The cutting edge:
Shaping the future
of digital healthcare
Digital healthcare, the convergence
between life sciences and technology,
is revolutionizing global markets
. ii
White & Case
The cutting edge: Shaping the future of digital healthcare
ii
. The future of
healthcare is here
Digital healthcare, the convergence of life sciences
and technology, is transforming medicine and
revolutionizing global markets.
D
igital healthcare may soon provide the ability to process information
from thousands of individuals, thus uncovering ways to improve patient
outcomes. It could also lead to lower healthcare costs through data
reviews that identify wasteful practices, high-quality healthcare for people living
even in remote areas through remote monitoring and mHealth, platforms that
allow distant doctors to collaborate, and many other life-saving innovations. The
list evolves and expands every day.
To learn more, we canvassed the opinions of 120 US-based senior-level
executives in the life sciences and technology sectors to explore just how prepared
they are for digital healthcare and the challenges they will face—be they strategic,
operational or legal.
The results of the survey are eye-opening and show unbridled enthusiasm
for innovation and a desire for collaboration, albeit with justifiable wariness
about several major potential obstacles. Make no mistake, a digital healthcare
revolution is here.
Those who act now could seize a significant competitive
opportunity—while changing the face of healthcare for millions around
the globe.
Heather McDevitt
Partner, White & Case
Bijal Vakil
Partner, White & Case
The cutting edge: Shaping the future of digital healthcare
1
. Digital
healthcare
in numbers
F
rom wearable technology and
big data to remote monitoring
and “mHealth, the digitized
”
era of healthcare is upon us.
In our survey, The cutting
edge: Shaping the future of digital
healthcare, nine out of ten survey
respondents told us that digital
healthcare plays a key role in their
overall business strategy. In fact,
92 percent of life sciences and
96 percent of technology companies
plan to increase their investment
in digital healthcare over the next
18 months.
To make the most of digital
healthcare opportunities, companies
from both sectors will need to
collaborate. However, our survey
found a potential divide, with
85 percent of life sciences and
82 percent of technology companies
worried their business cultures
are “incompatible. Fortunately,
”
companies from both sectors see
the advantages of bridging the divide,
with each able to point out attractive
aspects of a cross-sector partnership.
Our survey also highlighted
major legal challenges.
More than
80 percent of technology and
75 percent of life sciences companies
identified intellectual property (IP)
issues as a barrier to growth in
digital healthcare. And 73 percent of
companies pointed to the absence of
standardized global data privacy rules
as a major barrier obstructing growth.
Finally, in an indication of just
how enticing the sector has
become, 90 percent of technology
and 82 percent of life sciences
companies told us they would
pursue a digital healthcare strategy
even if they knew their products
could not receive patent protection.
2
White & Case
Strategic goals
Opportunities
93%
of companies say digital healthcare plays a
key role in their overall business strategy
Investment
92%
of life sciences and 96% of technology companies
plan to increase their investment in digital healthcare
Room for growth
Most respondents predict analytics and big data will generate the most growth
in the next five years. Over the next 20 years, the focus will shift to remote
monitoring and “mHealth” using mobile devices (see chart below)
Which of these digital healthcare sectors do you see as
the highest growth areas over the next 5 and 20 years?
5 years
20 years
29%
23%
27%
14%
7%
9%
11%
20%
53%
7%
Analytics and
big data
Health
outcomes and
population health
management
Digital patient
engagement
Remote monitoring
and mHealth
Digital
marketing
.
Challenges
Data privacy—a major concern
73%
of companies say the absence of standardized
global privacy rules is a barrier to growth
The IP issue
81%
of technology and 75% of life sciences companies
see IP issues as a barrier to growth
Keep on moving
90%
of technology and 82% of life sciences companies said they
would pursue a digital healthcare strategy even if they knew
their products would not receive patent protection
Divergence and convergence
Tech takes the lead
62%
TECH
LS
of technology companies have a well-developed digital healthcare
strategy, compared with 37% of life sciences companies
Culture clash
85%
of life sciences and 82% of technology companies
worry about their “incompatible” business cultures
Reasons to partner
43% of technology companies believe existing regulatory
experience is the key attraction to partnering with life sciences
companies. Most life sciences companies see patient
engagement and harnessing data expertise as the main
attractions to linking with technology partners
The cutting edge: Shaping the future of digital healthcare
3
. Contents
Meeting of minds
Taking the pulse of digital
healthcare
Page 16
Page 7
The keys to digital healthcare
success
Page 11
When giants meet—the
convergence of life sciences
and technology
Privacy, patents and property
Page 21
Fast-forward to a digital
healthcare future
Page 26
Page 14
Methodology
In summer 2015, Mergermarket
surveyed 120 US-based senior-level
executives split equally between
the technology and life sciences
sectors. All respondents confirmed
that they were responsible for
their company’s digital healthcare
strategy, and all respondents from
the technology sector confirmed
that their company had invested
or was considering investing in a
healthcare-related sector. Corporate
revenues of respondent companies
were split equally between US$1 –
5 billion and more than US$5 billion.
The survey included a combination of
qualitative and quantitative questions,
and all interviews were conducted
over the telephone by appointment.
Results were analyzed and collated
by Mergermarket, and all responses
are anonymized and presented
in aggregate.
. Taking the pulse
of digital healthcare
HEADLINES
n Nine out of ten companies say digital healthcare plays a key role in their overall business strategy n Most companies predict
big data analysis will generate the most growth in the next five years; but the focus over the next two decades will then shift to
remote monitoring and ”mHealth, healthcare delivered using mobile devices n Generation Xers (those born between 1965 – 1981)
”
are expected to be the biggest adopters of digital healthcare consumer products within the next five years n 62% of technology
companies have a well-developed digital healthcare strategy, compared with 37% of life sciences companies
D
igital healthcare is the
intersection between two
giant sectors—life sciences
and technology. The lightning pace of
technological and medical advances,
increased healthcare spending and
the needs of a growing and aging
global population mean that digital
healthcare is about to become a
major sector in its own right.
