Tag: <span>biotech</span>

Biotech Content Marketing Strategy in 2025

Posted on August 1, 2023April 7, 2025 by Daniel E. Lofaso

Every CEO or marketing team I speak to understands the need for a biotech content marketing strategy but always has a lot of confusion about how to go about it.

Having a strategy in place means that you have a roadmap to success, are not wasting time, money, or resources on marketing that does not work, and from an SEO perspective, are not simply “writing for the sake of writing.”

I wanted to develop this content marketing strategy guide for biotech brands that focuses on traffic, leads, and brand awareness because these are often the goals of the CEOs and marketing teams we are talking to and because, ultimately, that is what content marketing is for.

Daniel Lofaso, Digital Elevator CEO

To put things in perspective, Digital Elevator has been creating biotech content marketing strategies for over a decade for Fortune 500 companies as well as emerging biotechs. Historically, blogs have been the best driver of traffic and leads, although I certainly won’t discount the role of other types of content – white papers, eBooks, podcasts, etc. – in the life science content marketing sphere.

Learn the why’s and how’s on life science and biotech content marketing strategy, or skip to the examples section below.

Table of Contents
Why Develop a Content Marketing Strategy? Answering the ROI Question
Biotech Buyer Personas and Understanding Your Reader
Biotech Content Marketing Examples
Biotech Content Marketing Best Practices

Why Develop a Content Marketing Strategy? Answering the ROI Question

Let’s face it. You have a lot of marketing options to invest in. But why am I telling you that content marketing could quite possibly be the best?

Content marketing is often the marketing channel that provides the lowest cost per acquisition

The TLDR version, based on my experience, is that it is often the channel that provides the lowest cost per acquisition. More bang. Less buck.

Content Marketing ROI Stats

Annual growth in unique site traffic is 7.8x higher for content marketing leaders than followers (19.7% vs. 2.5%). Aberdeen
Content marketing costs 62% less than traditional marketing yet generates 3 times as many leads as traditional marketing. Demand Metric
Companies that adopt content marketing have conversion rates that are 6 times higher than those that don’t. Aberdeen
Marketers who say they blog boast an 82% positive ROI. HubSpot

What’s the good news in all of this? The same Aberdeen reference above also cites that 56% (the majority of content marketers) don’t have a content marketing strategy. They don’t know who they are writing for, what to write about, or how the hell content marketing works.

But you will… if you read on.

Biotech Buyer Personas and Understanding Your Reader

Perhaps the biggest train wreck we run into with biotech companies that want to begin content marketing is their lack of understanding of who their customer is and why they should care about their product or service.

From a content marketing perspective, it is fundamental to understand who you are writing for and what the takeaways need to be. This is the point of buyer personas, but they do have their flaws.

The issue with buyer personas is that you can pay big bucks to research firms like Gartner or Forrester to define them or use quick and easy tools like HubSpot’s Make My Persona tool. The problem with the former is that the price is out of reach for even some of the biggest organizations.

On the other hand, free buyer persona tools are fantastic for companies who need something to start with. Still, the way they are presented usually only creates more confusion about how the hell to use the information in a meaningful way.

Instead of trying to write for demographic data points, dissect what stage in the decision-making process your persona is in and craft accordingly.

As it relates to content marketing strategy, these personas are also aligned with the various stages of the buying cycle. While a more advanced definition would isolate five stages in the buying cycle, let’s keep things simple with three buying cycles and align directly with our buyer persona:

Buyer Personas, Content Marketing, and Sales Funnels

Top of the funnel

Top of the funnel content is often used as brand awareness content and covers high search volume content. Top of the funnel content is great for driving a lot of traffic, but it rarely, if ever, converts traffic to leads (initially).

Top of the funnel content example: what is NMN (Nicotinamide Mononucleotide)? (authored by a company that sells anti-aging supplements).
Buyer persona example: A middle-aged woman who is learning about anti-aging supplements.

Middle of the funnel

Middle of the funnel is steeped in low to moderate search volume topics and provides feedback to something that your company offers a specific solution for, yet without directly pushing sales content down the reader’s throat.

Middle of funnel content example: can MNM slow down aging? (authored by a company that sells anti-aging supplements).
Buyer persona example: A middle-aged woman who is learning the options for anti-aging supplements on the market.

Bottom of the funnel

Bottom of the funnel content is generally very low search volume but very high intent. It converts the best out of all three content types.

Bottom of funnel content example: the best anti-aging supplements (authored by a company that sells anti-aging supplements)
Buyer persona example: A middle-aged woman who is ready to make an anti-aging purchase but is in the final stages of decision-making based on previous research.

As you may have drawn from the above explanations, there are pros and cons to each of the segments of the sales funnel. These have to do with the ability to drive traffic and brand awareness (top of the funnel), help convince during buying decisions (middle of the funnel), and ultimately decide on a partner (bottom of funnel).

The above is certainly not a deep dive into buyer persona creation for biotechs, but here is a really good resource on the topic.

Ok, so now you know why it is important to invest in content marketing, the importance of using buyer personas to create content for your reader, and how to mix up your content to appeal to various stages of the sales cycle.

Biotech Content Marketing Examples

Content marketing is the process of creating and sharing valuable, relevant, and consistent content to attract and engage a clearly defined audience — and, ultimately, to drive profitable customer action.

In the biotechnology industry, content marketing can be a powerful way to attract new customers, educate your target audience, and establish your company as a thought leader. There are a number of different types of content that you can create for your content marketing strategy, such as blog posts, infographics, case studies, and white papers.

At Digital Elevator, we focus on what is called SEO-driven content marketing. This means that the content we create is versed in SEO and is driven by search volume and intent as much as it is driven by providing exceptional content to our clients’ readers.

Here are some of our favorite biotech content marketing examples:

Roundup posts

This Research.com roundup post ranks for over 300 keywords related to “clinical trial software,” “clinical trial management software,” and “clinical trial management systems.” Roundup posts- articles where you do side-by-side comparisons of competitors, software, or products – can often be bottom of the funnel content types where users will visit them to make final decisions.

Resource Hubs

Resource hub or blogs? Which strategy is most effective?

They both fall under the strategy of content marketing.

They both often provide a wealth of topic ideas.

However, many biotechs get this wrong from the start and create content that sort of blends both instead of keeping them isolated from a navigational standpoint and a content layout standpoint.

Resource content is generally to the point, fluff-free, and data-driven (objective). Blog content is often more conversational, offering perspectives and potential opinions (subjective).

When possible, it’s best to incorporate both, as both strategies can identify high volume and often high intent keyword opportunities.

For example, Excedr, a life science lab equipment lessor, capitalizes on both:

Blog

30k organic visits/month
PPC equivalent value of $19k/mo
ranks for 30k keywords
300+ pages published

Resource hub

22k organic visits/month
PPC equivalent value of $18k/mo
ranks for 21k keywords
200+ pages published

Sales-driven Content

Here’s a great example of a biotech content marketing resource from Thermo Fisher Scientific.

I’ll get to why, but first some SEO metrics:

it drives an estimated 7,600 organic visits per month
the equivalent PPC traffic would cost $5,500 per month
it ranks for 1,500 keywords
it has earned 41 referring domains

This content resource on Useful Numbers for Cell Culture is a great example of SEO-driven content marketing for so many reasons:

1. It’s useful to their target audience

Lab techs or scientists who need to order cell culture dishes/flasks would find this grid layout really simple and informative.

2. It’s related to product offerings

Should the lab techs need these products, the simplicity of understanding exactly what they need accompanied by links to the products makes this resource a real winner.

3. It’s probably a highly lucrative page in terms of content marketing investment

ThermoFisher probably knew the potential search volume from this page. Researching, planning, developing, and then ranking this page probably took quite a bit of work. However, if we look at some average conversion rates, you can see how lucrative something like this can be for an eComm biotech:

8,000 visits per month

x 2% conversion rate (modest average)

~$400 per order

= $64,000 in revenue per month

When creating content for your content marketing strategy, it is important to keep your target audience in mind. What are their interests and needs? What kind of information are they looking for? Once you understand your target audience, you can create content that is relevant and engaging.

Biotech Content Marketing Best Practices

So, you’ve got buy-in and you’re ready to dive into content marketing. Great start. Now it’s time to make sure your efforts are actually worth it. That means following some best practices that’ll keep your strategy on track and your team aligned.

Set Realistic Expectations

If you’re expecting content marketing to deliver overnight success, this might not be the right path. Content marketing is a long game. Ahrefs ran a study on how long it takes to rank in Google—and the results were eye-opening:

Only 22% of pages that rank in the top 10 on Google were created within the last year.

That means nearly 80% of top-performing content has been around for a while. Translation: your blog post from last week probably isn’t going to dominate your industry’s SERPs by next Tuesday.

If you’re in this, be in it for the long haul. That said, you still need milestones to measure progress and keep your team accountable.

Create OKRs to Track Progress

OKRs (Objectives and Key Results) are a great framework for setting measurable goals and tying them to outcomes. For biotech companies, this could look like:

Objective:
Increase inbound leads by 10% over the next 12 months.

Key Results:

Allocate 10% of marketing spend to content initiatives
Increase organic traffic by 50%
Publish 4 new pieces of targeted content per month

It’s a simple framework that helps tie daily marketing tasks to business results—exactly what leadership wants to see.

Content Creation Is Only Half the Battle

To create a successful biotech content marketing strategy, you need to understand:

Who your audience is and what they care about
What your competitors are doing and how they’re ranking
How your content maps to business goals like awareness, leads, and revenue

Once you’ve got all that figured out, it’s easy to assume writing the content is the final step. But here’s the truth: if you write it, they won’t necessarily come.

Content without promotion is like a drug without a delivery system. You need distribution strategies that actually get your content in front of the right people.

Promote Like It Matters

Three primary channels will do the heavy lifting here:

Email Marketing: Still one of the best ways to get your content seen by the people who already know and trust you.
Social Media: Useful for amplification, but tough without budget. Organic reach on platforms like Facebook is dismal—industry-wide, engagement rate s are often under 1%.
Link Building: Critical for SEO. Backlinks remain one of the strongest ranking signals. A solid link-building plan is non-negotiable if organic traffic is a priority.

Know When to Build In-House vs. Outsource

There’s no one-size-fits-all approach to content production. You have a few options:

In-house teams know your brand and product inside-out but often lack the SEO chops or bandwidth to execute a sophisticated strategy.
Outsourced agencies bring deep expertise, advanced tools, and proven processes—but they won’t know your brand like your internal team does.
A hybrid approach can be the sweet spot: your team provides the insider knowledge, while the agency handles strategy, SEO, and execution at scale.

Cost matters too. A full-time marketer can cost 120% of their salary when you factor in benefits and overhead. Agencies and contractors offer flexibility and often bring multiple specialists to the table for less than the cost of one hire.

If your goals involve brand awareness, thought leadership, and lead generation, content marketing should be mixed into your long-term marketing strategy. Combined with an SEO-driven approach along with promotion, it can effectively drive leads from top, middle, and bottom of the funnel while positioning you as a market leader.

If you need help with your biotech content marketing strategy, reach out to Digital Elevator today.

The 7 Best Life Sciences Marketing Agencies in 2025

Posted on March 1, 2023March 18, 2025 by Daniel E. Lofaso

As a CEO, marketing exec, or scientist-founder, navigating the complex realm of life sciences marketing requires strategic decision-making and a keen understanding of the value that the right biotech marketing agency can bring.

Just as scientific research is specialized and diversified, so too are the marketing agencies that cater to the life sciences industry. By carefully selecting a partner that specializes in your specific area of focus, you can unlock a wealth of expertise, tailored strategies, and industry insights that propel your organization toward its ultimate goals.

It’s important to distinguish that while there are many companies that say they do life science marketing, the below list is reserved for those that exclusively focus in this vertical. Personally, I think that differentiator is very important. While this is our list, we tried to be as objective as possible in the agencies selected based on what we know about the specific areas of expertise.

