Reuters Europe 2025: Collaboration key for innovation, BI head says

For Reuters Pharma Europe 2025, pharmaphorum is providing coverage courtesy NAVLIN Daily, a pricing and market access insights report from EVERSANA (pharmaphorum's parent company). You can see the original post, along with more Market Access news, at NAVLIN Daily.

NAVLIN Brief

• During a fireside chat at Reuters Pharma Europe 2025, Francesco Di Marco, Global Head of Human Pharma Regions at Boehringer Ingelheim (BI), discussed the idea that “the enemy is disease, and we are serving the patient”
   
• Speaking with Roberto Ascione, President of Health Innovation at EVERSANA, Di Marco shared his views on innovation and regulatory reform in Europe, among other topical issues
   
• Looking at the industry in the context of current geopolitics, his overarching message was: “I still believe in a global world. I don’t care where innovation is built, I care that it reaches patients and makes a difference.”

The Details

BARCELONA, Spain – At the heart of Francesco Di Marco, Global Head of Human Pharma Regions at Boehringer Ingelheim's chat with Roberto Ascione, President of Health Innovation at EVERSANA, was BI’s ambition to “touch one billion lives” in 2025, especially those with chronic diseases. “Sometimes we accept that aging comes with inevitable decline, kidney function, cardiometabolic health, but the reality is, you can improve those and have a tremendous impact on quality of life, longevity, and mortality.” Di Marco stated that this would be achieved through innovation, explaining: “The biggest topic in our industry is to have less ‘me too’ and more true innovation that makes a difference.”

He also explained that almost 50% of BI research projects involve external collaborations, adding, “We are stronger together than when divided." 

An interesting piece of context hanging over this event in Barcelona is U.S. President Donald Trump’s recent tariffs announcement. Most panels touch on the subject, if not delving into the true impact of such dramatic changes to world trade. Di Marco followed suit, suggesting that the industry “should focus on the impact we can have, and demonstrating it in the real world. It is the only way forward.”

He also showed appreciation and admiration for certain aspects of the U.S. healthcare system, such as the U.S. Food and Drug Administration’s (FDA) regulatory model, particularly its rolling review pathway, which he believes the European Union (EU) should replicate.

Reflecting on his earlier career in oncology, Di Marco suggested: “The FDA remains the best agency to promote and recognise innovation. The rolling submission process, especially in oncology, is exceptional. It can take us ten years to bring a new drug to market, but the patient who entered our Phase I trial won’t be there by the time it’s approved. Our job is to shorten that window, maybe to three years, by working with regulators, providing safety data continuously, and doing it together.”

Outside the U.S., he is optimistic that Europe can “reverse the brain drain” and strengthen its research base given current geopolitical events, but underpins the EU optimism with a statement: “I still believe in a global world. I don’t care where innovation is built, I care that it reaches patients and makes a difference.”

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Anna Smith is Head of News at NAVLIN Daily by EVERSANA, covering the latest developments and trends in the global pharmaceutical market access landscape. She specialises in pricing and reimbursement, health technology assessment (HTA), and healthcare policy, as well as on-the-ground reporting at events.