Our survey found a striking level
of optimism about this change in
the landscape, with more than 90
percent of respondents saying that
digital healthcare now plays a key
role in their overall business strategy.
Market moves
The opportunities emerging from
this sector are vast. A recent study
from BCC Research estimated that
the market for medical devices,
healthcare applications and
related technology would have an
annual compound growth rate of
approximately 55 percent between
2013 and 2018—rising from US$2.4
billion to US$21.5 billion.
As the global population grows,
the world’s healthcare budgets
are becoming more and more
constrained. The National Health
Service in England will face a £30
billion funding gap by 2020 – 21,
according to some estimates.
The
US currently spends around 18
percent of its GDP on healthcare
each year, and there are likely limits
to how much more this spending
can increase.
Pioneering companies with the
vision to stake a claim in this brave,
new medical world are beginning
to see the opportunities that digital
healthcare offers. More than 7,500
start-ups around the world are
developing new digital healthcare
solutions, according to data from
the StartUp Health Network.
The exciting potential for digital
healthcare includes the development
of technologies that can transform
patient outcomes and the global
healthcare ecosystem. Technological
solutions can make healthcare
costs plummet (a recent Goldman
Sachs report found an opportunity to
save approximately US$305 billion
through digital healthcare in the
near future), thus also granting more
people greater access to treatment.
The American Medical
Association’s Accelerating Change in
Medical Education program is helping
to fund new medical school classes
to teach how technical solutions can
provide better care for patients.
At the same time, the
Massachusetts Institute for
Technology has even begun staging
healthcare “hackathons” where
,
computer programmers collaborate
intensively over a 24-hour period
to look for better ways to manage
hospital IT or monitor chronic
conditions such as diabetes.
The journey begins
According to our survey, technology
companies are currently ahead of
93%
of companies say
digital healthcare
plays a key role
in overall business
strategy
53%
of companies
believe that
remote
monitoring will
be the highest
growth area in
the next 20 years
their life sciences counterparts in
preparing for a digital future, with
62 percent saying they have welldeveloped plans to bring new digital
healthcare products to market.
“There is no question that digital
healthcare is the way forward, said
”
one Vice President of Healthcare
and Life Sciences at a technology
company.
“It is reducing death rates,
hospitalizations and healthcare costs.
It is an exciting area of growth for us,
and we are completely focused on
getting our product to market as fast
as possible.
”
Among life sciences companies,
37 percent gave the same answer,
with a further 30 percent saying
they are still evaluating priorities or
are at an exploratory, planning or
pilot stage.
A number of trends are driving
rapid development in this sector
and drawing in players who might
previously have remained on the
sidelines. These trends include
wearable technologies such as
fitness trackers, biosensors that
monitor the vital signs of people
with heart disease, and other
innovations, such as ingestible
devices that measure medication
levels, with revolutionary potential
to alter how patients and their
healthcare providers monitor and
treat diseases.
These new wearable monitors
are, in turn, connected to a new
generation of data collection software,
capable of gathering and processing
The cutting edge: Shaping the future of digital healthcare
5
. How important is digital healthcare
to your overall business strategy?
Technology company
Life sciences company
100
92%
93%
80
60
40
20
8%
0
Key role in
current strategy
7%
Minor role in
current strategy
vast amounts of individuals’ health
information to understand more
details of disease progression,
symptom triggers and the efficacy
of treatments. In the immediate
future, this new field of “big data” or
predictive analytics is set to become
one of the most effective and lucrative
elements of digital healthcare.
Decades after it was first
discussed, remote monitoring and
mHealth is finally coming into its
own, transforming functions such
as the transmission of scanned
images between doctors and
the availability of expert medical
assistance for elderly, housebound
and geographically isolated
individuals.
Big data is big news
Big data technology can help
improve early diagnosis and prevent
the development of more serious
conditions. Among our survey
respondents in both sectors,
29 percent identified big data as
the most important element of
digital healthcare over the next
five years, with digital patient
engagement (27 percent) and
health outcome management
(23 percent) close behind.
How well developed are your company’s
digital healthcare strategies?
Technology company
Remote monitoring is closer
According to the US Centers for
Disease Control, more than half
Which of these digital healthcare fields do you see as
the highest growth area in the next 5 and 20 years?
Life sciences company
Next 5 years
Well-developed
Next 20 years
Analytics and big data
62%
37%
Implemented
29%
9%
Health outcomes and population health management
23%
22%
33%
At the pilot stage
11%
Digital patient engagement
27%
16%
15%
Planning stage
20%
Remote monitoring and mHealth
14%
0%
12%
Exploratory/researching
53%
Digital marketing
0%
7%
3%
6
Dimitrios Drivas, White & Case’s
Global Intellectual Property Practice
Leader, explains the opportunities
that this big data revolution can
bring. “New businesses focusing on
chronic disease management will be
able to gather data from thousands
or even millions of patients, evaluate
various treatment pathways based
on patient responses, and thus
identify the optimal treatment
options for particular individuals,
”
he says.
“I think we may see a
range of new and different players
entering this field, leading a global
healthcare transformation.
”
Survey respondents echo
this view. “The availability of
analytics software has boosted the
confidence of healthcare providers,
”
said one Vice President of Strategy,
Innovation and Architecture in
a life sciences company that is
already marketing digital healthcare
technology. “Doctors feel they have
a better understanding of patient
behavior, a better framework for
introducing new treatments and
improved quality of care.
”
7%
White & Case
.
of Americans live with a chronic
medical condition. Our survey
respondents see monitoring these
problems as the next boom area
for digital healthcare solutions, with
more than half of respondents citing
remote monitoring and mHealth as
the highest growth area over the
next 20 years.