Table of Contents
Digital Elevator
Supreme
Samba Scientific
BioStrata
Forma Life Science Marketing
Orientation Marketing
Patrick Wareing
Guide to Working with a Life Sciences Marketing Agency
Life Sciences Marketing Agency FAQ

What makes me qualified to cover this topic?

I have been a healthcare marketer for nearly 15 years and am also the CEO and founder of a life sciences marketing agency. I know how to craft marketing strategies for companies of all sizes, have seen companies succeed (and fail) as a result of their marketing partners, and have an intimate understanding of the best life sciences marketing agencies and their various strengths.

Note: I’ll define the ideal client by the typical client type the agency works with.

A “small business” is defined as a company that makes under $38.5 million, and has less than 1,500 employees.
“Mid-market enterprise” is $38.5 million to $1 billion in annual revenue, and has 1,500 to 2,000 employees.
“Large enterprise” is over $1 billion in revenue each year with over 2,000 employees.

Digital Elevator

Digital Elevator is a specialized life science marketing agency known for its performance-driven, multi-channel approach to digital marketing. With nearly 15 years in the industry, the agency has built a reputation for helping biotech and life science companies elevate brand awareness and lead generation through a strategic mix of SEO, paid media (Google Ads, LinkedIn Ads), content marketing, and high-performance web design. Unlike agencies that primarily serve enterprise companies, Digital Elevator focuses on high-growth, small to mid-market organizations that need an agile, ROI-focused partner to help them scale.

Specialization:

Multichannel marketing, eCommerce, brand awareness, lead generation

Ideal client:

Small businesses to mid-market enterprise

Client examples:

McKesson, Champions Oncology, iQ Biosciences, Solvias

Supreme

Supreme is a life sciences marketing agency with deep science industry expertise, providing digital marketing and website development services to pharma, device, diagnostic, and biotech brands. Their recent acquisition of a PR company has also widened their breadth of earned media services.

Specialization:

Digital marketing, lead generation, and PR and events

Ideal client:

Mid-market enterprise to large enterprise

Client examples:

FujiFilm, Covaris, 10x Genomics

Samba Scientific

Samba Scientific is known for its lead generation campaigns that combine audience profiling, tactical planning, and reporting. These efforts are supported by their specialization in webinar management and promotion, as well as conference conceptualization and lead generation.

Specialization:

Lead generation combined with event management

Ideal client:

Small business

Client examples:

Fabric Genomics, HTG

BioStrata

BioStrata is a Cambridge, England-based marketing agency that provides life sciences marketing services ranging from digital marketing, to lead generation, to tradeshow support. Their focus is on larger, enterprise clients, although some of their service offerings are approachable to smaller brands.

Specialization:

Brand awareness, lead generation, and product launches

Ideal client

Mid-market enterprise to large enterprise

Client examples:

Thermo Fisher Scientific, Protagen Diagnostics, NanoImaging Services

Forma Life Science Marketing

Forma Life Science Marketing is a Raleigh, North Carolina-based marketing agency known for its work in brand strategy, implementation, internal employee coaching, and alignment. They also provide tradeshow and marketing support to help their clients with event management.

Specialization:

Brand strategy, identity, and market positioning

Ideal client:

Mid-market enterprise to large enterprise

Client examples:

Pfizer, Agilent, TearScience

Orientation Marketing

Orientation Marketing provides traditional and digital marketing services including media planning and PR, media buying, creative and web services. They work with clients across the pharma, biotech, analytical science, nutraceutical, food, and cosmetics space.

Specialization:

Brand awareness and lead generation

Ideal client:

Small business to mid-market enterprise

Client examples:

Catalent, SGD Pharma, Benecol

Patrick Wareing

Patrick Wareing is a digital marketing consultant with a background in scientific R&D and agency-side digital marketing who now provides clients with content creation, SEO, and digital marketing training services.

Specialization:

Content creation, marketing strategy, social media

Ideal client:

Small business

Client examples:

Tip Biosystems, Fortis Life Sciences

Get a free marketing plan from our team today.

The discovery call is the first step in discussing your business, your goals, and the potential services you need for your marketing or web design campaign.

Let’s Talk

Guide to Working with a Life Sciences Marketing Agency

When considering a long-term partnership with a life sciences marketing agency, several key considerations can help guide your decision-making process. These considerations include:

Industry Expertise: Look for agencies with a deep understanding of the life sciences industry. They should be familiar with the unique challenges, regulations, and trends that shape your sector. Their knowledge and experience will enable them to craft targeted strategies that resonate with your audience.
Specialization: Assess the agency’s specialization within the life sciences field. Some agencies may focus on pharmaceuticals, while others excel in biotechnology, medical devices, diagnostics, or healthcare services. Choosing an agency that aligns with your specific area of focus ensures they possess the relevant industry connections and insights needed for effective marketing.
Track Record: Examine the agency’s track record and portfolio. Evaluate their past campaigns and case studies to gauge their ability to deliver results. Look for evidence of successful campaigns that have generated meaningful engagement, brand awareness, and business growth for their clients.
Strategic Approach: A reliable agency should offer a strategic approach to marketing, emphasizing thorough research, target audience analysis, and data-driven decision-making. Inquire about their methodologies, including how they develop marketing strategies, measure performance, and adapt to changing market dynamics.
Integrated Marketing Solutions: Consider whether the agency offers a comprehensive suite of marketing services to meet your needs. From digital marketing and content creation to branding, public relations, and event management, a full-service agency can provide a cohesive and integrated approach to your marketing efforts.
Collaboration and Communication: Strong collaboration and communication between your organization and the agency are vital for a successful partnership. Assess their ability to listen, understand your goals and challenges, and provide clear and timely updates on campaign progress. A transparent and collaborative relationship fosters trust and ensures that both parties are working towards shared objectives.
Scalability and Flexibility: Consider the agency’s ability to scale and adapt to your evolving marketing needs. As your company grows or enters new markets, the agency should demonstrate the capacity to expand its services, cater to changing requirements, and provide ongoing support.
Client References and Testimonials: Request client references or testimonials from the agency to gain insights into their working style, responsiveness, and overall satisfaction. Speaking with current or previous clients can provide valuable perspectives and help you assess whether the agency is the right fit for your organization.

By carefully considering these factors, you can make an informed decision when selecting a long-term partner for your life sciences marketing needs, positioning your company for sustained growth, industry leadership, and impactful brand recognition.

Life Sciences Marketing Agency FAQ

What are the different services life sciences marketing agencies provide?

Life sciences marketing agencies offer a range of services tailored to the unique needs and challenges of the industry. These services include:

Strategic Marketing Planning: Agencies collaborate with clients to develop comprehensive marketing strategies aligned with their business goals. This includes market research, competitive analysis, target audience identification, and the development of strategic plans to effectively position products or services.
Branding and Positioning: Agencies assist in creating and refining brand identities, brand messaging, and brand positioning strategies. They develop compelling brand stories, design impactful logos and visual assets, and ensure consistent brand representation across various marketing channels.
Digital Marketing: Agencies provide expertise in digital marketing channels, such as biotech content marketing, search engine optimization (SEO), pay-per-click (PPC) advertising, social media marketing, content creation, email marketing, and online lead generation. They utilize data-driven approaches to optimize digital campaigns for maximum reach, engagement, and conversion.
Content Marketing: Agencies develop content strategies and produce high-quality content tailored to the life sciences industry. This includes educational articles, blog posts, whitepapers, case studies, videos, infographics, and other formats to engage and educate target audiences. Content marketing helps establish thought leadership, enhance brand credibility, and attract and nurture leads.
Thought Leadership and Public Relations: Agencies assist in establishing executives and key opinion leaders as thought leaders in the industry. This involves creating and promoting expert content, securing speaking engagements and media opportunities, managing press releases, and building relationships with relevant media outlets and influencers.
Event Management: Agencies coordinate and execute events such as conferences, trade shows, webinars, and product launches. They handle event planning, logistics, booth design, promotional materials, and audience engagement strategies to maximize brand exposure and generate leads.
Market Research and Competitive Analysis: Agencies conduct market research to provide insights into market trends, customer preferences, and competitive landscapes. They analyze data to identify opportunities, assess market potential, and refine marketing strategies accordingly.
Training and Education: Some agencies offer training and educational programs to empower life sciences professionals with marketing knowledge and skills. This can include workshops, seminars, or online courses focused on marketing strategies specific to the industry.

Life sciences marketing agencies provide these diverse services to help organizations navigate the complexities of the industry, effectively reach their target audiences, build strong brands, and achieve their business objectives.

What does life sciences marketing cost?

The cost of life sciences marketing can vary significantly depending on various factors such as the scope of services required, the complexity of the project, the size of the organization, the target audience, and the specific goals of the marketing campaign. It’s important to note that each marketing agency may have its own pricing structure and fee arrangements.

What are some life sciences marketing trends?

Life sciences marketing is an ever-evolving field, influenced by emerging technologies, changing customer expectations, and industry advancements. Here are some key trends shaping the landscape of life sciences marketing:

Personalized and Targeted Messaging: Life sciences marketers are increasingly focusing on personalized messaging and targeted communication to engage their audiences. By leveraging data analytics, customer insights, and segmentation strategies, marketers can tailor their messaging to specific customer personas, addressing their unique needs and preferences.
Digital Transformation: The life sciences industry has witnessed a significant digital transformation, and marketing is no exception. Digital marketing channels such as websites, social media platforms, email marketing, and search engine optimization (SEO) have become critical tools for reaching and engaging target audiences. Marketers are investing in digital strategies to enhance brand visibility, drive customer engagement, and generate leads.
Content Marketing and Thought Leadership: Content marketing continues to be a powerful trend in life sciences marketing. Organizations are developing high-quality content, such as blog posts, articles, whitepapers, videos, and webinars, to educate, inform, and establish thought leadership. Valuable content helps build trust, credibility, and loyalty among target audiences, positioning companies as industry leaders and go-to resources.
Influencer Marketing: Collaborating with influential figures in the life sciences field, such as key opinion leaders, researchers, or renowned healthcare professionals, is gaining traction. Partnering with relevant influencers helps companies amplify their reach, increase brand awareness, and leverage the credibility and expertise of these influencers to promote their products or services.
Patient-Centric Marketing: With a growing emphasis on patient-centric healthcare, life sciences marketers are shifting their focus towards patient engagement and empowerment. Companies are creating educational materials, patient support programs, and online communities to provide valuable information, resources, and support to patients and caregivers, building strong relationships and loyalty.
Artificial Intelligence (AI) and Machine Learning: AI and machine learning technologies are being integrated into marketing strategies to enhance customer experiences, streamline processes, and drive insights. AI-powered chatbots, predictive analytics, and data-driven decision-making enable marketers to deliver personalized recommendations, automate customer interactions, and optimize marketing campaigns for better results.
Virtual Events and Digital Experiences: The COVID-19 pandemic accelerated the adoption of virtual events and digital experiences in the life sciences industry. Webinars, virtual conferences, and online product launches have become popular alternatives to in-person events. These digital platforms allow for global reach, cost-effective networking, and seamless knowledge sharing.
Regulatory Compliance in Marketing: With strict regulations governing the life sciences industry, marketers are placing increased emphasis on maintaining compliance in their marketing efforts. Adhering to regulations set by authorities like the FDA ensures that promotional materials and campaigns meet legal requirements, ensuring patient safety and trust.

Should I work with a life sciences marketing agency or consultant?

The decision to work with a life sciences marketing agency or a consultant depends on factors such as the breadth of services needed, scalability, specialization, flexibility, cost considerations, and the level of collaboration desired. Marketing agencies offer comprehensive expertise, scalability, and collaborative efforts with diverse teams, making them suitable for organizations requiring a full range of services. Consultants, on the other hand, bring specialized knowledge, customization, and direct engagement, making them a viable option for specific projects or niche expertise. Consider your organization’s specific needs, resources, and the scale of your marketing initiatives to determine the best fit for your requirements.

