Frost & Sullivan's recent analysis, Global Pharmaceuticals Outlook, finds that the accelerated drug development timelines are driving digitalisation and innovation across the pharmaceutical value chain. Data, the decentralisation of clinical trials, supply-chain resilience, digital therapeutics, and manufacturing automation are the key areas driving digitalization. The industry also ensures that healthcare will remain precise, preventive, and outcome-based in promoting social and financial inclusion. The global pharmaceuticals market, including small molecules and biologics, is expected to register 3.8 per cent growth, garnering $1.48 trillion by the end of 2022 from $1.43 trillion in 2021 under the aspirational scenario.

"The partnerships and horizontal integration of technology companies with life science companies have laid the foundation for rapid and cost-effective drug discovery and development," said Surbhi Gupta, Healthcare & Life Sciences Senior Industry Analyst. "Further, all major genomics technology companies are channelling their resources to digitalize genomic data for better selection of patients for clinical trials and to reduce the turnaround time for clinical studies."

Gupta added, "Owing to the growing use of machine learning and artificial intelligence in personalized medicine, the pharmaceuticals industry will move from a symptom-driven treatment approach to a genetics-based approach. Additionally, precision medicine can offer in-depth information about cellular and molecular alterations, accelerating the development of targeted therapies."

Digitalisation and innovation in the pharmaceuticals industry will unlock new growth opportunities, including:

• Digital therapeutics companies must excel in areas where many pharmaceutical companies are lacking, including data analytics, interoperability, user-centric design, and flexible business models.
• Innovative formulation and delivery technologies that improve RNA stability at ambient temperatures will facilitate the rapid global adoption of RNA-based treatments at reduced costs.
• Contract development and manufacturing companies should partner with global companies to meet the required experience in clinical drug manufacturing and expand market reach in Asia-Pacific.

Global Pharmaceuticals Outlook 2022 is the latest addition to Frost & Sullivan's Healthcare & Life Sciences research and analyses available through the Frost & Sullivan Leadership Council, which helps organisations identify a continuous flow of growth opportunities to succeed in an unpredictable future.