This idea of remote monitoring
as the major growth area in the
next 20 years fits well with the
therapeutic area in which most
respondents say digital healthcare
will play the greatest role in the
next two decades: preventive
healthcare. For example, remote
monitoring could help patients
prevent medical problems by
watching key indicators, such as
blood pressure and glucose levels.
“ the moment, people don’t see
At
the connection between the way they
live and the diseases they suffer,
”
said one Director of Digital Strategy
at a life sciences company currently
piloting a variety of new products.
“We need to encourage them to get
involved in maintaining their health or
recovering from whatever condition
has affected them.
”
Demographic spread
Over the next five years, our survey
respondents do not expect digital
healthcare to be spread evenly
across all age ranges. Nearly all (95
percent) of those surveyed believe
that the “Generation X” (those
born between 1965 and 1981,
who are now aged 34 to 50) will
be high users of digital healthcare
technologies in the next five years.
In contrast, 30 percent of
respondents predicted high usage
among “Baby Boomers” (who are
now more than age 50) over the
next five years, while nearly threequarters of respondents expected
a high level of usage among
“Millennials” (who are now less
than age 34).
However, Heather McDevitt,
White & Case’s Global
Pharmaceuticals and Healthcare
Industry Group Leader, believes
the move toward digital healthcare
ultimately will not be specific to
one particular demographic and will
cut across all three age groups—
potentially transforming the lives of
millions of people.
“Digital healthcare
can provide better healthcare
access for communities that have
been underserved for geographic
or socio-economic reasons, she
”
says. “If these developments
can be used to provide services
for people without the need for
constant doctors’ visits, it could
transform how we treat certain
chronic conditions. Remember, we
will have an additional 500 million
people aged over 50 by 2025.
This
is a huge opportunity for companies
at the intersection of healthcare,
pharmaceuticals and technology to
treat illness in less costly and more
beneficial ways.
”
In which therapeutic areas do you think digital healthcare will
play the greatest role in the next 5 years and the next 20 years
Next 5 years
Next 20 years
25%
Cardiovascular
General
nutrition
25%
2%
Oncology
8%
Preventive
healthcare
Metabolic
disease
Ophthalmology/
audiology
13%
15%
2%
Personalized
medicine
Mental
health
28%
32%
8%
7%
8%
0%
18%
2%
7%
What do you believe will be the likely usage level of digital
healthcare consumer products among the following groups
(over the next 5 years)?
High usage
Baby Boomers
(born 1946 –1964)
Moderate usage
Low usage
30%
51%
Generation X
(born 1965 –1981)
19%
95%
5%
1%
Millennials
(born 1982 – 2004)
74%
25%
The cutting edge: Shaping the future of digital healthcare
7
. 8
White & Case
. The keys to digital
healthcare success
HEADLINES
n 92% of life sciences and 96% of technology companies plan to increase their investment in digital healthcare n Lack of
awareness among patients and consumers is seen as the biggest practical obstacle to the broader use of digital healthcare services
and devices n Most companies see the creation of new, proprietary products as the best route for entering and succeeding
in digital healthcare n 55% of life sciences companies see partnering as the best route for entering and succeeding in digital
healthcare n 63% of technology and 50% of life sciences companies see M&A as an attractive route for entering and succeeding
in digital healthcare, though 88% of them say digital healthcare assets are overvalued
T
he perceived opportunities
in digital healthcare are
generating considerable
excitement about the investment
prospects for the sector and the
prospect of a boom in innovations,
acquisitions and perhaps even
completely new types of business
partnerships.
Over the next 18 months,
92 percent of the life sciences
companies and 96 percent of the
technology companies we surveyed
report that they plan to increase their
investment in digital healthcare.
Increasing investment
Both sectors agree on digital
healthcare’s investment potential:
48 percent of technology companies
said they expected a significant
increase, and 48 percent a moderate
increase in their overall investment
in digital healthcare. Meanwhile,
42 percent of life sciences
companies planned a significant
increase in investment, and
50 percent a moderate one.
However, they differ slightly on
the best routes for entering and
succeeding in digital healthcare.
The vast majority of technology
companies said their strategy
will be driven by creating new
proprietary products and acquiring
others in development.
In contrast, 55 percent of life
sciences companies placed the
highest priority on partnering as a
route to entering and succeeding
in digital healthcare. This is interesting
given that 44 percent of life
sciences companies viewed
technology companies’ entry into
healthcare as a threat. Life sciences
companies ranked creating new
products and acquisitions second
and third almost equally: 52 percent
and 50 percent, respectively.
respondents believed that digital
healthcare companies are significantly
or moderately overvalued.
Even companies that think
these assets are overvalued still
want to be involved in developing
technologies that can contain
healthcare costs, collect enormous
quantities of data, measure patient
outcomes and deliver more
effective solutions.
Leslie Morioka, a White & Case
Intellectual Property partner,
says client feedback about digital
healthcare innovators is largely
positive.
“This is a real sea change in
healthcare. Everyone is trying to come
up with new ideas and new ways of
doing things. The digital healthcare
High valuations won’t stop M&A
As digital healthcare enters the
mainstream, this could prompt a
new wave of M&A for companies
that are no stranger to the dealmaking table.
More than half of our
survey respondents saw M&A as
an attractive route for entering and
succeeding in digital healthcare,
despite the fact that 88 percent of
What are the practical obstacles to broader use
of digital healthcare services and devices?
Most important
Second most important
Third most important
Patients and consumers
unaware of services
29%
Older patients
not digitally aware
17%
Privacy and
security concerns
20%
15%
Physicians not
promoting services
10%
Too-little guidance from
medicines regulatory agencies
Insurance company
coverage for new products
5%
20%
13%
15%
5%
13%
9%
14%
18%
13%
19%
Healthcare systems
ill-equipped
17%
11%
13%
14%
10%
The cutting edge: Shaping the future of digital healthcare
9
. company that successfully takes us to
the next step can dramatically improve
results for patients while gaining a
competitive advantage.