The Ultimate Guide to Biotech Marketing

Posted on May 10, 2023February 17, 2025 by Daniel E. Lofaso

The biotech industry is an extremely competitive landscape, with an estimated 9,022 companies across the various sectors and sub-sectors.

With so many players vying for attention, it is crucial for biotech companies to have a comprehensive marketing strategy in place that will help them stand out from the crowd as they seek favorability with clients, investors, potential partners, prospective employees, and, of course, the media.

In general, biotech companies can be split into three buckets of marketing, all of which can benefit from this guide.

Emerging– Most emerging biotech companies have goals of raising capital, partnering, or commercializing their products, but tend to be in a pre-sales or revenue state.
B2B– Established biotechs are primarily comprised of B2B companies selling to other biotechs.
Pharma– B2C pharma companies with commercialized products selling primarily to consumers or vying for the attention of HCPs.

These companies tend to require different marketing strategies as they are catering to different audiences and buyer personas. More on that below.

Table of Contents
Foreword
Understanding Your Audience
Biotech Marketing Focus Areas
Evolving Your Biotech’s Marketing With Your Company’s Evolution

Foreword

As a veteran biotech commercial planning and commercial optimization contact once told me:

Every clinician thinks their product is the best, but the reality is that if the brand awareness and relationships that are made through marketing and PR aren’t there, emerging companies will face an uphill battle differentiating, meeting stakeholders, and forming strategic partnerships.

This guide aims to provide your company with a holistic understanding of marketing, from identifying its target audience to measuring your success. By following the advice provided, you can make smart decisions about marketing vendors, budgets, and brand exposure, ultimately helping you to gain a competitive edge in the industry.

The takeaways will be less about the actionable marketing initiatives you need to take and more about the marketing arenas you should consider planning for along with a marketing partner who has your best interests, and budget, in mind.

Understanding Your Audience

Understanding your audience is a crucial first step in developing a successful marketing strategy for biotech companies. This involves identifying your target audience, conducting market research to understand their needs and behaviors, and developing buyer personas.

Identifying target audience

The first step is to identify your target audience. As a scientist or CEO of an emerging biotech company, your audience may include investors, potential partners, researchers, clinicians, or even patients.

For B2B biotechs, you are likely gearing your marketing up to speak to the types of companies that purchase your products or services, as well as the job titles that you’ve identified are involved in this buying process.

By understanding who your audience is, you can tailor your marketing efforts to reach them effectively. For example, if your audience is investors, your marketing messages should focus on the potential return on investment and the commercial viability of your product.

Conducting market research

The next step is to conduct market research to understand your audience’s needs and behaviors. This involves analyzing data on their demographics, behavior patterns, and preferences. By doing so, you can gain insight into what motivates them to make decisions, what challenges they face, and how they prefer to consume information. This information can then be used to develop a targeted marketing campaign that speaks directly to your audience’s needs.

At Digital Elevator, we recommend that our B2B clients engage in a market research survey that helps our clients see how their prospective clients see them. For example, we have a case study that highlights how we helped an eCommerce biotech with the following:

Gathered biotech decision-makers by title, seniority, industry, and company size and showed them the two landing pages on the existing website.
With personalized questions, we were able to survey the client’s ideal customer profiles to get their feedback on the product and service pages, and how they felt about the offerings.
We workshopped on these findings and updated the sales copy and page designs.

This market research had an immediate impact on sales and conversion rates and helped the client see how they were viewed from the eyes of their prospects.

Developing buyer personas

Finally, developing buyer personas can help you understand your audience on a more personal level. A buyer persona is a fictional representation of your ideal customer, based on research and data. By creating a detailed profile of your target audience, you can gain a better understanding of their motivations, pain points, and buying habits. This can help you tailor your marketing messages and create content that resonates with them on a personal level.

By identifying your target audience, conducting market research, and developing buyer personas, you can create targeted marketing campaigns that resonate with your audience, ultimately helping you to achieve your marketing goals. Once this is done, the marketing comes easier.

Get a free marketing proposal from our team today.

The discovery call is the first step in discussing your business, your goals, and the potential services you need for your marketing or web design campaign.

Let’s Talk

Biotech Marketing Focus Areas

The next steps are generally performed in the order presented, as this is the most logical way to carry out a marketing campaign. Some of these marketing initiatives may or may not apply to your biotech brand, you’ll have to determine the potential efficacy of each channel with your marketing team.

Logo & Branding

Building a strong brand identity is crucial for biotech companies looking to stand out in a competitive market. One of the first steps in creating a brand identity is designing a logo that accurately represents your company’s values and mission. A logo is a visual representation of your brand and serves as a key element in all of your marketing materials.

The process of creating a logo typically involves several steps. The first step is to develop a creative brief, which outlines the goals and objectives of the logo design. This brief should include information about your company’s values, mission, and target audience. From there, your vendor will typically present several logo design options for you to choose from, which can then be refined based on your feedback. Once a final design is chosen, the vendor will provide you with the necessary files and formats to ensure that the logo can be used effectively across all marketing channels.

In addition to a logo, a brand guide should also be developed at this stage. A brand guide is a comprehensive document that outlines your company’s brand identity and provides guidelines for its use. This includes information on your logo, color schemes, fonts, and other visual elements that should be used consistently across all marketing materials. By establishing these guidelines, you can ensure that your brand remains consistent and recognizable across all channels.

Creating a strong brand identity is essential for biotech companies looking to build trust with their target audience and stand out in a competitive market.

Biotech Logo & Branding Costs

Expect to pay anywhere between $5k to $10k for smaller agencies for this type of work and as much as $50k for larger agencies. If you are budget-conscious, consider sourcing talent on a site like 99designs.

Web Design

Having a strong web presence is crucial for biotech companies looking to establish themselves in the industry. In today’s digital age, a company’s website is often the first point of contact for potential clients, investors, partners, and employees. As such, it is important to ensure that your website accurately represents your brand and provides visitors with the information they need to make informed decisions.

As a leading biotech web design agency, we recommend different approaches depending on the type of company you are.

Emerging biotech website considerations
For smaller, emerging biotech companies, we recommend starting with a basic 5-10 page website that includes various sections on their leadership team, science, clinical trials, pipeline, press releases, and contact information.

A life science hero image from Ironshore Pharma

These sections are essential for providing visitors with a comprehensive overview of your company’s activities and achievements. The leadership team section, for example, should include bios and photos of key executives, while the science section should provide an overview of your technology platform and any patents or intellectual property you may hold.

The Leadership section from Ironshore Pharma

Clinical trials and pipeline sections are also critical for demonstrating your company’s potential for success. These sections should provide detailed information on any ongoing or completed clinical trials, as well as an overview of your product pipeline and development timelines. Press releases are another important component of a biotech company’s website, as they showcase the company’s latest achievements and milestones.

An example of a Pipeline page from Novita Pharma

Contact information is also an essential element of a biotech company’s website. This should include a phone number, email address, and physical address, as well as links to any social media profiles or other digital channels.

B2B biotech website considerations
For an established B2B biotech actively selling products, services, or via eCommerce, we recommend a much more comprehensive website strategy involving information architecture audits, UX/UI considerations, SEO, sales copy, and the continuation of a resource-rich website that helps educate prospects for what are normally long sales cycles.

Biotech Website Costs

For a professionally designed website built by an agency with experience in biotech, the prices can vary greatly. Specialized agencies who build simple, small websites are often found in the $15k to $25k range. For projects that require more planning and consideration into information architecture, UX/UI, and graphic design, expect projects to easily venture into the $40k to six-figure range depending on site size and integrations.

Note that the more complex the graphic design (ex. custom animation), integrations (CRM, ERP, eCommerce, etc.) the more expensive websites can get.

Graphic Design

For biotech companies of all sizes, graphic design is an essential tool for communicating complex scientific concepts to a broader audience, particularly those audiences who may need visual representations to quickly grasp your technology (which, let’s be honest, is everyone).

There are several elements of graphic design that are particularly important for you, including:

data visualizations
animations
medical explainer videos
infographics
print adverts
digital creatives
presentations
conference and booth creatives
email content
landing pages

Data visualizations are critical for biotech companies, as they enable the clear and concise presentation of complex scientific data. By transforming raw data into visual representations, such as charts, graphs, and diagrams, you can help to communicate your findings to a broader audience. Animations and medical explainer videos are also effective tools for illustrating complex scientific concepts, such as how a particular drug works in the body.

Infographics are another important element of graphic design for biotech companies. These visual representations can help to distill complex information into a more easily digestible format, allowing audiences to quickly grasp the key takeaways of a particular scientific study or concept. Print adverts and digital creatives, such as social media posts and banners, are also essential for promoting your products and services to a wider audience.

Presentations are an important part of the biotech industry, as they allow you to showcase your latest research and development efforts to potential investors and partners. Conference and booth creatives, such as banners, flyers, and other promotional materials, are also important for creating a strong brand presence at industry events. Email content and landing pages are also critical for biotech companies looking to engage with their target audience and convert leads into customers.

Biotech Graphic Design Costs

The costs of creative materials vary from company to company and can depend on factors such as whether you need an ongoing retainer or a la carte items. Each item can have significant cost differences as well. For example, a magazine graphic for print would be much more approachable than a medical explainer video. Expect to pay $175 an hour to as much as $400 an hour, depending on the agency and their background.

Public Relations

Public relations (PR) is a crucial element of marketing for emerging biotech companies. It is a must-have if you are looking to raise funds, partner with other companies, or get acquired. PR can help you to create a strong brand image, establish credibility, and gain exposure to potential investors, partners, and customers.

PR services for biotech companies can include:

developing a public relations strategy
message development
media training
media relationship management
podcast interviews
press release creation and submission
content creation
thought leadership outreach
award submissions
trade show pitching
editorial calendars
KPI measurement

Developing a public relations strategy is the first step in creating a successful PR campaign for a biotech company. This involves defining your key messages, target audience, and goals for the campaign. Message development is also essential, as it ensures that all communications are consistent and aligned with your overall brand message.

Media training and relationship management are also critical for biotech companies, as they help to ensure that spokespeople are prepared and confident when engaging with the media. Podcast interviews can be an effective way to reach a targeted audience and showcase the company’s expertise in a particular area. Press release creation and submission are also essential for getting the word out about new products, partnerships, or research findings.

Content creation and thought leadership outreach can help you to establish yourself as an expert in your field and position yourself as a leader in the industry. Award submissions and trade show pitching can also help to increase visibility and credibility within the industry.

Editorial calendars and KPI measurements are important for tracking the success of a PR campaign and making adjustments as needed to ensure that it is meeting its goals.

While PR is not limited in effectiveness to emerging biotechs, this is what I’d call a must-have for companies looking to get some better exposure. PR for larger, more established brands is also important as brand awareness and the trust that inherently comes from being published in major industry publications cannot be overlooked.

Biotech PR Costs

Public relations costs will vary more than perhaps any marketing channel on this list. Depending on the prestige of the PR firm you hire, the relationships in place, and the number of hours spent getting your brand featured, the fees can vary greatly. For boutique PR firms, expect to pay $5,000 to $7,500 a month, depending on the inherent newsworthiness of your business. For large PR firms, expect to pay $15k to $20k per month.

SEO and content marketing are vital components of brand awareness and lead generation. A well-optimized website can drive traffic for relevant searches and content marketing such as blog posts can help familiarize your brand with informational topics where your company may provide solutions.

In general, our agency finds that blending SEO and SEO-driven content marketing — meaning all the content published is researched with keyword volume in mind — is the best use of resources.

SEO services for biotech companies might include:

technical audits
content audits
keyword research
competitive analysis
on-page SEO
link building
site architecture analysis
user experience analysis

These services help to ensure that a company’s website is optimized for search engines and that it is providing value to its target audience.

