MARKET INSIGHT: Pharma Commercialization and Market Access Space
Research Report on the Pharma Commercialization and Market Access Space
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We see the pharma commercialization and market access space as going through a period of transformation on the heels of the Inflation Reduction Act (IRA) of 2022, the just passed One Big and Beautiful Bill (OBBB) Act of 2025, and potential new regulations from the Trump administration. This is leading to more conversations with private equity investors and executives about opportunities to optimize business models (including through mergers and acquisitions) to better navigate a changing environment.
Key Takeaways
1. We anticipate strong demand for outsourced pharma commercialization and market access services in conjunction with upwards of $125 billion of expected annual net sales from new drug brand launches over the next five years. This is up materially from the estimated $95 billion of net sales from new drug launches over the past five years (excluding COVID-19). Adding to this, the regulatory environment is increasingly favorable for complex biologic drugs targeting rare diseases. For instance, the just passed OBBB Act includes language that materially expands existing protections for “orphan drugs” from many of the negative provisions of the IRA.
2. With an increasing focus on precision medicines for “orphan” indications, we see a greater need to allocate commercial and market access resources earlier in the lifecycle of a drug, even during clinical trials. This includes the generation of real-world evidence (RWE) that helps demonstrate comparative effectiveness. Being able to show differentiation has always been important, but, post-IRA, we see the development of a solid value proposition as a “must have” to mitigate price erosion in the face of potential IRA Medicare price negotiations — and the spillover effects that these negotiations may have on commercial pricing. Also, we anticipate the redesign of Medicare Part D benefits will likely lead to more aggressive utilization management tactics by payers.
3. The landscape of providers offering pharma commercialization and market access software and services remains highly fragmented. However, we think there is a growing recognition among investors that providers will need to have greater global and therapeutic diversification — as well as a broader continuum of skills in areas such as medical affairs, patient hub services, and omnichannel marketing, to support more targeted pharma commercialization and market access strategies. Also, we see economies of scale as necessary to allow for investments in information technology infrastructure and the generation of RWE to defend the formulary status and pricing of high-cost drugs.
Bourne Partners is a leading healthcare-focused investment bank, with deep transaction experience and knowledge in pharma services. Please reach out to our research team at research@bourne-partners.com for more information or our Head of Research Don Hooker.
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