”
Obstacles to overcome
This investment optimism is
tempered by frustration over the
continuing lack of awareness of
available services among patients and
consumers, with 60 percent of survey
respondents seeing this as one of
the biggest obstacles to the broader
use of digital healthcare services and
devices. The second-highest obstacle
was also related to consumers—with
55 percent of survey respondents
citing a lack of digital awareness
among older patients.
One powerful force pressing for
these new technologies may come
from insurance companies using
data collection to encourage people
to adopt healthier lifestyles and
subscribe to preventive healthcare
packages. If people won’t be
covered by insurance unless they
participate in preventive healthcare,
this could become a very effective
tool for promoting behavior change.
Many respondents worried
about the risks of failing to protect
confidential data, with 48 percent
seeing privacy and security
concerns as a key obstacle to the
broader use of digital healthcare
services and devices.
Many of those looking to
enter digital healthcare do not
realize the need for a “privacy
by design” strategy. This type of
strategy would allow companies
to create innovations with built-in
protection from problems resulting
from security failures along with
processes for handling highly
confidential healthcare information
as it is moved among users,
providers and platforms.
Daren Orzechowski, a
White & Case Sourcing &
Technology Transactions partner,
predicts concerns about privacy
strategies: “People have always
been very conscious of privacy
in Europe but, until recently,
Americans were much more relaxed
about it, he says.
“All that has
”
changed in recent years, and now
questions over contractual and
technical controls to protect the
transfer of individuals’ data have
10
White & Case
become an essential part of product
development and due diligence
in M&A. We have seen deals die
because data cannot be moved
without the consent of all of the
individuals concerned.
”
A number of survey respondents
echoed his sentiments. “Research
collaborations are being totally
blocked because of data transfer
regulations, said one Head of
”
Digital Marketing and Strategy
in a life sciences company.
“It is
becoming a real barrier to growth.
”
(For more on data privacy and legal
challenges, please see page 21.)
In addition, 43 percent of
survey respondents noted
resistance among physicians to
a changing healthcare landscape.
“A lot of clinicians view the use
of technology as a disruption to
their work, said one Director of
”
Digital Customer Engagement in
a life sciences company. “They
are not promoting these services
themselves but are being forced to
use them by the payers to improve
the potential value of the industry.
We need to educate them better
and get them properly on board.
”
“This is not happening as fast
as it should, because there is
simply a lack of awareness of the
huge potential benefits, said one
”
Director of a life sciences company.
“Although the market is picking up
slowly, the hesitation of doctors has
meant investors are not confident
that they will use new innovations,
and they don’t want to risk their
investment in nonperforming
technology. This is something we
are working hard to overcome.
”
Tech takes the lead
One obstacle stated by a number
of life sciences companies was that
they are lagging behind in their move
into the digital age.
While 62 percent
of technology companies described
their digital healthcare strategy as
well-developed, just over a third of life
sciences said the same. And while
30 percent of life sciences companies
said their strategies were either
at the exploratory/planning or pilot
stage, only 16 percent of technology
companies said the same.
Some senior staff voiced their
frustrations: “We are just too fearful
about investing and adopting newer
technologies for our products.
We need to take a few more risks,
”
said one Digital Director at a US life
sciences company.
One Director of Healthcare at a
US technology company expressed
a similar view: “Life sciences
companies lack the necessary
understanding and are satisfied
with hanging onto their traditional
ways of doing things.
”
As a result, a number of
technology companies in our survey
said they are making progress on
their own, by tackling the issues
of collection, storage and transfer
of patient data in other ways.
“We have focused on the growing
importance of storage facilities for
hospitals and healthcare companies
to record and access their patient
information at the same time as
keeping it secure against minor
errors or leakages, said one
”
Director of Healthcare Solutions
at a technology company. “We are
successfully increasing our offering
within this space.
”
There are several businesses in a
prime position to take a lead in
this field.
We are already seeing
some of them come forward.
Jeff Oelke, Intellectual Property partner,
White & Case
. What is your opinion of the current valuation of companies focused on digital healthcare?
Moderately
undervalued
1%
Correctly
valued
11%
Significantly
overvalued
15%
Moderately
overvalued
73%
Over the next 18 months, will your overall investment in digital healthcare:
Technology company
Life sciences company
48%
Increase
significantly
42%
48%
Increase somewhat
Remain the same
Decrease
somewhat
50%
4%
7%
0%
1%
What do you feel is your best route for entering and succeeding in digital healthcare?
Technology company
Life sciences company
68%
Create new,
proprietary products
52%
63%
Acquisitions
50%
43%
Partnering
55%
40%
Investment in large
venture capital
43%
18%
Investment in
seed funds
Joint ventures
15%
7%
20%
Multi-player
collaborations
Outsourcing to digital
healthcare providers
10%
12%
2%
10%
The cutting edge: Shaping the future of digital healthcare
11
. When giants meet—
the convergence of life sciences
At the starting line
Technology company
Life sciences company
92%
96%
93%
92%
say digital
healthcare
plays a big role
in their
will increase investment in
digital healthcare
business
strategy
A
Technology: Top two key attractions in partnering with life
sciences companies to develop and commercialize digital
healthcare projects
20%
Most important
Second most important
A
C
D
Sharing
investment
risk
Existing
intellectual
property and
expertise
Relationships
with patients/
consumers
E
F
G
H
Existing
distribution
channels
B
B
Existing
regulatory
expertise
43%
Relationships
with payers
Access to
finance
Relationships
with doctors
22%
C
15%
13%
18%
D
13%
12%
3%
20%
3%
E
3%
7%
5%
F
2%
H
G
. and technology
Tech pulls ahead
25%
62%
52%
82%
37%
85%
have a well-developed
digital healthcare strategy
of technology
companies see
life sciences as
biggest rivals
are worried about
incompatible
business cultures
of life sciences
companies see
technology as
biggest rivals
VS.