Technical audits involve reviewing a website’s technical aspects, such as page load times, mobile responsiveness, and URL structure. Content audits involve assessing the quality and relevance of a website’s content and identifying areas for improvement. Keyword research helps to identify the keywords and phrases that are most relevant to the company’s target audience and that can help drive traffic to its website.

Competitive analysis involves analyzing the strategies and tactics of competitors in the industry and identifying areas where the company can differentiate itself. On-page SEO involves optimizing individual pages on the website for specific keywords and ensuring that they are properly structured for search engines. Link building involves acquiring high-quality backlinks to the website, which can help to improve its authority and visibility in search results.

Site architecture analysis and user experience analysis involve assessing the overall structure and usability of the website, including navigation, layout, and content organization. This helps to ensure that the website is easy to use and provides a positive experience for visitors.

Biotech SEO Costs

SEO and content marketing costs vary by agency. Digital Elevator, for example, focuses on SEO and content marketing initiatives that have business impact whereas other firms may sell you on the notion of running site audits and fixing technical issues. The impact of SEO and content marketing depends on the competitiveness of your topics, and the quality of work you need to outrank competitors. Expect to pay $6k to $8k a month for more streamlined SEO campaigns and as much as $10k+ a month for hyper-competitive content and outreach.

Paid Media or PPC

Paid media services are an effective way to drive traffic to your biotech company’s website or specific landing pages, but they also require careful consideration of regulatory restrictions.

Paid media services include:

Google Ads
programmatic ads
CTV ads
native ads
display ads
social media ads

It is important to adhere to industry regulations when advertising healthcare products or services, including adhering to FDA regulations on advertising, ensuring that claims are supported by clinical data, and avoiding unsubstantiated or false claims.

In addition, it is important to choose the appropriate channels and targeting options to reach the right audience while ensuring that the ads are compliant with industry regulations. A marketing agency can help navigate these complexities and ensure that your paid media efforts are compliant and effective.

Biotech Paid Media Costs

Paid media involves two costs: the cost of the actual ad spend, which goes directly to the ad platform, and the cost of management. While every product and campaign has different goals and target markets, there is a wide range of costs with paid media as it concerns the competitiveness of your products or services. For example, we’ve successfully run ads with a paid media budget of $3k a month, and have run other campaigns with budgets of 10x that amount. Most management fees will depend on the ad spend amount, with something like 15-25% of ad spend as an average fee, or flat fees, or flat fees plus a percentage of ad spend. Learn more about how agencies price PPC.

Social media services can be an effective way for biotech companies to engage with their audience and raise awareness about their products and services. However, social media in the biotech industry can be challenging due to strict regulations around what can and cannot be shared publicly.

Social media services might include:

social strategy development
social calendar management
user research
social audits
user persona research
content guidelines
branding guidelines
social media ads.

Social strategy development involves creating a plan for how your company will use social media to achieve its goals. This includes identifying which platforms to use, how often to post, and what types of content to share.

Social calendar management involves scheduling and publishing content on social media platforms. This ensures that your company is consistently engaging with its audience and sharing relevant information.

User research involves understanding the needs and preferences of your company’s target audience. This information can be used to create content that resonates with the audience and drives engagement.

Social audits involve assessing your company’s current social media presence and identifying areas for improvement. This can include analyzing the content that is being shared, the engagement levels, and the overall effectiveness of the company’s social media efforts.

User persona research involves creating profiles of your company’s ideal customers. This information can be used to create content that is tailored to the specific needs and interests of the audience.

Content guidelines and branding guidelines help to ensure that the social media presence is consistent and aligned with its overall brand messaging. This includes guidelines around tone of voice, visual branding, and content topics.

Social media ads can be a powerful way for biotech companies to reach their target audience and promote their products or services. However, these ads must comply with strict regulations around advertising in the biotech industry.

Biotech Social Media Costs

Social media can be isolated into consulting or ongoing management. Consulting engagements can entail strategy or audits and can often cost $4k to $10k per project, sometimes more. For ongoing maintenance that includes creating content for clients, the monthly costs can be similar, however, the addition of video content on the agency side would greatly increase the monthly cost.

Budget Considerations for Biotech Brands

There are significant differences in cost between biotech marketing agencies like Digital Elevator and larger, well-known ad agencies, which can charge 2x to 5x as much as smaller agencies.

While these larger agencies may carry a certain prestige and brand recognition, the higher costs are often attributed to the agency’s size and reputation rather than the quality of work or expertise offered. It is worth noting that while these larger agencies may have an impressive portfolio and a long history of successful campaigns, clients may be paired with junior-level marketing representatives once they sign on.

On the other hand, smaller agencies like Digital Elevator may offer more personalized service, with experienced marketing professionals who are more invested in the success of their clients’ campaigns. These agencies can provide high-quality work at a lower cost, allowing emerging biotech companies to allocate their budgets more effectively while still achieving their marketing goals. Ultimately, choosing an agency comes down to balancing cost with the expertise and level of service provided.

Evolving Your Biotech’s Marketing With Your Company’s Evolution

As biotech companies progress through various stages, their marketing practices need to evolve. It’s important to recognize that not all biotech companies are speaking to the same audience at the same time. Some may be seeking patients for clinical trials, while others may be attracting investors or partners, and others trying to sell products or services to other biotech companies.

The key takeaway is that biotech companies need to improve their ability to identify target audiences and develop effective strategies to communicate with them through multi-channel marketing. Prioritizing marketing efforts alongside the science itself is crucial, as it can significantly contribute to the long-term success of the company.

Effective communication strategies are critical for success, and the right marketing partner can help. It’s essential to choose a marketing agency that understands the unique challenges and opportunities of the biotech industry and can provide tailored multi-channel marketing strategies that align with the company’s goals and target audience.

Overall, biotech companies need to be proactive in their marketing efforts, from creating a strong brand identity to developing a comprehensive marketing plan that includes public relations, content marketing, SEO, and social media. By doing so, they can effectively communicate their science and story to the right audiences and position themselves for success as they evolve over time.

Ready to Market Your Biotech?

If you are ready to share your science with the world and need a seasoned biotech marketing partner, contact Digital Elevator today to get a free analysis.

Get a free marketing proposal from our team today.

The discovery call is the first step in discussing your business, your goals, and the potential services you need for your marketing or web design campaign.

Let’s Talk

The 7 Best Pharmaceutical Marketing Agencies in 2025

Posted on July 26, 2023January 21, 2025 by Daniel E. Lofaso

In the ever-changing and fiercely competitive pharmaceutical landscape of today, where revolutionary breakthroughs and transformative innovations drive progress, the impact of pharmaceutical marketing agencies cannot be overstated.

Whether you’re a CEO, marketing executive, or scientist-founder, successfully navigating the intricacies of pharma marketing demands strategic decision-making and a profound understanding of the value that the right marketing agency can offer.

Just as scientific research is characterized by specialization and diversification, so too are the marketing agencies catering to the pharma industry. By carefully selecting a partner that specializes in your specific area of focus, you gain access to a wealth of expertise, customized strategies, and industry insights that will propel your organization toward its ultimate goals.

Below are some of the best pharma marketing agencies, where specialization and excellence converge to accelerate your path to success.

What makes me qualified to cover this topic?

With almost 15 years of experience in healthcare marketing and holding the positions of CEO and founder of a pharma marketing agency, I possess comprehensive expertise in crafting successful marketing strategies for companies of all sizes. Over the years, I have witnessed both the triumphs and failures of companies based on their marketing partnerships, granting me an intimate understanding of the top-performing pharma marketing agencies and their diverse strengths.

For ease of reference, let me define the agency’s ideal clients based on typical client types. A “small business” is characterized by generating under $38.5 million in revenue annually and having less than 1,500 employees. A “mid-market enterprise” falls within the $38.5 million to $1 billion range in annual revenue and has a workforce of 1,500 to 2,000 employees. Finally, a “large enterprise” surpasses $1 billion in yearly revenue with over 2,000 employees.

Digital Elevator

Digital Elevator is a full-service digital marketing agency based in South Florida that focuses on serving emerging pharma brands and has gained recognition for its expertise in biotech web design services and growth marketing expertise such as PPC and SEO. Notably, the agency distinguishes itself as a budget-friendly alternative to larger ad agencies that primarily target mid-market and enterprise clients.

Specialization:

Biotech website design and development, lead generation, and eCommerce.

Ideal client:

Their ideal clientele includes small businesses and those who serve B2B markets (growth marketing), or pharma companies in need of messaging and comprehensive user experience graphic design.

Client examples:

McKesson, Ironshore Pharmaceuticals, Novita Pharmaceuticals

Archbow Consulting

Archbow Consulting helps pharmaceutical and biotech companies achieve their commercial goals through strategic and tactical approaches to Distribution, Pharmacy, Patient Access, and Payer support. From this foundation, they have built the requisite skills to support service vendors (i.e. Specialty Pharmacies, Distributors, Patient Support Service Providers, PBMs…) via targeted messaging into Pharma to accelerate awareness and secure incremental business opportunities.Specialization:
Archbow focuses on end-to-end commercialization support across distribution, pharmacy, patient access, and commercial strategy. They specialize in: Market Landscape Assessments, Solution Design, Market Research, Fair Market Value Support, RFP Management and Vendor Selection, Program Implementation and Optimization. They also offer a wide range of marketing services, including marketing and value proposition, content creation, market research, and branding support to Pharma and Service Vendors alike.

Ideal Client:
Their ideal clientele includes a range from small, emerging pharma manufacturers to large enterprise pharma manufacturers, as well as Specialty Pharmacies, Distributors, and Patient Support vendors.

Client examples:

Due to confidentially, Archbow does not their client list. They support approximately 125 clients at any given time.

When seeking a long-term partnership with a pharma marketing agency, it’s essential to consider key factors that guide your decision-making process:

Industry Expertise: Choose an agency with a deep understanding of the pharma industry, familiar with its challenges, regulations, and trends, enabling them to craft targeted strategies that resonate with your audience.
Specialization: Assess the agency’s focus within the pharma field, ensuring it aligns with your specific area of focus, granting access to relevant industry insights and connections.
Track Record: Examine the agency’s portfolio to gauge their ability to deliver results through successful campaigns that generated engagement, brand awareness, and business growth for clients.
Strategic Approach: Look for a reliable agency that emphasizes thorough research, data-driven decision-making, and adaptability to changing market dynamics in their marketing strategies.
Integrated Marketing Solutions: Opt for an agency offering a comprehensive suite of marketing services, facilitating a cohesive and integrated approach to your marketing efforts.
Collaboration and Communication: Ensure strong collaboration and communication with the agency, fostering a transparent and trustworthy relationship for shared objectives.
Scalability and Flexibility: Verify the agency’s ability to scale and adapt to your evolving marketing needs, providing ongoing support as your company grows or enters new markets.
Client References and Testimonials: Request client references or testimonials to gain insights into the agency’s working style, responsiveness, and overall client satisfaction.

Pharma Marketing Agency FAQ

Pharma marketing agencies provide a diverse array of services that cater to the distinct requirements and challenges of the industry. These services encompass:

What services do pharma marketing agencies provide?

