Last week’s Fierce Pharma Week was the most attended one to date, with some 3,000 brand marketers, media mavens and technologists descending on Philadelphia. In its wake, we reached out to life sciences leaders who were there and asked them three quick-hit questions about their experience. Here’s the first handful of responses. We’ll add additional ones as they arrive.
What was the most interesting, most surprising or otherwise coolest thing you saw at Fierce Pharma?
Tia Shinnick, associate director, global oncology, digital marketing at Regeneron: The most impactful and interesting presentations were the ones that detailed the process of implementing AI tools, as opposed to just discussing the importance of them. The presentations that included real-world case studies, supporting research/data and direct experience were most interesting to me as I navigate similar challenges in digital strategy and omnichannel optimization for my brand.
Ana Carolina Braselton, marketing manager, Genentech: The most interesting aspect was the discussion around AI as a co-pilot, emphasizing its power for predictive targeting and content generation while highlighting the critical need for human oversight and empathy. The “AI jump scare” examples and the caution against innovation without invitation underscored this point. The concept of governing your own AI and automatically refreshing models was also compelling.
Alison Tapia, digital innovation and omnichannel expert: I very much enjoyed the celebrity speakers. Jamie Lynn Sigler was so inspiring and authentic. Most surprising was the sheer amount of content, booths and events. It was the largest Fierce Pharma Week to date, and there was no shortage of opportunities to learn and network.
What topics or presentations generated the most buzz?
Tapia: Given the news that broke while Fierce Pharma Week was in session, the future of DTC and how to meet adequate provision was the hottest topic. It became an all-hands-on-deck situation for many attendees, and the conference presented an opportunity to brainstorm live with other industry experts.
Shinnick: I thought the panel “Turning Insight Into Impact: Build a Data-Driven Media Strategy That Drives Results” was well done and directly applicable to my day-to-day responsibilities. Hearing how my peers are collecting and analyzing customer lifetime data to create comprehensive customer data profiles was particularly interesting.
The strategies shared around leveraging customer identification data to refine audience models and predict Rx behavior provided a clear framework for how to approach audience segmentation and targeting. The information around identifying the role of each channel based on advanced audience behavior analysis gave me a fresh perspective on how to ensure every channel contributes meaningfully to an omnichannel strategy.
Braselton: AI, omnichannel strategy and personalization generated the most buzz. Several sessions were dedicated to these topics, including panels on data-driven engagement, omnichannel transformation case studies and designing impactful HCP experiences. The constant emphasis on AI with EQ and the balance between data-driven personalization and avoiding being “creepy” were highly debated topics. Trust and boundaries also appeared to be a central theme.
How would you characterize the tenor of the conversations you had? Were people optimistic, pessimistic, or somewhere in between?
Braselton: The tenor of conversations was optimistic, but with a strong undercurrent of caution and realism. There was excitement about the potential of AI and omnichannel strategies to improve patient outcomes, yet a consistent theme was the importance of human oversight and empathy. Discussions highlighted the need for trust and boundaries to avoid “creepy” personalization and acknowledged compliance hurdles. The overall sense was one of eager adoption of new technologies, tempered by a deep understanding of the unique ethical and practical challenges in the healthcare sector.
Shinnick: I would characterize the tenor of the conversations as somewhere in between optimistic and cautious. On one hand, there was a lot of enthusiasm around the potential of data-driven strategies and omnichannel execution, with many agency partners and vendors showcasing innovative approaches. However, a recurring theme was the similarity in offerings across partners, with many relying on outsourced data or technology to achieve comparable outcomes. This raised questions about differentiation and how to identify the best fit for specific business needs.
If I were to change anything for next year, I’d focus on better preparation ahead of the event by clearly defining my business needs and priorities with such partners. This would allow me to line up discussions that are more tailored and relevant, ensuring that the conversations are more actionable for the challenges I’m aiming to address. Being in person provides a unique opportunity to dive deeper into capabilities, and having a clearer focus would make those discussions even more productive.
Tapia: I would describe attendees as highly engaged and energized, but also genuinely concerned about how to continue to prioritize patients and providers in a highly sensitive climate.
Have some thoughts you’d like to share about Fierce Pharma Week 2025, or about how future events can build off its foundation? Drop us a note at hello@kinara.co, join the conversation on X (@KinaraBio) and subscribe on the website to receive Kinara content.