A
Life sciences: Top two key attractions in
partnering with technology companies
to develop and commercialize
digital healthcare projects
27%
Most important
Second most important
B
A
C
Improving
adherence
and patient
engagement
Harnessing
data
expertise
for clinical
applications
Creating
significant
cost savings
D
27%
27%
B
E
Generating
real-world data
to support
reimbursement
Improving
sales model/
life cycle of
product
25%
35%
13%
C
7%
23%
6%
10%
D
E
The cutting edge: Shaping the future of digital healthcare
13
. Meeting of minds
HEADLINES
n When it comes to cross-sector partnerships, 82% of technology and 85% of life sciences companies worry about their potentially
incompatible business cultures n 52% of life sciences companies see technology companies as their main competitors in digital
healthcare n Only a quarter of technology companies see life sciences companies as their primary competition n The majority
of technology companies feel life sciences companies’ regulatory experience would be the most attractive aspect of a partnership
n For life sciences companies looking to partner with a technology rival, the most attractive aspects would be improving patient
engagement and harnessing the technology sector’s data expertise
J
ust as media and
entertainment companies
are often indistinguishable
now, life sciences and
technology companies could
embrace convergence, join forces
to pool their resources and explore
the benefits that digital healthcare
can bring them. For this sector
to flourish, convergence and
partnerships are not just desirable
but fundamental.
The best of both worlds
When looking at their own digital
healthcare ambitions, survey
respondents from both sectors
viewed the complexity of their
projects (52 percent) and regulatory
barriers (37 percent) as the top
obstacles to their success. However,
it is exactly these challenges that can
be best overcome by collaboration.
According to our survey, both
sides can see how convergence
would be beneficial in overcoming
these hurdles. 43 percent of
technology companies stated
that existing regulatory expertise
is the main factor that would
attract them to partnering with
life sciences companies to
develop and commercialize digital
healthcare projects.
Meanwhile,
life sciences companies saw three
key attractions to partnering with
technology companies: improving
patient engagement, harnessing the
technology sector’s data expertise
and creating significant cost savings.
According to Leslie Morioka,
the companies that know how to
collaborate will produce the best
14
White & Case
82%
of technology
companies are
worried about
incompatible
business
cultures
85%
of life sciences
companies are
worried about
culture clash
results. “Companies may have to
join forces if they want to succeed,
”
she says. “Similar integration models
already exist in other industries such
as media and entertainment.
”
Suspicious minds
Despite the potential value to
both of these sectors if they work
together, our survey showed that
lingering suspicion and hostility is
impeding progress.
Interestingly, both technology
(75 percent) and life sciences (52
percent) companies saw technology
businesses as their biggest rivals in
digital healthcare.
In addition, nearly
half of life sciences companies
(44 percent) viewed technology
companies’ entry into healthcare
as a threat.
“The inroads being made into
healthcare by the technology giants
are certainly a threat for companies
like us, suggests one Digital
”
Director at a US-based life sciences
company. “Most of the companies
in our industry are not yet dominant
in digital healthcare, and the
technology companies are entering
this market aggressively and are
offering quality products.
”
When asked what might prevent
them from partnering with a
technology company, 85 percent
of life sciences companies raised
concerns about linking their
business model with that of a
technology company and possibly
creating a “culture clash. They
”
also worried about an unclear
return on investment in such a
partnership (43 percent) and a lack
of regulation in the technology
sector (38 percent).
Technology companies were
concerned about the risk of an
incompatible business culture
(82 percent) if they joined forces
with a life sciences company.
They
also worried about the slow speed of
decision-making in the life sciences
sector (58 percent), reflecting a
perceived risk of a clash in terms
of strategic approach and culture.
Come together
From the perspective of both survey
respondents and White & Case
partners, this perceived
incompatibility is something the
major players in both sectors
can overcome. White & Case
Intellectual Property partner and
Silicon Valley Office Executive
Partner, Bijal Vakil, puts this
succinctly. “We are on the edge of
a huge long-term transformation
of the healthcare landscape, he
”
says.
“There is no question that,
despite their different philosophies,
technology and life sciences
companies can come together.
”
According to Heather McDevitt,
the view of life sciences companies
as notably slow to make decisions
may be outdated. “In my view,
they are approaching these types
of business opportunities quite
strategically and in a more innovative
way these days, because everyone
sees the growth potential in
this sector.
”
One of the keys to overcoming
perceived cultural barriers, according
to White & Case Intellectual Property
. What do you see as the key obstacles to
your success in digital healthcare?
Most important
Second most important
Level of complexity
27%
25%
Legal/regulatory barriers
Lack of access to decisionmakers within the system
17%
12%
18%
5%
High valuations
Key decision-makers do not see
relevance of digital technologies
12%
17%
Level of competition
Lack of knowledge/
intellectual property
25%
17%
5%
10%
6%
4%
Who would you regard as your primary
competitors in digital healthcare?
Technology company
Life sciences company
75%
Technology
companies are
primary competitors
52%
25%
Life sciences
companies are
primary competitors
48%
Do you view the inroads into healthcare being made by
technology giants as a threat or an opportunity (life sciences only)?
Threat
44%
56%
Opportunity
The cutting edge: Shaping the future of digital healthcare
15
. What would be the key attraction in partnering
with technology companies to develop and
commercialize digital healthcare products?
Most important
Second most important
Improving
adherence
and patient
engagement
Which factors might attract you to partnering
with life sciences companies to develop and
commercialize digital healthcare products?