Pharma marketing agencies offer a variety of tailored services to meet the industry’s distinct needs and challenges. These services encompass:

Strategic Marketing Planning: Agencies collaborate with clients to create comprehensive marketing strategies that align with their business goals. This involves conducting market research, competitive analysis, and identifying target audiences, resulting in strategic plans that effectively position products or services.
Branding and Positioning: Agencies assist in developing and refining brand identities, messaging, and positioning strategies. They craft compelling brand stories, design impactful logos and visual assets, and ensure consistent brand representation across various marketing channels.
Digital Marketing: Agencies excel in digital marketing channels, including biotech website development, search engine optimization (SEO), pay-per-click (PPC) advertising, social media marketing, content creation, email marketing, and online lead generation. Utilizing data-driven approaches, they optimize digital campaigns to maximize reach, engagement, and conversion.
Content Marketing: Agencies devise content strategies and create high-quality content tailored to the life sciences industry. This content includes educational articles, blog posts, whitepapers, case studies, videos, infographics, and other formats aimed at engaging and educating target audiences. Content marketing establishes thought leadership, enhances brand credibility, and attracts and nurtures leads.
Thought Leadership and Public Relations: Agencies assist in establishing executives and key opinion leaders as thought leaders in the industry. This involves creating and promoting expert content, securing speaking engagements and media opportunities, managing press releases, and cultivating relationships with relevant media outlets and influencers.
Event Management: Agencies coordinate and execute events, such as conferences, trade shows, webinars, and product launches. They handle event planning, logistics, booth design, promotional materials, and audience engagement strategies to maximize brand exposure and generate leads.
Market Research and Competitive Analysis: Agencies conduct market research to provide insights into market trends, customer preferences, and competitive landscapes. Analyzing data helps identify opportunities, assess market potential, and refine marketing strategies accordingly.
Training and Education: Some agencies offer training and educational programs to empower life sciences professionals with marketing knowledge and skills. These may include workshops, seminars, or online courses tailored to marketing strategies specific to the industry.

Pharma agencies provide these diverse services to help organizations navigate the complexities of the industry, effectively reach their target audiences, build strong brands, and achieve their business objectives.

What does pharma marketing cost?

The expenses associated with pharma marketing can vary considerably, influenced by factors such as the scope of services needed, project complexity, organization size, target audience, and campaign objectives. It’s essential to consider that pricing structures and fee arrangements differ among marketing agencies, adding to the variability of costs.

What are some pharma marketing trends?

Pharma marketing is an ever-evolving field, influenced by emerging technologies, changing customer expectations, and industry advancements. Here are some key trends shaping the landscape of life sciences marketing:

Personalized and Targeted Messaging: Pharma marketers increasingly focus on personalized messaging and targeted communication to engage audiences. Leveraging data analytics, customer insights, and segmentation strategies allows for tailored messaging to specific customer personas, addressing their unique needs and preferences.
Digital Transformation: The pharma industry has undergone significant digital transformation, and marketing is no exception. Digital marketing channels like websites, social media platforms, email marketing, and SEO are critical tools for reaching and engaging target audiences. Marketers invest in digital strategies to enhance brand visibility, drive customer engagement, and generate leads.
Content Marketing and Thought Leadership: Content marketing remains a powerful trend in pharma marketing. Organizations develop high-quality content, including blog posts, articles, whitepapers, videos, and webinars, to educate, inform, and establish thought leadership. Valuable content builds trust, credibility, and loyalty among target audiences, positioning companies as industry leaders and go-to resources.
Influencer Marketing: Collaborating with influential figures in the pharma field, such as key opinion leaders, researchers, or renowned healthcare professionals, gains traction. Partnering with relevant influencers helps companies amplify their reach, increase brand awareness, and leverage the credibility and expertise of these influencers to promote products or services.
Patient-Centric Marketing: With a growing emphasis on patient-centric healthcare, pharma marketers shift their focus towards patient engagement and empowerment. Companies create educational materials, patient support programs, and online communities to provide valuable information, resources, and support to patients and caregivers, building strong relationships and loyalty.
Artificial Intelligence (AI) and Machine Learning: AI and machine learning technologies integrate into marketing strategies to enhance customer experiences, streamline processes, and drive insights. AI-powered chatbots, predictive analytics, and data-driven decision-making enable personalized recommendations, automate customer interactions, and optimize marketing campaigns for better results.
Virtual Events and Digital Experiences: The COVID-19 pandemic accelerated the adoption of virtual events and digital experiences in the pharma industry. Webinars, virtual conferences, and online product launches have become popular alternatives to in-person events, allowing for global reach, cost-effective networking, and seamless knowledge sharing.
Regulatory Compliance in Marketing: With strict regulations governing the pharma industry, marketers emphasize maintaining compliance in their efforts. Adhering to regulations set by authorities like the FDA ensures promotional materials and campaigns meet legal requirements, ensuring patient safety and trust.

Should I work with a life sciences marketing agency or consultant?

When considering whether to work with a pharma marketing agency or a consultant, several factors come into play, including the scope of services required, scalability, specialization, flexibility, cost considerations, and desired level of collaboration. Marketing agencies provide comprehensive expertise, scalability, and collaborative teamwork, making them well-suited for organizations needing a full range of services. On the other hand, consultants offer specialized knowledge, customization, and direct engagement, making them an ideal choice for specific projects or niche expertise. Evaluating your organization’s specific needs, resources, and the scale of your marketing initiatives will help determine the best fit for your requirements.

35 Best Pharma Websites in 2025

Posted on August 14, 2023December 20, 2024 by Daniel E. Lofaso

Step into our all-encompassing collection featuring the best pharma websites of the year! Within this article, we plunge into the ever-evolving realm of pharmaceuticals to present a lineup of the most inventive, user-centric, and visually remarkable websites that are redefining benchmarks in the field. Ranging from pioneering research establishments to visionary pharmaceutical enterprises, these handpicked websites have been meticulously chosen to spotlight their outstanding designs, instinctive user experiences, and enlightening information. Join us in embarking on a journey through the forefront of digital biotechnology as we applaud the websites propelling remarkable advancements in this domain.

35. Haleon

New to the list is Haleon, a bit more risque on the design side but that is what we like about it. As opposed to the cold and corporate look most pharma companies opt for, this site is a welcome respite with bold branding, dynamic video within the hero section, and an interesting play on the “e” in the logo throughout the site. It maintains the storytelling aspect of modern pharma sites, but includes some product elements that no doubt drive some awareness to items you probably have in your medicine cabinet.

34. Roche:

Roche’s website showcases a modern and informative platform, providing visitors with insights into the company’s diverse portfolio of diagnostic products and biopharmaceuticals, with a special focus on oncology. Their website is interactive and constantly changing as you scroll through it, providing a refreshing user experience throughout.

33. Alexion:

Alexion Pharmaceuticals’ website highlights its dedication to developing therapies for rare and ultra-rare diseases, aiming to transform patients’ lives. Their website does a great job of using images to help support what they are fighting for.

32. Novartis:

Novartis’ website features a user-friendly interface with clear navigation, showcasing the company’s commitment to transforming patients’ lives through innovative medicines and cutting-edge research.

31. Sanagamo Therapeutics:

Sangamo Therapeutics’ website emphasized its leadership in gene editing and gene regulation technologies, aiming to address genetic diseases. Their website is sleek and has great social proof with the doctors in the pictures having the logo of the company. They weren’t just using stock images which is a great touch.

30. Grifols:

Grifols’ website focused on its commitment to advancing healthcare solutions, particularly in the areas of plasma-derived medicines and transfusion medicine. Their persuasive video in The Hero does an amazing job of showing the company’s values and what they aim to achieve.

29. Bluebirdbio:

Bluebird Bio’s website emphasizes its pioneering work in gene therapy, particularly for severe genetic disorders, with a commitment to transforming patients’ lives. There is comfort and diversity through their use of images and font choices.

28. Alnylam:

Alnylam Pharmaceuticals’ website highlights its leadership in RNA interference (RNAi) therapeutics, targeting the root cause of genetic diseases. They have tons of custom graphic designs that elevate the user experience on the site. Small designs often go unnoticed but elevate a website to the next level.

27. Genentech:

Genentech’s website is praised for its clean design, intuitive navigation, and informative content that highlights its groundbreaking research and biotech advancements. Their approach to graphic design is unique and it makes them stand out amongst competitors. They have a cartoonish style that is genuinely one of a kind.

26. Gilead:

Gilead Sciences’ website is recognized for its comprehensive scientific resources and well-organized content, providing valuable insights into its antiviral and therapeutic breakthroughs. Their website is simple but highlights their missions effectively and in a way that is delicate to the eye.

25. Biomarin:

BioMarin Pharmaceutical’s website showcase its dedication to developing therapies for rare genetic diseases, particularly in the fields of enzyme replacement and gene therapy. Their website is very sleek and has a minimalist aesthetic that helps keep clutter out of the way when browsing.

24. Johnson and Johnson:

Johnson & Johnson’s website showcases its wide-ranging impact on global health, including pharmaceuticals, medical devices, and consumer healthcare products. They do a good job of reminding users of their breadth of services by having multiple pages explaining brands that they are affiliated with, and case studies highlighting their numbers.

23. Merck:

Merck’s website features a modern design and provided information about the company’s commitment to advancing healthcare through research and development. They do a great job at highlighting their achievement, displaying their research, and making people at the forefront of their site.

22. Bayer:

Bayer’s website showcases its diverse portfolio, spanning pharmaceuticals, consumer health, and agricultural solutions, with an emphasis on improving lives worldwide. Their website is dynamic and allows for engaging changes as you browse through.

21. Incyte:

Incyte’s website showcases its focus on oncology and its commitment to developing targeted therapies for a range of cancers. Their hero image is outstanding. It almost looks like a movie poster with how well it was put together.

20. Mattek:

Mattek’s website showcases a professional and informative design, emphasizing its expertise in providing cutting-edge in vitro tissue models for various research applications. With an easy-to-navigate layout, they also show lots of social proof as to why they can be trusted along with gorgeous graphics.

19. Vertex:

Vertex Pharmaceuticals’ website has a sleek design, emphasizing the company’s groundbreaking work in cystic fibrosis treatments and its dedication to improving patients’ lives. This website took their animation to the next level by having a video in the background of the words of their header. It is super sleek and aside from that, their entire website is easily traversable with engaging content throughout.

18. Biotechne:

Bio-Techne’s website highlights its broad portfolio of life science research tools, including reagents, proteins, and diagnostics. Their custom images and easy-to-navigate pages make for a powerful site that can easily get you the information you are looking for.

17. Horizon:

Horizon Therapeutics’ website highlights its dedication to rare diseases and its efforts in developing innovative treatments for patients with unmet needs. Their website has numerous videos and infographics that help to raise the quality of their site.

16. Moderna:

Moderna’s website features a clean and modern design, showcasing the company’s pioneering mRNA technology and its contributions to vaccine development. Moderna does a great job of showing its presence by having a simple, yet extremely high-quality website with multiple infographics and dynamic pages.

15. Novita:

Novita has an aesthetically polished and informative website dedicated to advancing the fight against cancer, offering comprehensive insights into cutting-edge research and efforts to find a cure. Their graphics are great, they have 3D animations, aspects of the page that move in and out as you scroll, slightly varying shades of blue to distinguish information, and more. Novita does a great job at making a “simple” website look elegant.

14. Biogen:

Biogen’s website stands out with its user-centric approach, featuring interactive tools, patient resources, and engaging stories of individuals benefiting from their therapies. They have a very basic yet convincing video that can show their entire message all in the facial expressions of the main protagonist.

13. Abbvie:

AbbVie’s website provides visitors with insights into its diverse portfolio of pharmaceutical products, with a strong focus on research and development for various therapeutic areas. They have a beautiful video in the background of the site and dynamic pages that keep you engaged throughout.

12. Novavax:

Novavax sets itself apart with engaging visuals that captivate visitors. Through innovative infographics, custom graphic design, and visually striking representations of their vaccine research, Novavax’s website and promotional materials effectively communicate complex scientific concepts, fostering an interactive and immersive experience for users, from scientists to the general public.

11. AtaraBio:

Atara Biotherapeutics’ website showcases its focus on T-cell immunotherapy for patients with cancer and autoimmune diseases. Their website’s color scheme is very unique and it also aligns with the custom graphics that they have on the sides. The website was clearly very well thought out.

10. Qiagen:

Qiagen’s website features its expertise in molecular diagnostics and sample technologies, contributing to advancements in life science research and healthcare. Their website is easy to navigate and visually appealing. Simple and to the point, yet custom enough to stand out amongst others.

9. GSK:

The GSK site was recently updated and sets the tone for what has become the standard look for big pharma websites. A focus on the end-user of their products, patients, rather than HCPs or the drugs themselves. The GSK site makes great use of subtly tying in characteristics from its logo into the design, using lots of visuals and story-telling, and tastefully incorporating the brand’s orange into the site.

