The challenge
Our client had their product for multiple myeloma (MM) approved in several lines of therapy combined with different backbones. Their product was also being studied in some other indications with additional backbones and was anticipated to receive approval in the coming years. With several other competitive therapies available on the market, including many branded combination products, our client anticipated that payers might start considering strategies to manage combination therapies in the future. Therefore, they wanted to understand what the current and future combination pricing strategies were for oncology products, with a focus on MM and their product.
The solution
Based on previous experience, we recommended using virtual multi-country focus groups, as these are the most collaborative approach among payers for identifying insights and exploring pricing strategies – particularly because European payers are most often familiar with Health Technology Assessment (HTA) expectations in their neighboring countries.
We recruited for and conducted three double-blinded virtual groups with KOLs and payers from Canada, France, Germany, Italy, Spain, Sweden, and the UK. Each group was composed of one KOL and three national or regional-level payers (where appropriate); and countries were archetyped together according to similarities in their pricing and reimbursement landscapes and requirements. The online platform allowed our client to listen in to the groups in real-time and ask additional questions via the moderator. In addition to the groups, we conducted two double-blinded single-country dyads with KOLs and Payers from Brazil and Mexico.
The outputs
The virtual focus groups allowed our client to learn more about payers’ awareness of MM combination therapies and their issues with affordability, as well as understand how combination therapies could be managed from a price perspective. The findings provided them with a wealth of insight into combination pricing management strategies across Europe and the Americas and, using those insights, we were able recommend how they could better prepare themselves for capitalizing on new opportunities. Finally, by exploring payer interest in our client’s pricing strategies we were able to identify and recommend how they could reshape future strategies in order to mitigate their product’s price erosion.