Most important
27%
27%
Second most important
Existing
regulatory expertise
43%
Sharing
investment risk
Harnessing
data expertise
for clinical
applications
25%
27%
Existing intellectual
property and expertise
Relationships with
patients/consumers
Creating
significant
cost savings
35%
13%
22%
18%
12%
20%
15%
13%
3%
13%
Existing
distribution channels
20%
3%
Generating
real-world data
to support
reimbursement
7%
Relationships
with payers
23%
2%
Access
to finance
Improving sales
model/life cycle
of product
6%
Relationships
with doctors
10%
What are the biggest obstacles for life
sciences companies in partnering with
technology companies to develop and
commercialize digital healthcare products?
85%
Dealing with
different
business
models /
culture clash
16
White & Case
7%
5%
3%
What might prevent you from partnering
with a life sciences company to develop
and commercialize a digital healthcare product?
43%
38%
28%
3%
82%
58%
50%
38%
Unclear
return on
investment
Lack of
regulation
surrounding
technology
Lack of
industry
knowledge
Lack of
evidence of
efficacy
Incompatible
business culture
Slow speed of
decision-making
Reputational
risk
Risk-averse
industry
. Life sciences companies are approaching
these types of business opportunities quite
strategically and in a more innovative way
these days.
Heather McDevitt, Global Pharmaceuticals and Healthcare Industry
Group Leader, White & Case
partner Jeff Oelke, is to look for
people within an organization who
have worked in both sectors. “There
are individuals who have spent
time in both industries and already
know how to work well together.
”
He adds that adaptability will also
be crucial. “Some companies and
people will be able to figure out how
to work together, because they can
adapt to changing and challenging
circumstances, he says.
”
Several companies are already
proving their flexibility in digital
healthcare. The global medical
devices giant Medtronics has
already joined forces with IBM and
other major information technology
players to transfer IBM’s data
processing experience to the
sensitive field of healthcare.
The
joint project will gather anonymized
patient data and analyze it for clues
to provide individualized healthcare,
thus improving outcomes and
cutting costs. It is evidence of the
growing momentum behind efforts
to release valuable information and
business opportunities from the
proprietary silos that are currently
blocking advances in treatment and
improved wellness.
As Oelke points out, “It is clear
that, among the companies we
surveyed in both sectors, there are
people with the drive and vision to
collaborate. The entire concept of
digitizing healthcare services and
products will require strengths from
both sectors.
They are going to need
each other.
”
What do you see as the most challenging aspects of formulating
licensing agreements between life sciences and technology companies?
Exclusive vs.
non-exclusive
Duration
Large up fronts vs.
performance-related
milestones
19%
23%
58%
The cutting edge: Shaping the future of digital healthcare
17
. 18
White & Case
. Privacy, patents
and property
HEADLINES
n Data privacy is a huge issue in digital healthcare, and most respondents (73%) fear the absence of standardized global privacy
rules is a major barrier obstructing growth n 81% of technology and 75% of life sciences companies say IP issues present barriers
to growth in digital healthcare n 90% of technology and 82% of life sciences companies said they would pursue a digital healthcare
strategy even if they knew their products would not receive patent protection n 92% of technology and 97% of life sciences
companies would be likely to challenge a competitor’s granted patent at the US Patent and Trademark Office as opposed to litigating
in federal court
W
hile both life sciences
and technology
companies face a
number of strategic, operational and
cultural obstacles, they also need
to understand several pressing
legal issues in order to succeed in
digital healthcare.
Data dilemmas
More than half of our respondents—
in both the technology and life
sciences sectors—said their digital
healthcare strategies will require
them to collect, store and transfer
individuals’ health information. Of
these, 44 percent of technology
companies and 32 percent of life
sciences companies said this will
involve the transfer of data outside
the United States, which means they
could become subject to the privacy
laws of additional jurisdictions like
the EU.
There is plenty of uncertainty
over the legal issues involved
in doing this. In our survey, a
lack of any standardized global
privacy regulations was, by far,
the most frequently mentioned
data privacy issue, with 73 percent
of respondents seeing this as a
problem that could stifle growth in
digital healthcare. Respondents want
global standards (even among all EU
member states and US states) to
reduce their legal and compliance
issues and costs.
“Global standards would make a
huge difference in speeding up our
development programs, said one life
”
sciences Digital Strategy Director.
When trying to address these
data privacy concerns, those
surveyed said they would be most
likely to focus their communication
efforts on regulators (85 percent),
patients (71 percent) and payers
(66 percent).
The key for companies dealing
with these data issues is to
start early, plan accordingly and
take control, according to Daren
Orzechowski.
“Digital healthcare businesses
need to think about data privacy
elements from the start, he says.
”
“They should focus on privacy
issues when they start developing
new products and defining the user
experience, and, at that time, try to
determine how their company will
use the data it collects.
”
A company that can solve how
to rapidly share information, get
patient consents for data sharing
efficiently and satisfy regulators will
have a great deal of opportunities
in the market.
“No one is fully
realizing this opportunity yet, says
”
Orzechowski. “But someone could
create a platform that would bring
this all together.
”
Protecting your property
IP issues were seen as a barrier
to the growth of digital healthcare
by 81 percent of the technology
respondents and 75 percent of
the life sciences respondents.
Of those who saw IP concerns
as a barrier to growth, 40 percent
said the biggest barrier is the slow
(up to three- or four-year) process
for obtaining patents amid rapid
innovation. Meanwhile, 15 percent
and 27 percent pointed to the
specific difficulty of getting patent
protection for software applications
and abstract ideas as the biggest
or second-biggest barrier to
growth, respectively.
Yet for companies fearful that
not getting a patent might impede
their strategic growth, there are
ways to speed up the patent
review process or, in some cases,
bypass it altogether.
“In the United
States, for example, it is sometimes
possible to request accelerated
patent examination, if the applicant
bears more of the examination
burden and pays extra costs,
”
says Jeff Oelke.