8. Akouos:

Akouos excels at providing a user-friendly website with clear and engaging content about gene therapies for hearing loss, updated with the latest research and clinical trial information. Their website is also very uniform, with the same few colors used throughout, making everything seem together as one which makes it easy for the eyes to navigate through.

7. McKesson:

Mckesson’s website features a sleek and intuitive design with custom graphics, providing easy access to their diverse healthcare solutions and services. Visitors can explore their commitment to improving patient care, optimizing operations, and advancing healthcare through innovative technologies and industry expertise.

6. SenseiBio:

SenseiBio has an extremely sleek custom graphic design setup that allows for ease of access to the information they are trying to convey. Upon clicking their website, users instantly are intrigued by the images and can easily find out their mission since it is at the top of the page. They do a great job of balancing everything on the page.

5. Parexel:

Parexel does a great job at making their website feel modern. As you scroll, there is effortless transitions that make you wonder if you were even scrolling in the first place. They do a great job of using social proof as well as authority and custom graphics to make their website look nice and feel trustworthy at the same time.

4. Ironshore Pharma:

Ironshore Pharma’s website impresses with its stunning, custom graphic design and user-friendly layout, effectively conveying its mission to enhance patient lives through innovative, patient-focused treatment options. Visitors can easily navigate through their ideals, reflecting a commitment to improving healthcare outcomes for patients and caregivers alike. The site has animations, custom graphics, video backgrounds, dynamic elements, etc.

3. Cambrianbio:

With the Cambrian Bio website, navigating the website is effortless due to the well-organized menu and intuitive user interface. Their custom graphics go a long way to show the user that they care about quality and simplicity. Their color gradients are very appealing and it is what allows them to compete in the top 10, without necessarily having too many cutting-edge animations. They are unique and stand out based on their quality.

2. Inozyme Pharma:

Inozyme really breaks the mold of your typical pharma website. Their choice of gentle pastel colors makes scrolling through their site a breeze, and they’ve got every category covered for anyone exploring their content. You can easily find information about their treatments while enjoying the pleasing visuals the whole time.

BioAge Labs:

BioAge Labs’ website boasts a sleek and modern design, reflecting their cutting-edge work in aging research and healthspan extension. With engaging content and user-friendly navigation, the site highlights its commitment to transforming the future of healthcare and improving the quality of life for individuals worldwide. The scrolling feels satisfying with their minimalistic yet futuristic design. They have minimum words to easily get across information, as well as gorgeous and dynamic 3D animations that move with you through the page. Every part of the website just feels clean.

Want to discuss your next pharma website?

The Digital Elevator team specializes in pharma website design and development. If you have an upcoming project or are looking for some fresh ideas for your existing website, let us know.

51 Best Biotech Websites in 2025

Posted on August 8, 2023December 20, 2024 by Daniel E. Lofaso

Welcome to our comprehensive round-up of the 51 best biotech websites of the year! In this blog post, we delve into the dynamic world of biotechnology to showcase the most innovative, user-friendly, and visually stunning websites that are setting new standards in the industry. From cutting-edge research institutions to forward-thinking biotech companies, these websites have been carefully curated to highlight their exceptional designs, intuitive navigation, and informative content. Our biotech web design agency has built a few of the sites on this list so if you are looking for a partner for your next website project, contact us today.

51. Amgen

Amgen’s website was well-designed, providing visitors with easy access to information about the company’s focus on biotechnology and its breakthrough therapies in various disease areas, particularly oncology and bone health. They have colors that are easy on the eyes, as well as dynamic elements that help the owners seem more relatable and personable.

50. AstraZeneca

AstraZeneca’s website presented a comprehensive view of the company’s diverse portfolio, covering therapeutic areas such as oncology, cardiovascular, respiratory, and more. They have a lot of custom, unique imagery, making their website very appealing.

49. Biomeriux

The Biomerieux website presents a sleek and user-friendly design, seamlessly blending sophistication with functionality. Intuitive navigation guides visitors through a seamless exploration of Biomerieux’s diagnostic products and services.

48. Illumina

Illumina’s website highlighted its leadership in genomics and DNA sequencing technologies, playing a significant role in advancing precision medicine. They have a very straightforward design, making it easy for you to find whatever you are looking for on the site.

47. ThermoFisher Scientific

Thermo Fisher Scientific’s website offers an informative platform, showcasing its contributions to life sciences and healthcare research through its wide range of products and services. Their layout is an all-in-one home page where you can find everything from products to news within a few scrolls.

46. ParseBiosciences

The Parse Biosciences website impresses with a modern design focused on single-cell sales at any scale. Its clean layout and high-quality images showcase innovation, while insightful on-site graphs provide detailed information. Custom graphics enhance the user experience, making exploration of Parse Biosciences’ offerings both seamless and visually engaging.

45. Novartis

44. Tome Biosciences

The Tome Biosciences website captivates with a unique and user-friendly design, where navigation involves an engaging drag-and-explore feature. The on-site custom graphics and intuitive navigation create an immersive user experience, making exploration of Tome Biosciences genomics products and services both visually engaging and seamlessly interactive.

43. OpenClinica

The OpenClinica website stands out for its concise and effective writing, providing clear information about clinical trial solutions. The website’s clean design, coupled with high-quality graphics, reflects a commitment to visual clarity and professionalism. OpenClinica’s use of custom graphics enhances the user experience, ensuring that visitors can easily comprehend and navigate through their comprehensive clinical trial offerings.

42. Neurocrine Biosciences

Neurocrine Biosciences’ website features its commitment to neuroscience and its focus on developing therapies for neurological and endocrine-related disorders. Their animations add high-quality visuals to the page and make going through the website much more engaging.

41. McKesson

Get a free website proposal from our team today.

The discovery call is the first step in discussing your business, your goals, and the potential services you need for your marketing or web design campaign.

Let’s Talk

40. Bluebirdbio

39. Alnylam

38. Biogen

37. Novita

Novita has an aesthetically polished and informative website dedicated to advancing the fight against cancer, offering comprehensive insights into cutting-edge research and efforts to find a cure. Their graphics are great. They have 3D animations, aspects of the page that move in and out as you scroll, slightly varying shades of blue to distinguish information, and more. Novita does a great job at making a “simple” website look elegant.

36. Genentech

35. Allay Therapeutics

The Allay Therapeutics website uniquely expresses support for patients throughout their recovery process by incorporating moons as a symbolic design element. This thoughtful touch, along with custom graphics across the site, creates a visually engaging experience.

34. Sanofi

Sanofi’s website offers comprehensive information about the company’s commitment to global healthcare, spanning areas like vaccines, rare diseases, and diabetes management. Their website is very clean and has a variety of content to consume on the homepage alone. From videos to links to blogs to potential partnerships. They cover all of their bases without making the home page overwhelming.

33. Reflexion

The Reflexion website makes a dynamic impact with its unique design, featuring elements dynamically converging at the center upon page load. This captivating visual effect sets the stage for a compelling storytelling experience, emphasizing the brand’s dedication to fighting cancer.

32. Regeneron

Regeneron Pharmaceuticals’ website is informative and user-friendly, highlighting its focus on research and development of innovative monoclonal antibody therapies for various diseases. Their unique color palettes and dynamic animations make the website very stimulating and enjoyable to look through.

31. Agilent

Agilent Technologies’ website showcases its broad range of life science and analytical instruments, contributing to advancements in scientific research and diagnostics. They do a very nice job at displaying all of their work in highlights on their page, allowing for easy access to information.

30. PhoenixBio

The PhoenixBio website makes a dynamic impact with graphics that are constantly in motion, creating an engaging visual experience. The site’s basic yet effective custom graphics play a crucial role in simplifying complex scientific concepts, ensuring a clear understanding for visitors. This combination of motion graphics and simple yet effective visuals reflects PhoenixBio’s commitment to providing an accessible and visually compelling platform for understanding intricate scientific information.

29. Emergent BioSolutions

Emergent BioSolutions’ website showcases its expertise in medical countermeasures, with a focus on vaccines and treatments for public health threats. Their website is very to the point which is very useful for a brand like this one that has one main goal. Their slogan gives us an idea of who they are, and having it multiple times on the home page allows users to associate the brand with those values.

28. Intellia Therapeutics

Intellia Therapeutics’ website emphasizes its CRISPR-Cas9 gene editing technology and its potential to revolutionize medicine. This website does a great job of using their research as subtle graphics. Most of their website has accents of DNA structures which are very subtle and different from any other company so far on this list.

27. Cancer Research & Treatment Fund, Inc. (CR&T)

The Cancer Research & Treatment Fund’s website offers a clean and user-friendly design, enabling visitors to learn about their impactful efforts in advancing cancer research and treatment. With easy navigation, social proof, and engaging content, the site showcases its commitment to funding groundbreaking studies and providing support to those affected by cancer.

26. Inventia

The Inventia website excels in maintaining a seamless connection between its color palette and product aesthetics. This cohesive approach enhances the overall visual experience, conveying a sense of unity and attention to detail.

25. Roche

24. AtaraBio

23. Incyte

22. Mattek

21. Vertex

20. Moderna

Moderna’s website features a clean and modern design, showcasing the company’s pioneering mRNA technology and its contributions to vaccine development, including its COVID-19 vaccine. Moderna does a great job of showing its presence by having a simple, yet extremely high-quality website with multiple infographics and dynamic pages.

19. Fujifilm

The Fujifilm Cellular Dynamics website exudes professionalism through the attire of their team, and the language that is used on the home screen. The site’s design features custom graphics that effectively categorize various applications, showcasing a commitment to clarity and precision in their work.

18. Neuralink

The Neuralink website delivers a cutting-edge experience, particularly in the implant and surgical robot section where scrolling down dynamically reveals different sections of the implant with brief descriptions of what that piece is there for. This innovative approach enhances user engagement, allowing visitors to explore and understand the intricacies of Neuralink’s technology seamlessly.

17. Qureator

Qureators website has beautiful custom graphics and a central color scheme that is easy on the users’ eyes. They use their dynamic pop-ups to make information easily accessible and easy to understand. You can instantly tell what their company is about within a few seconds.

16. Biotechne

15. Abbvie

14. VintaBio

The VintaBio website impresses with a blend of custom graphics and dynamic images, creating an engaging visual experience. The site prominently features their team, adding a personal touch and highlighting the expertise behind their work. With a focus on custom graphics, dynamic visuals, and team presentation, VintaBio’s website not only communicates professionalism but also provides an insightful and visually appealing journey for visitors interested in their innovative bioinformatics solutions.

13. Be Biopharma

The Be Biopharma website stands out with its constantly changing images at the top, ensuring a dynamic and fresh experience for visitors. The consistency of their color palette is a notable feature, extending seamlessly from the website’s design to the graphics and hues.

12. Nodexus

The Nodexus website catches attention with its moving background, creating a visually engaging and interactive experience. The site’s use of custom, color-coded graphics further enhances its appeal, providing a clear and organized presentation of information.

11. Akouos

10. Totus Medicines

The Totus Medicines website features constantly moving backgrounds across pages, adding a dynamic and visually captivating element to the user experience. Additionally, the site effortlessly incorporates social proof, seamlessly integrating testimonials and reviews, establishing trust and credibility.

9. Wild

Wild’s dynamic website provides an effortless feel that carries the perfect balance between simple and cutting-edge. Although they have limited colors and elements, the elements that they have are very powerful and engaging, and the colors are very easy on the eyes. These two factors provide an extremely easy user experience which should be every website’s first goal.

8. Qiagen

7. Plasma Protein Therapeutics Association

The PPTA Global website offers a unique experience, almost embodying the essence of plasma itself. The moving plasma animations and the loading screen resembling plasma contribute to a cohesive and uniform feel throughout the site. The clean navigation bar enhances the user experience, allowing seamless movement and easy access to information.

