The last few years have seen life-changing breakthroughs in digital healthcare, a field that emerged to support unmet needs in prevention and treatment. At the forefront of this development is Sanofi, a global healthcare company with about 100,000 employees in more than 100 countries and almost 40 years of operations in Taiwan. To translate science into life-changing medicine, Sanofi spent over €6 billion on research and development in 2022 to create best-in-class medicine and healthcare solutions.  

“We have the determination to find answers for patients by transforming medicine with cutting-edge science fueled by data and digital technologies,” says Kelly Lam, General Manager of General Medicines, Hong Kong & Taiwan. “Apart from our research, we have also initiated multiple partnerships with academia, biotech startups, and some other leading healthcare companies to reach this goal.”  

Lam adds that the company works to improve people’s lives not only through scientific investment but also through digital transformation, AI solutions, and data utilization to improve R&D productivity. The future of healthcare lies in increasingly personalized treatment, she says.  

Head of Digital Healthcare Francois Barbé explains that Sanofi’s digital healthcare solutions consist of three main components: a platform, connected devices that can quantify behavior, and the healthcare team. One such solution, a cloud-based chronic disease management platform, came about through a collaboration with Taiwanese healthcare company Health2Sync.  

“Health2Sync understood the need to go beyond supporting patients just with medication quite early,” notes Barbé. “This also reflects our ambition for digital healthcare.” He says around 10% of health outcomes are driven by access to treatment (medication and operation), while 40% are driven by patient behavior and habits. “This partnership has helped our ambition to transform chronic disease management by empowering patients with comprehensive digital healthcare solutions that help them change their behavior and improve their health outcomes.” 

Among the prioritized areas for Sanofi’s digital healthcare solutions is diabetes, one of the most expensive chronic diseases that heavily affects patients’ daily lives. Digital healthcare solutions for diabetes patients can benefit patients, physicians, and payers. 

Digital healthcare enables diabetes patients to monitor their condition, understand their health status, and make informed decisions about their health. Meanwhile, patient-generated verified data captured by digital health devices help physicians make more informed decisions about patient care and can help payers reduce costs by preventing adverse events and help patients use insulin more efficiently.  

“We’ve seen digital healthcare play an important role in behavior change,” says Barbé. “By linking behavior change to clinically relevant outcomes, such as reducing blood sugar levels, we can encourage patients to exercise more or take their medication on time.”  

Sanofi’s dedication to people and patients won the company a 2022 Golden Merchant Award, one of Taiwan’s oldest and most prestigious enterprise selection awards, and a recognition as one of the most sustainability-committed companies in an ESG Evaluation performed by Standard & Poor’s Global Ratings last year. 

Sanofi was recognized for the benefits brought to over 50,000 diabetic patients in Taiwan from its digital transformation of 276 diabetes care centers, as well as its flexible, inclusive, and friendly workplace culture. Every employee is entitled to 14 weeks of paid parental leave and three days of personal care leave per year, and the company places a strong emphasis on employee development, international job rotation, and talent exchange programs. 

Lam says Sanofi identified Taiwan as one of six crucial markets in developing digital healthcare solutions due to its aging population, a high prevalence of chronic diseases, its robust IT infrastructure, and a willingness among doctors and government to adopt innovative solutions.  

“The universal healthcare coverage through the National Health Insurance also ensures equal access to healthcare services, which makes it attractive for pharmaceutical companies,” Lam adds. 

However, Barbé notes that other key markets, such as Germany and the United States, are implementing new frameworks, policies, and regulations to recognize digital healthcare as an industry. He recommends the Taiwan government and healthcare stakeholders implement a reimbursement framework with sustainable funding to allow a digital healthcare ecosystem to grow.   

“Digital healthcare requires legal, business, and technology expertise,” he says. “We need cross-ministerial cooperation to coordinate and manage expectations and risks. We also need dialogue with all members of the healthcare system to build infrastructure and make digital healthcare a sustainable reality in Taiwan. The government shouldn’t have to work alone in this effort.” 

Demonstrating its commitment to Taiwan, Sanofi is funding a unique clinical trial in the market that involves patients using insulin with a digital healthcare solution and comparing it to standard care. This significant investment aims to demonstrate the clinical impact of digital therapeutics on patients’ glucose levels after six months. 

The trial will involve 200 patients, with 100 patients in each arm across 15 medical centers and regional hospitals. The solution will include features that help patients manage their insulin more efficiently.  

“This trial is one-of-a-kind, and we are excited about its potential,” says Barbé. “Not all pharmaceutical companies are willing to take this type of risk, but we believe it’s an important step for us to demonstrate the value of our digital healthcare solutions in Taiwan and for the scientific community overall.”