In special cases, patent
reviews can be expedited for a
particular industry. For example,
Bijal Vakil points to a recent US
Patent and Trademark Office
(PTO) “Green Technology” pilot
program that preferentially
advanced patent applications
related to greenhouse gas
reduction and sustainable energy.
“An industry consortium could
ask the PTO to consider similar
accelerated procedures for
reviewing patent applications
for life-saving digital healthcare
technologies, he suggests.
”
The cutting edge: Shaping the future of digital healthcare
19
. Does your digital healthcare strategy include any plans to collect,
store, transfer and/or share individuals’ health information?
Technology company
Life sciences company
55%
Yes
60%
45%
No
40%
Will this information be transferred
outside of the United States?
Technology company
Life sciences company
44%
Yes
32%
56%
No
68%
Which data privacy issues represent the
biggest barriers to digital healthcare growth?
Biggest barrier
Second-biggest barrier
Lack of any standardized
global privacy regulations
47%
Interpretation of
regulations (e.g., HIPAA/
HITECH/FTC Acts)
11%
23%
General public/patients’
lack of confidence
Legislation in individual
states (e.g., Sunshine Act)
23%
8%
Physician
opposition
26%
10%
19%
10%
11%
1%
European
privacy issues
11%
Who are your communication efforts directed towards
(or would they be directed towards) to address privacy concerns?
Most important
Second most important
Regulators
25%
Payers
Governments
20
White & Case
25%
45%
Patients
General public
Third most important
19%
7%
4%
24%
17%
7%
27%
23%
25%
18%
19%
15%
Also, most companies can file a
patent application—thus staking a
claim for priority—and start selling
a product immediately (assuming
there are no FDA or other regulatory
requirements). “Particularly with
today’s rapidly shifting information
technology, you may have to get
your product out quickly and begin
building momentum in the market
while you wait for your patent to be
reviewed, says Vakil.
”
Some digital healthcare inventions
may benefit from trade secret
protections instead of patents.
Companies need to keep their data,
product details, algorithms and
processes confidential to protect
trade secrets.
“Whether you actually file
for a patent at all is a business
decision. If you decide to protect
your intellectual property as a trade
secret, like a closely guarded recipe
for a soft drink or food product,
then you don’t have to disclose it
publicly, as you would in a patent
filing, says Oelke.
”
Patents may not always foster
innovation, according to some
commentators. “The Patent and
Trademark Office is seriously
understaffed ...
many patent
examinations are perfunctory, and
there is a general concern that too
many patents are being issued,
”
wrote the eminent Judge Richard
Posner in The Atlantic magazine.
Posner and other authorities have
suggested reducing the length of
patent protection from the current
20 years in industries that do not have
the long development and testing
time of pharmaceutical treatments,
instituting a system of compulsory
licensing of patented inventions and
several other patent reforms.
A 2015 report in The Economist
condemned the US practice
of extending patent protection
to business processes and
financial products, claiming that
40 – 90 percent of patents issued
are never used or licensed by
their owners, but serve purely
as a means of blocking rivals
and denying market access
to competitors.
All this may explain why
90 percent of our technology
respondents and 82 percent of our
life sciences respondents still said
. consult and give long notice periods,
and there are plenty of opportunities
for stakeholders to influence new
proposed regulations.
”
Further legal challenges mentioned
by our respondents included
uncertainty over antitrust issues
(66 percent) and how to confront
the potentially crippling problem of
counterfeit products (51 percent).
they would be likely or very likely
to continue their digital healthcare
strategy even if they knew they
might not receive full patent rights
in the United States and other
developed markets.
Rules, regulations and compliance
concerns
Regulatory and compliance issues
were a frequently mentioned
concern among our survey
respondents. Finding out which
products need approvals and
who must approve them is not
straightforward, with 71 percent
of respondents citing this as a
challenge. Meanwhile, 63 percent of
respondents complained about the
length of time needed for regulatory
review processes, and 47 percent
expressed concern about the costs
of these processes.
“I don’t think it’s an overwhelming
problem, said McDevitt. “The
”
companies going into this sector
are certainly going to need people
who know how regulators think
and who can speak their language.
Regulatory agencies do generally
The final analysis
Digital healthcare is transforming
the delivery and quality of healthcare
services, with potentially revolutionary
improvements for patients.
Those who
gain the most will be the businesses
that embrace new technologies and
collaborate effectively to surmount
potential obstacles.
“People need to enter this sector
with their eyes wide open to all of
the challenges and pitfalls, said Vakil.
”
“We are confident that all of these
problems can be overcome, if you
are fully aware of the issues.
”
Do intellectual property issues present
any barriers to growth within digital healthcare?
Technology company
Life sciences company
81%
Yes
75%
19%
No
25%
If so, which are the biggest?
Biggest barrier
Second-biggest barrier
Third-biggest barrier
Slow process of obtaining patents
amidst rapid innovation
40%
Getting patent protection for innovations that involve
software applications and/or abstract ideas and naturally
occurring reactions and processes
17%
Global
IP differences
Difficulties of
enforcing IP rights
27%
15%
Validity of
existing patents
11%
16%
11%
33%
18%
18%
10%
28%
33%
13%
10%
The cutting edge: Shaping the future of digital healthcare
21
. Are you concerned that a competitor might apply for/obtain a patent that
would cover a digital healthcare product you are currently or may soon be developing?
Very concerned
Somewhat concerned
Not concerned
10%
17%
Technology
company
42%
Life sciences
company
43%
48%
40%
How likely would you be to continue to pursue your digital healthcare strategy if you knew your
products might not receive full patent protection rights in the United States and other developed markets?
Technology company
Life sciences company
52%
Would be very
likely to continue
47%
38%
Would be
likely to continue
35%
10%
Would be less
likely to continue
Would be much
less likely to continue
17%
0%
1%
If so, how likely would you be to challenge a competitor’s granted patent
at the US Patent Office (such as IPR) in comparison to litigating in a federal court?