6. Ironshore Pharma:

Ironshore Pharma’s website impresses with its stunning, custom graphic design and user-friendly layout, effectively conveying its mission to enhance patient lives through innovative, patient-focused treatment options. Visitors can easily navigate through their ideals, reflecting a commitment to improving healthcare outcomes for patients and caregivers alike. They do what all of the best websites on this list have done but in unison. They have animations, custom graphics, video backgrounds, dynamic elements, etc. They went all out and shows.

5. Armra

Armra is an exceptional website that offers a range of positive features for users. Firstly, its sleek and modern design creates an inviting and user-friendly interface. Visitors can easily navigate the site to explore the various services and products offered. With it having endless custom graphics and being the only e-com website on this list, they do a great job at standing out and making their science-based product, still accessible and understandable to the common person.

4. Kingdom SuperCultures

Kingdom Super Cultures’ website showcases a professional and informative design, reflecting their dedication to innovative microbiome solutions. With user-friendly navigation and gorgeous custom graphics, it is easy to get lost in just how beautiful their site looks.

3. Cambrianbio

With the Cambrian Bios website, navigating the website is effortless due to the well-organized menu and intuitive user interface. Their custom graphics go a long way to show the user that they care about quality and simplicity. Their color gradients are very appealing and it is what allows them to compete in the top 10, without necessarily having too many cutting-edge animations. They are unique and stand out based on their quality.

2. SenseiBio

1. BioAge Labs

How We Chose the Best Biotech Websites

If it isn’t obvious already, this list is highly subjective. That said, our team has about 15 years of web design experience and we understand the challenges of designing a website based on navigation, user experience, user interface design, graphic design, content management, and storytelling.

There was an intentional mix of corporate sites that are likely to be less design-heavy, and more cutting-edge sites (our favorite kinds!) that are able to take a bit more risk in their design. You’ll find the sites with the most attractive designs at the top spots, while the more conservative designs will be at the bottom of the list.

In case you’re wondering what goes into the web design process, check out our guide on the topic. If you are looking for a reputable biotech web design company, reach out to us today!

Get a free website proposal from our team today.

The discovery call is the first step in discussing your business, your goals, and the potential services you need for your marketing or web design campaign.

Let’s Talk

Pharmaceutical Industry Statistics: Unveiling the Global Biotech Landscape in 2025

Posted on May 30, 2023December 20, 2024 by Daniel E. Lofaso

From groundbreaking therapies to cutting-edge research, the biotech sector has emerged as a global powerhouse.

In this article, we delve into the captivating realm of biotech, exploring statistics – including the impressive global pharmaceutical revenue by technologies, the value share of the biotech sector worldwide by country, and the number of public biotech companies in the United States.

These metrics provide the most up-to-date information in biotech stats as of 2024.

Table of Contents
Global overview
US and European landscape
Focus: US companies
Research & development
Products
Funding/M&A/IPOs
Compensation in biotech
Pharma Statistics in 2024

Global overview

Global market growth to exceed $1 trillion

The global prescription drug market is projected to see significant growth between 2022 and 2030. In 2024, worldwide prescription drug revenue is expected to reach $1.12 trillion, with revenues anticipated to surpass $1.7 trillion by 2030. This growth is fueled in part by the rising demand for orphan drugs, which are specialized treatments designed for rare diseases.

Global pharmaceutical revenue by technology

Global pharmaceutical revenue from 2012 to 2026 is categorized across different technologies. Biotechnology accounted for $266 billion in drug revenues in 2019, a figure that has been steadily growing for the past several years. It is projected to reach $505 billion by 2026, while the conventional drug market is expected to be worth $681 billion that same year.

Value share of the biotech sector worldwide by country

In 2021, the United States emerged as the dominant force in the global biotech industry, commanding nearly 59% of the total global biotech value. Meanwhile, China accounted for approximately 11%.

Value share of the biotech sector worldwide by therapeutic area

The global biotech sector witnessed the dominance of oncology, which commanded a substantial value share of approximately 39%. This underscores the immense focus and investment in advancing cancer treatments and therapies.

The therapeutic landscape of the biotech sector also revealed other significant areas of interest. Neurology and rare diseases each held an 11.6% value share, reflecting the growing attention given to understanding and addressing neurological disorders and rare medical conditions.

Top global biotech companies selection based on market cap

In November 2022, Roche, a company based in Switzerland, was the top biotech company in the world with a market capitalization of $268.27 billion. US-based AbbVie came in second with a market cap of nearly $257 billion during the same period while Danish biopharmaceutical manufacturer Novo Nordisk ranked third with approximately $192 billion.

Top global biotech companies based on number of employees

As of 2022, Danish biopharmaceutical manufacturer Novo Nordisk had nearly 48,000 persons employed worldwide.

US and European landscape

Number of public biotech companies in the US by region

With a total of 107 public biotech companies operating in the region, Northern California ranked second among the top biotech regions in the country. Massachusetts held the leading position with 152 public biotech companies, a testament to its advanced biotech ecosystem.

European countries based on the number of public biotech companies in 2021

Sweden led the way in Europe with 79 public biotech companies, followed by the UK with 57, France with 41, and Germany with 23. The Netherlands ranked lowest on the list, with only seven public biotech companies.

Market capitalization of US biotech companies by region

Massachusetts and Northern California have some of the most successful public biotechnology companies in the United States, totaling $344,979 million and $278,598 million in market capitalization, respectively. Southern Californian public biotech companies have a market capitalization of $268,827 million, while those in New York are worth $86,496 million.

European countries by public biotech company market capitalization

Germany emerged at the forefront, boasting the highest market capitalization of nearly $83,725 million. This achievement was primarily driven by the success of BioNTech, renowned for its groundbreaking COVID-19 vaccine Comirnaty.

Denmark secured a significant market capitalization of $61,529 million, followed closely by Ireland with $41,461 million.

The Netherlands showcased a robust presence with a market capitalization of $34,744 million, while the UK and Sweden exhibited notable figures of $25,779 million and $22,098 million, respectively.

Focus: US companies

Sales per employee of select US biotech and drugs companies

As of the third quarter of 2022, US biotech company Gilead Sciences reported $2.3 million in sales per employee for the preceding twelve months. Amgen and Biogen came in second and third, with sales-per-employee figures of roughly $1.3 million and $1.13, respectively.

Research & development

Clinical trial retention remains a massive problem

Trial retention remains a critical factor in the success of clinical studies, yet significant challenges persist. According to Accenture:

Awareness Gap: Only 5-10% of eligible patients are aware of ongoing clinical trials, highlighting a major hurdle in recruitment.
Dropout Rates: 30% of patients discontinue participation due to non-clinical issues, such as logistical challenges or lack of support.
Early Terminations: 19% of trials close or terminate prematurely because of insufficient participants, resulting in an estimated $800 billion in lost value.

Top global biotech companies – R&D expenditure

In 2021, Danish biopharmaceutical major Novo Nordisk demonstrated a strong commitment to research and development in the field of biotechnology, spending $2.7 billion on R&D. Metrics such as R&D intensity (13.6%), productivity and success rate all suggest that Novo Nordisk’s investment in research and development is paying off well.

Top 50 global pharmaceutical and biotech companies by R&D intensity

R&D intensity is calculated by taking a company’s R&D expenditure and dividing that figure by its sales. Everest Medicines had the highest R&D intensity at 1,109,828% and Arena Pharmaceuticals came in second at 776,783%.

Average R&D cost to develop new biopharma

According to the data, the average cost to develop a new drug is approximately $2.3 billion.

Rate of return on biopharmaceutical late-stage R&D pipeline

The internal rate of return (IRR) on biopharmaceutical late-stage R&D pipelines varied between 2013 and 2022. The rate of return decreased from 7.2% in 2014 to 1.5% in 2019. The numbers increased to 6.8% in 2021 before another sharp decline to 1.2% in 2022.

Products

AI in drug discovery to reach $3 billion

AI investments in the pharmaceutical industry are projected to reach $3 billion by 2025, as companies leverage the technology to reduce drug development time and costs.

Global biotech drugs sales

In 2012, biotechnology drugs generated sales amounting to $149 billion. However, this figure was projected to surge to over $420 billion by 2022. This significant increase highlights the expanding market presence of biotech drugs and their growing share in the overall global pharmaceutical industry.

Other estimates indicate a growth to USD 1,683.52 billion by 2030.

Projection of top 2023 pharma and biotech launches by revenue

A highly anticipated product launch in the biotech and conventional pharmaceutical sectors is the Alzheimer’s disease treatment Lecanemab, jointly developed by Eisai and Biogen. It is scheduled for launch in 2023 and is expected to generate approximately three billion US dollars in revenue by 2028.

Total US pharma and biotech product sales 5 years after launch

In 2021, product revenues in the US totaled $24.5 billion for products launched five years earlier. This is a sharp increase from 2007, when sales under the same heading were valued at $4.3 billion.

US biopharmaceutical export volume

The value of US biopharmaceutical exports quadrupled between 2002 and 2021 to reach an estimated $83 billion.

Funding/M&A/IPOs

Total raised capital in US and Europe biotechnology industry

In 2021, the combined biotech industry in the US and Europe raised over $115,300 million in capital, including risk capital, IPOs, follow-on, and debt. This was a fall from the capital raised in 2020, which stood at $119,900 million.

Venture capital in US and Europe biotechnology industry

In 2021, the biotech industry in the US and Europe raised over $26 million in venture capital. This was a large increase from the amounts raised in 2019 and 2020, which were $18 billion and $18.1 billion, respectively.

US bioscience venture capital investments by segment

Over $53 billion was invested into healthcare technology systems from 2018-2021.

Biotechnology funding by National Institutes for Health

The National Institutes of Health (NIH) played a significant role in funding biotechnology research and development in the United States. In fiscal year 2021, the NIH allocated approximately $7.85 billion toward biotechnology funding.

Select M&As involving US and European biotech companies

2022 saw several M&As involving US and European biotech companies. Amgen acquired Horizon Therapuetics, a deal with a potential value of €27.8 million. Meanwhile, Pfizer took over Biohaven Pharma, which was valued at €11,600 million.

Compensation in biotech

Select large biotech firms by CEO compensation

In 2019, several large biotech companies awarded significant CEO compensation. Daniel O’Day of Gilead received $29.11 million, Rick Gonzalez of AbbVie took home $21.61 million, Leonard Schleifer of Regeneron received $21.46 million, and Robert Bradway of Amgen was richer by $19.61 million.

These compensation figures reflect the recognition and remuneration bestowed upon these CEOs for their leadership and contributions to their respective biotech companies.

Top biotech & pharma firms by median employee pay

In 2019, Madrigal Pharma secured the top spot for median employee compensation among 231 surveyed companies in the biotech and pharma sector. The median employee at Madrigal Pharma received a remarkable compensation of $791,000 that year. Mirati Therapeutics came in second, offering employees a median compensation of $588,168.

Widest CEO-employee pay gap among biopharmaceutical firms

In 2019, Mylan NV had the widest CEO-employee pay gap among biotech and pharmaceutical companies. Mylan’s CEO received a compensation package that was 427 times higher than the median pay of an employee that year.

Smallest CEO-employee pay gap among biopharmaceutical firms

Geron and Esperion Therapeutics had the lowest CEO-employee pay gap among biotech and pharmaceutical companies, with their CEOs getting just four times the median employee salary. In contrast, Instellia Therapeutics recorded the highest pay gap with a 9x difference between the salary of the CEO and a median employee.

Top biotech female CEO compensations

The CEO of United Therapeutics, Martine Rothblatt, received a total compensation of roughly $46 million, which made her the best-compensated female biotech CEO. She was followed by Elizabeth Barrett, CEO of UroGen Pharma, who earned close to $26 million, and Cynthia Collins, CEO of Editas Medicine, who received $14.48 million.

