Trials deliver purpose-built clinical services and technologies that engage the right patients wherever they are. Our hybrid and fully virtual solutions have been used more than any others.
LEARN MOREEmpowering patients to personalize their healthcare and connecting them to caregivers has the potential to change the care delivery paradigm.
LEARN MOREOur mission is to accelerate innovation for a healthier world. Together, we can solve customer challenges and improve patient lives.
LEARN MORECareers, culture and everything in between. Find out what’s going on right here, right now.
LEARN MORE"Improving human health requires brave thinkers who are willing to explore new ideas and build on successes. Unleash your potential with us.
SEARCH JOBSThis is the fourth blog in the five blog series: Creating a framework for a successful launch. IQVIA analyzed launches globally to identify common launch challenges and pitfalls. Four launch archetypes were identified, "science sells", "market shaping", "who benefits" and "emphasize the difference", each had very specific critical success factors.
The "who benefits" archetype is identified as a drug with low unmet need in the market and low product differentiation, the critical success factors are:
Additional challenges for emerging biopharma include:
This particular case study focuses on services to differentiate products and a consumer-focused campaign.
Vascepa (icosapent ethyl) was approved in the U.S., in July 2012 and launched in January 2013 by Amarin. It is a purified form of omega-3, containing only EPA (eicosapentaenoic acid), and was approved for severe hypertriglyceridemia. The drug missed the hoped-for mixed dyslipidemia indication after a vote against approval from an FDA advisory committee.
At the time of its launch, Vascepa was up against a marketed and branded prescription formulation of a blend of two omega-3 fatty acids, backed by big pharma. Other competitors included branded statins, the first of the generic statins, and over-the-counter omega-3 supplements.
Amarin therefore needed to carve out a space for its product, and the strategy for the launch was to build out the brand and differentiate the product in the eyes of the consumer.
Analysts predicted around $59 million in revenue for 2013 for Vascepa. However, the first-year sales were just $32 million. This represented around a fifth of the market, with the other four-fifths taken by the branded prescription formulation of omega-3.
This was due to a lack of consumer awareness and understanding of the value of omega-3s in raised triglycerides, which led to fewer patient visits and fewer screenings than expected. In an attempt to raise awareness and improve its market share post-launch, Amarin launched an unbranded website, to educate about triglycerides.
At the time of the launch, Amarin was going through a period of transition, and was undecided what its future business strategy was going to be. At the same time, it was trying to convince the FDA that Vascepa was a new chemical entity (NCE), which would have extended the drug's regulatory exclusivity.
When there is low product differentiation between drugs in the market, the role of the consumer becomes more significant, as does the value of direct-to-consumer campaigns. DTC promotion is a costly process, however, often involving a considerable spend on a television campaign. While Amarin understood the relevance of the consumer influence, as a smaller company it didn't have the financial clout required to push forward a full-blown DTC promotion.
Amarin did not partner for the commercialization of Vascepa, possibly due to an inability to find one. It is impossible to say what would have happened had Amarin been able to partner. However, partnering with a larger company can often have a benefit for small companies that fall into the "who benefits" archetype – products with low unmet need and low product differentiation.
To get more insight into the “market shaping” archetype visit: A framework for successful biopharma launches for the recorded webinar, supported by a slide presentation.