WORKWEEK

There are only five “trends” I’ll be watching closely this year. Lucky for you, you don’t have to follow these trends closely. I’ll be doing all the reporting and analysis for you. Just sit back and relax with your morning coffee.

#1 Digital Health Funding: Clinical and Nonclinical Workflow

The proportion of funding into clinical and nonclinical workflow companies will remain a top-funded value proposition. While digital health funding has slowed to a near halt compared to 2021 funding, the proportion of funding into clinical and nonclinical workflow areas has increased. In 2021, workflow ranked seventh on Rock Health’s list of top-funded value propositions, only moving up to first at the start of Q4 ‘22. Investing in workflow solutions just makes sense: compared to other peer nations, the U.S. ranks dead last in administrative efficiency, signaling a huge area for improvement.

#2 DTC ➡️ B2B

The direct-to-consumer space isn’t dead but is becoming a scary place to do business. This past year, we’ve seen notable DTC companies either shift towards a business-to-business strategy or augment their B2B strategy. For example, Calm, Cost Plus Drugs, and GoodRx shifted their DTC strategy to partner with employers and insurers in addition to targeting consumers. This strategy will likely continue throughout 2023, as a recession looms and consumer spending drops.

#3 M&A

M&A within the digital health space will happen frequently throughout 2023 as the space corrects for 2021’s influx of funding, overvaluations and over-hiring. Throughout 2022, digital health companies left and right laid off significant percentages of their workforces, correcting for such over-hiring in 2021. As companies continue to battle an unforgiving economy, M&A may be the best option. Will such M&A benefit the greater good? Debatable.

#4 Anti-Obesity Medication and Tirzepatide’s FDA Approval

Expect more favorable clinical trial results of these novel anti-obesity medications, including Eli Lilly’s tirzepatide (expected in the summer). Researchers running clinical trials on novel anti-obesity medications have reported positive results throughout 2022, which I covered here. If Eli Lilly’s tirzepatide shows strong results in the summer, the FDA will likely approve the drug for obesity treatment (remember, it earned Fast Track designation back in the fall).

#5 The Launch of Humira Biosimilars

AbbVie’s Humira has been the most successful drug to hit the market and will face an end to its market exclusivity later this month. Expect an influx of Humira biosimilars—which are hopefully cheaper—throughout the year and onward. I’ll dive into Humira towards the end of the month, explaining its history and success. Additionally, some (including me) expect Eli Lilly’s anti-obesity drug, tirzepatide, to be the next blockbuster drug, surpassing Humira.

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What other healthcare trends will you be following? Email me [email protected].