ZoomRx’s analysis found that cancer drugs with high physician awareness at the time of release maintain an advantage over drugs that are not yet widely recognized even after they are on the market.
Launch tracking service ZoomRx analyzed 44 brands across more than 10 cancer indications. The company divided drugs into four categories based on brand penetration 24 months after launch. Products in the top categories had a 25-point support awareness advantage at launch. Based on this research, ZoomRx stated that pre-launch visibility is critical to success.
Healthcare professionals (HCPs) began hearing about top-performing molecules 18 to 24 months before approval. During that period, Congressional data presentations, advisory committees, and disease education campaigns raised awareness. By the time the drug was released, doctors were convinced and ready to prescribe it.
ZoomRx’s other three performance categories target products with shorter, less comprehensive, or less effective pre-launch campaigns. At best, HCPs are still evaluating products at launch. At worst, the brands lack a compelling reason for oncologists to prescribe them.
It is unclear from this report whether effective prelaunch activities cause or correlate with penetration 24 months after approval. Drugs with excellent clinical data secure prestigious conference presentations, news coverage, and peer-reviewed publications, increasing pre-launch awareness. If approved, treatments will improve real-world outcomes and encourage further discussion and awareness.
According to ZoomRx, even with strong data, performance will suffer if healthcare professionals are not prepared and convinced on launch day. However, the report does not include examples of products with strong data being marred by lackluster pre-launch preparation.
At ZoomRx, we recommend presenting at 2-3 major conferences 12-18 months before approval and building a network of peer advocates to tell your clinical story 9-12 months before presentation. This strategy relies on key opinion leaders having a story they want to tell. Undifferentiated drugs may struggle to generate the same level of pre- and post-launch hype, no matter what steps the company takes.
