This extract is from our recent whitepaper: Commercial Pharma’s Business Case for Digital Health Solutions. Featuring insights from Novo Nordisk, Merck, Roche, and S3 Connected Health, it delves into how pharma can align digital health initiatives with brand and enterprise priorities to deliver measurable ROI. Learn how to overcome revenue barriers, drive impact across the drug lifecycle, integrate solutions early, and tailor strategies for high-value, complex therapies.
Pharma companies are under increasing pressure to prove the value of digital health solutions — not only in terms of patient outcomes, but also through clear commercial impact. To secure long-term investment, business cases must demonstrate measurable ROI, align with brand strategy, and fit within broader enterprise goals.
In this blog, we share three real-world examples from Merck and Roche that show how digital health can:
These examples highlight how leading pharma companies are building strong business cases that deliver both clinical and commercial value.
In a new disease area, pharma companies are usually focused on driving peak sales for a molecule while sustaining high performance over time. For instance, a pharma company may develop a digital health solution designed to help patients better manage their condition. The typical business case in this industry centers on two primary value drivers:
Customer access and engagement: Before reaching peak sales, the digital tool functions as a vehicle to engage new stakeholders who have shown interest in the innovation. This broadens the customer base and strengthens relationships in an unfamiliar therapeutic space within the industry, especially in therapeutic areas where customer relationships play an equal, if not more important, role with clinical evidence.
Market share growth: We observe some very impactful digital health solutions that contribute to continuous market growth. For instance, a clinically validated and user-friendly remote monitoring solution is projected to drive over an estimated 7% market share growth. For a billion-dollar franchise in the industry, this translates into a meaningful financial uplift, with an estimated ROI of over 6x within 3 years.
The business case relies on conservative, data-driven assumptions. Pilots have shown above-average adoption and adherence rates compared to industry benchmarks.
“One of the common approaches was to enhance the existing forecast by plugging in our solution's contribution to the predicted peak sales. This way, we realistically assess the impact while mitigating uncertainties — especially given the significant ROI potential, even with a modest market share increase.”
Marc Zhuang, Digital Health Leader, Roche
Merck has successfully integrated a digital health solution into its brand strategy for Saizen, a growth hormone drug, making it a core component of its product offering. The integration of digital health into the brand strategy was not an overnight achievement; it required careful development and demonstrated real-world value to gain credibility.
Merck utilizes real-world data and clinical studies to show the tangible benefits of the digital health ecosystem, such as improved patient outcomes. For example, clinical studies have shown that patients using the digital health ecosystem alongside Saizen experience greater growth (measured in centimeters) compared to competitors' products.
By embedding digital health into the Saizen brand strategy, Merck was able to create a comprehensive digital health solution that sets it apart from competitors. They've been able to quantify the real-world impact of the digital health solution, providing clear KPIs and tangible results that speak to both management and patients alike.
"Digital health is not fuzzy; it's about real numbers, real use, and real value. While the value isn't always measured by the number of users, it's crucial to quantify this value and clearly demonstrate it internally to management and stakeholders to gain credibility and secure buy-in."
Cedric Foucher, Director, Global Digital Health Lead, Merck
In oncology, bispecific molecules can cause Cytokine Release Syndrome (CRS), which requires patients to be monitored in the clinic for several hours. The goal was to explore whether a digital health solution could support remote monitoring and mitigate this risk.
The motivation wasn’t to drive immediate revenue but to keep pace with competitors who already had similar solutions. The focus was on reducing clinical risks, supporting patient safety, and improving convenience for both healthcare providers and patients. By enabling remote monitoring, patients wouldn’t need to stay in the hospital for extended periods, easing the burden on healthcare systems.
Though not directly tied to revenue, the solution helped build trust in the drug, enhanced patient convenience, and reduced system strain. The ROI here was measured in indirect outcomes like safety and confidence rather than direct sales.
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