MedTrix Healthcare, a digital and medical communication solutions provider which already works with top pharma companies globally, is expanding its presence in the developed markets of the US and EU with a specific suite of proprietary products. It has firmed up plans to ramp its international business and is scouting for partners or enter into alliances to expand its reach in these countries. It would entail doubling headcount presence and infrastructure investment.

Digital and medical communication platform for pharmaceutical and healthcare has transformed the business landscape for these sectors. Specifically for pharmaceutical companies, commercial advertising and digital communication are seen to strengthen rapport with key opinion leaders (KOLs), physicians, patients and other stakeholders. The platform is key to comprehend the value of drug brand or therapy across several geographies. Pharma sector has opted for digital marketing to support new product launches, ensure endorsement of drug efficacy, safety and patient experiences from clinical trials and post marketing studies.

The company develops innovative, cost effective and impactful solutions that are designed to meet the commercial objectives of pharmaceutical and healthcare organisations. These include reaching out to doctors and educating them, training sales representatives to capitalise on apps, websites, videos and social media.

“Our technical and medical teams are across the US, UK, APAC and Middle East. Our customers include Novartis, Bayer, Eli Lilly, Takeda, Amgen, Pfizer and Nestle. For most of these clients, we are the first company from India to provide solutions over a digital platform, Vimal Narayanan, CEO and founder, MedTrix Healthcare told Pharmabiz in a telecon.

Many of these global pharma majors are served from the regional headquarters of Dubai or Singapore. The former enables our reach to MENA markets and the latter to the ASEAN regions where use of internet and smartphone connectivity are unparalleled. This accelerates the momentum of digital communication, he added.

Talks with Indian pharma are on and this sector despite its competency has been traditionally slower to ride this wave of change. Going forward, the company is aggressively moving to maximise the Digital India programme to spur its growth in the domestic market. MedTrix is developing a platform to improve healthcare and patient access for which the pilot would be implemented by early 2017, said Narayanan.

The Bengaluru-based company which is bootstrapped will look at funding from venture capitalists and private equity players going by the visible interest to support this business model. It will look for fund infusion to expand into tier II Tier III cities with its healthcare and patient access platform which is at an early stage of development. The company sees a huge unmet need as patients and physicians are increasingly moving online to manage health outcomes.

The digital advertising spend by US healthcare and pharma industry is projected to touch $2.55 billion by 2019. MedTrix has chalked its foray to the regulated region where pharmaceutical companies are setting up virtual eco-systems on digital platforms for seamless interactions and also create alternative channel of engagements via the digital route for existing products, he said.