Pharma Statistics in 2024

We hope our exhaustive exploration of key statistics of the biotech industry has helped shed light on various aspects of this critical sector. From global pharmaceutical revenue distribution by technology to the value share of the biotech sector worldwide, these figures capture the immense scale and potential of biotechnology.

As the biotech industry continues to thrive and revolutionize the world of healthcare, companies need to effectively communicate their innovations, breakthroughs, and value propositions.

Step into the spotlight with Digital Elevator, the leading biotech marketing agency ready to amplify your brand’s impact. Schedule a discovery call with our experts today to find out more!

HCP Marketing Guide: Integrating Digital Innovation to Deliver Value

Posted on June 6, 2023October 31, 2024 by Daniel E. Lofaso

In today’s highly competitive healthcare industry, reaching healthcare professionals (HCPs) with effective marketing strategies is crucial for pharmaceutical companies, medical device manufacturers, and healthcare service providers. HCP marketing, short for healthcare professional marketing, involves targeting and engaging HCPs to promote products, services, and educational resources.

This comprehensive guide will delve into the world of HCP marketing, exploring proven strategies and best practices to help businesses stand out and achieve success. Let’s dive in and unlock the secrets to effective HCP marketing.

Challenges marketing to HCPs

Healthcare professionals (HCPs) face a constant influx of information. When they are not engaged in patient consultations or treatments, they dedicate their time to researching disease states, recent advancements in healthcare, and emerging drugs or therapies.

As pharmaceutical companies undertake market research, patient recruitment, therapeutic category promotion, and drug launches, they accumulate vast amounts of data. This includes clinical trial results, drug efficacy data, prescribing guidelines, and insights into target audiences.

However, communicating the sheer volume of information to HCPs poses a challenge.

Physicians require concise, valuable, engaging, and easily accessible content. It is crucial to present information to HCPs through appropriate platforms, at optimal times, and in suitable formats.

The responsibility of HCP marketers is to provide value quickly

Pharmaceutical marketers are responsible for sifting through extensive statistics and research to extract the most valuable information for HCPs. As HCPs can only spare time for information that provides genuine value, effectively marketing to them requires a targeted marketing strategy with succinct and valuable messaging.

As the competition in new drug launches intensifies and pharmaceutical companies strive to outperform each other, HCPs are now faced with an unprecedented amount of information. They must consider factors such as drug side effects, safety, patient access, drug efficacy in meeting patients’ needs, payor requirements, and evolving treatment protocols for every new prescription.

On average, the FDA approves roughly 40 to 50 new drugs each year. In 2022 alone, CDER approved 37 novel drugs.

While the information HCPs require to assist their patients in making informed decisions remains unchanged—updates on disease states, available drugs and treatments, prescribing protocols, drug efficiency, and side effects—the medium through which HCPs receive information is evolving.

Introducing digital marketing to traditional methods

Traditional methods of information dissemination and receipt still persist, but digital information channels are thriving. A successful pharmaceutical marketing strategy targeting HCPs necessitates a well-balanced approach encompassing both traditional and digital marketing methods.

HCP marketing poses challenges for pharmaceutical companies unless they are supported by an expert pharmaceutical marketing agency. Marketing to HCPs involves navigating the demands of HCPs themselves, patients indirectly, payors, and the FDA.

Both HCPs and pharmaceutical companies must adhere to payor requirements and FDA regulations. Stricter guidelines and limitations associated with chronic and rare disease therapies can present additional obstacles.

Pharmaceutical companies are experiencing reduced access to physicians as time constraints prevent meetings with sales representatives. Consequently, pharma companies must elevate their marketing strategies to engage with receptive HCPs, and this primarily entails leveraging digital marketing. Pharma marketers require the necessary resources and tools to target their audience through paid advertising, social media, and to craft messaging that resonates with and provides value for HCPs.

Below are the latest HCP marketing strategies that accomplish the goals of messaging, targeting, and an omni-channel approach.

HCP Marketing Tactics

Programmatic Advertising

Programmatic advertising is the automated process of buying and selling digital ads. When it comes to marketing to busy HCPs, it is, by far, our most recommended marketing strategy for pharma and biotech companies. The caveat here is that programmatic ads require larger budgets than the other recommendations on this page.

Programmatic platforms offer direct access to third-party data that includes websites and apps that are manually vetted to ensure a quality ad experience for the audience. This data allows us to market directly to:

HIPAA-certified healthcare professionals
B2B pharma audiences based on conditions
Specialty-based physicians
Millions of physicians, HCPs, nurse practitioners, physicians assistants, and hospital professionals

Not only are these ads HIPAA compliant, but they are also ideal for the following:

Geotargeting: setting physical perimeters around a physical location where ads can be delivered (ex. Pharma conference)
Native ads: ads that integrate seamlessly with editorial content.
Display ads: banner ads or interactive ads with clear calls to action
Reporting on campaign performance

Native ad example

Display ad example

Social Media Ads

65% of physicians use social media for professional reasons

Social media platforms offer healthcare professionals a range of tools to share information, engage in debates on healthcare policy and practice issues, promote health behaviors, interact with the public, and educate patients, caregivers, students, and colleagues.

By leveraging social media, HCPs have the potential to enhance health outcomes, build professional networks, stay updated on news and discoveries, motivate patients, and provide health information to the community.

When it comes to online communities, physicians frequently join platforms where they can access news articles, listen to expert opinions, stay informed about medical advancements, consult with colleagues on patient-related matters, and establish professional connections.

These communities serve as spaces for sharing cases and ideas, discussing practice management challenges, making referrals, disseminating research, promoting their practices, and participating in health advocacy efforts. Additionally, a growing number of physicians are utilizing social media to communicate directly with patients as a complement to their clinical care.

A survey conducted by QuantiaMD encompassing more than 4,000 physicians revealed that over 90% of physicians use some form of social media for personal purposes, while approximately 65% utilize these platforms for professional reasons.

Around one-third of physicians reported active engagement in social networks. Notably, the adoption of social media for both personal and professional use among physicians is steadily increasing.

In contrast to physicians, pharmacists have exhibited a comparatively slower adoption of social media in their professional practices. The utilization of social media platforms within the pharmacist community primarily revolves around pharmacist-specific social networks, driving the growth in their professional use.

While the engagement of pharmacists on broader social media platforms may be limited, the emergence of specialized networks tailored to their needs has provided a space for pharmacists to connect, collaborate, and share information within their professional domain.

HCP targeting via social media is popular on these platforms

Meta (Facebook and Instagram)
Twitter
LinkedIn
TikTok

Public relations

Public relations (PR) plays a vital role in HCP marketing strategies by helping to increase brand awareness and providing opportunities for pharmaceutical brands to be featured in publications that HCPs commonly peruse. The strategic implementation of PR tactics can effectively elevate a pharma brand’s visibility and credibility within the healthcare industry, thus influencing HCPs’ perceptions and decisions.

One of the key advantages of incorporating PR into HCP marketing is the ability to enhance brand awareness. By leveraging various PR techniques such as media outreach, press releases, and thought leadership initiatives, pharmaceutical companies can generate positive media coverage and exposure for their brands. This exposure increases brand recognition among HCPs and fosters trust and credibility, positioning the brand as a reliable source of information and expertise in the field.

Furthermore, PR presents valuable opportunities to secure placements and features in publications that are widely read by HCPs. Medical journals, industry magazines, and online platforms dedicated to healthcare professionals are essential sources of information for HCPs seeking the latest advancements, research findings, and industry trends.

By strategically partnering with PR professionals and leveraging their media relationships, pharmaceutical brands can secure editorial coverage, interviews, and expert commentary in these publications, effectively reaching and influencing their target audience of HCPs.

When a pharma brand is featured in reputable publications, it not only gains exposure but also enhances its reputation and credibility. HCPs often trust information published in respected industry publications, considering it reliable and valuable in their decision-making process.

Being featured in such publications can position the brand as a thought leader, with HCPs perceiving it as an authority in the field, thereby increasing the likelihood of brand adoption and preference.

Effective PR strategies also involve building relationships with key opinion leaders (KOLs) and influencers within the healthcare industry. KOLs have significant influence over HCPs’ opinions and decisions, and their endorsement or support of a pharmaceutical brand can be highly impactful. Engaging with KOLs through PR initiatives, such as organizing expert panels, facilitating speaking opportunities at industry events, and collaborating on research studies, can amplify the brand’s reach and influence among HCPs.

Website Considerations

When marketing to HCPs, it’s important to note that a multichannel strategy allows you to be in all the places HCPs may utilize for research. At the foundation of your information sharing is your website, where most of your marketing efforts will point.

This stresses the importance of effective biotech web design and making sure your visuals and sales copy help guide HCPs down the appropriate sales funnels.

For example, the website Marley Drug has a wealth of content on their site related to specific drugs as well as drug comparisons. In a sense, this content caters to HCPs as well as consumers. See the below example of one such topic.

When it Makes Sense to Partner with an Agency

In the fast-paced and information-rich healthcare landscape, effective marketing strategies tailored to healthcare professionals are crucial for pharmaceutical companies to stand out from the competition.

Many of the top HCP marketing strategies we’ve listed require specialized help and are not often the expertise of in-house marketing team. When this is the case, it makes sense to discuss your goals with a HCP marketing agency who can research, plan, and execute on your marketing alongside your team.

If you need help with HCP marketing, reach out to Digital Elevator today for a custom strategy.

Get a free marketing plan from our team today.

The discovery call is the first step in discussing your business, your goals, and the potential services you need for your marketing or web design campaign.

Let’s Talk

Table of Contents

Why Develop a Content Marketing Strategy? Answering the ROI Question

Content Marketing ROI Stats

Biotech Buyer Personas and Understanding Your Reader

Buyer Personas, Content Marketing, and Sales Funnels

Biotech Content Marketing Examples

Roundup posts

Resource Hubs

Sales-driven Content

Biotech Content Marketing Best Practices

Set Realistic Expectations

Create OKRs to Track Progress

Content Creation Is Only Half the Battle

Promote Like It Matters

Know When to Build In-House vs. Outsource

Table of Contents

What makes me qualified to cover this topic?

Digital Elevator

Supreme

Samba Scientific

BioStrata

Forma Life Science Marketing

Orientation Marketing

Patrick Wareing

Get a free marketing plan from our team today.

Guide to Working with a Life Sciences Marketing Agency

Life Sciences Marketing Agency FAQ

Table of Contents

Foreword

Understanding Your Audience

Identifying target audience

Conducting market research

Developing buyer personas

Get a free marketing proposal from our team today.

Biotech Marketing Focus Areas

Logo & Branding

Web Design

Graphic Design

Public Relations

SEO & Content Marketing

Paid Media or PPC

Social Media

Budget Considerations for Biotech Brands

Evolving Your Biotech’s Marketing With Your Company’s Evolution

Ready to Market Your Biotech?

Get a free marketing proposal from our team today.

What makes me qualified to cover this topic?

Digital Elevator

Archbow Consulting

BioStrata

Supreme

Samba Scientific

Forma Life Science Marketing

Orientation Marketing

Patrick Wareing

Guide to Working with a Pharma Marketing Agency

Pharma Marketing Agency FAQ

Want to discuss your next pharma website?

Get a free website proposal from our team today.

How We Chose the Best Biotech Websites

Get a free website proposal from our team today.

Table of Contents

Global overview

Global market growth to exceed $1 trillion

Global pharmaceutical revenue by technology

Value share of the biotech sector worldwide by country

Value share of the biotech sector worldwide by therapeutic area

Top global biotech companies selection based on market cap

Top global biotech companies based on number of employees

US and European landscape

Number of public biotech companies in the US by region

European countries based on the number of public biotech companies in 2021

Market capitalization of US biotech companies by region

European countries by public biotech company market capitalization

Focus: US companies

Sales per employee of select US biotech and drugs companies

Research & development

Top global biotech companies – R&D expenditure

Top 50 global pharmaceutical and biotech companies by R&D intensity

Average R&D cost to develop new biopharma