Technology company
Life sciences company
49%
Very likely to challenge
patent at US Patent Office
59%
Moderately likely to
challenge patent at US
Patent Office
Not likely to challenge
patent at US Patent Office
22
White & Case
43%
38%
8%
3%
. What are the principal regulatory and compliance
challenges that lie ahead for digital healthcare?
Biggest challenge
Second-biggest challenge
Third-biggest challenge
Understanding which
products will need
regulatory review
23%
30%
Length of time needed
for review process
33%
Cost of the
review process
20%
Stance of different
regulators (e.g., FDA/EMA)
8%
13%
12%
13%
9%
16%
11%
13%
Establishing independent
ethics boards
21%
18%
9%
2%
Recruitment of specialized
regulatory employees
6%
14%
1%
False
Claims Act
Anti-bribery
(or similar issues)
4%
3%
18%
3%
What other key legal issues concern you in
developing digital healthcare products?
Biggest concern
Second-biggest concern
48%
Antitrust issues
Counterfeit
products
23%
Confidentiality
breaches
Constant stream
of litigation among
competitors
28%
21%
8%
18%
22%
32%
The cutting edge: Shaping the future of digital healthcare
23
. Peek www.peekvision.org
Fast-forward to a
digital healthcare
future
24
White & Case
NY0105/TL/B/147208_23
. Digital healthcare
advances can bring
quality healthcare
to areas that
previously have
been underserved
O
ur survey findings show
that digital healthcare is the
future—one that is arriving
very quickly. People currently without
accessible or adequate healthcare
because of poverty or geographic
location could now receive highquality treatments. Products that
capture and process staggering
amounts of individual health data
could increase our understanding of
specific diseases and improve patient
outcomes. Demographic trends
toward an aging population and rising
rates of chronic illnesses could create
unprecedented demand for new
healthcare services.
To succeed in digital healthcare, life
sciences and technology companies
will need to overcome several
challenges.
Both sectors may also
need to find ways to work together
effectively, and the winners will be
those who understand this now. Six
key insights emerged from our survey
that future leaders in both sectors
should begin exploring immediately.
Today is big. Tomorrow is remote.
Big data analysis is likely to attract
the most interest and investment
in the next five years, but later this
will be superseded by investment
in remote monitoring and mHealth.
Data is power.
Life sciences companies recognize
the unrivalled resource offered by
huge collections of patient data.
These companies have experience
in navigating healthcare regulatory
processes, and forward-thinking
technology companies can look
for ways to join forces with them.
Companies that figure out how to use
this data to address medical needs
could transform healthcare worldwide.
Wearables work.
A new generation of “wearable”
technology able to continually
monitor heart rate, temperature,
exercise, calorie intake, sleep
patterns and more could provide
unprecedented real-time data
that will allow not only wellness
monitoring but also deeper
knowledge of the effects of different
drug interventions.
Cardiovascular
health monitoring may continue to
attract high levels of interest, but by
2035, devotees of wearable wellness
monitoring technology may dominate
the marketing opportunities, with
apps to promote good mental health
gaining a strong following.
First-movers have the advantage.
Corporate players standing on the
sidelines of the digital healthcare
revolution need to start moving
now to avoid being left behind.
Those who fail to take the plunge
soon will run the risk of losing their
competitive advantage. The first
businesses that figure out how
to collect and use health-related
information efficiently, in ways that
patients and regulators permit—
including through successful crossindustry cooperation—will have lots
of opportunities.
Patents are not the only way.
It is better to get a framework in
place to protect your intellectual
property as soon as possible, but
this should not delay the process of
getting a digital healthcare product to
market. Whether a company files for
a patent may be a business decision
rather than a necessity.
It may be
better to simply treat intellectual
property as a trade secret.
Education is key.
Many patients and doctors don’t fully
understand the potential benefits
of digital healthcare. Educating
our wider population about these
benefits and achieving public
recognition and acceptance will be
a major part of the battle, particularly
among older consumers, who may
become the biggest users.
The cutting edge: Shaping the future of digital healthcare
25
. Global
EMEA
Dimitrios Drivas
Partner, New York
T +1 212 819 8286
E ddrivas@whitecase.com
Detlev Gabel
Partner, Frankfurt
T +49 69 29994 0
E dgabel@whitecase.com
Heather McDevitt
Partner, New York
T +1 212 819 8937
E hmcdevitt@whitecase.com
James Killick
Partner, Brussels
T +32 2 239 25 52
E jkillick@whitecase.com
Americas
William Choe
Partner, Silicon Valley
T +1 650 213 0302
E wchoe@whitecase.com
Leslie Morioka
Partner, New York
T +1 212 819 8200
E lmorioka@whitecase.com
Jeffrey Oelke
Partner, New York
T +1 212 819 8936
E joelke@whitecase.com
Daren Orzechowski
Partner, New York
T +1 212 819 8704
E do@whitecase.com
Bijal Vakil
Partner, Silicon Valley
T +1 650 213 0303
E bijalv@whitecase.com
26
White & Case
Jost Kotthoff
Partner, Frankfurt
T +49 69 29994 1275
E jkotthoff@whitecase.com
Bertrand Liard
Partner, Paris
T +33 1 55 04 15 03
E bliard@whitecase.com
In this publication, White & Case
means the international
legal practice comprising
White & Case LLP a New York
,
State registered limited liability
partnership, White & Case LLP
,
a limited liability partnership
incorporated under English law
and all other affiliated partnerships,
companies and entities.
This publication is prepared for
the general information of our
clients and other interested
persons. It is not, and does not
attempt to be, comprehensive
in nature. Due to the general
nature of its content, it should
not be regarded as legal advice.
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