Summary

A global biopharma company launched a centralized digital hub framework to unify healthcare provider and patient engagement, reduce costs, and improve scalability across markets.

Challenge

The client, a global, values-based, R&D-driven biopharmaceutical company headquartered in Japan, faced challenges with fragmented digital platforms across markets. Each region operated its own site, leading to brand inconsistency, elevated compliance risks, and high operational costs. The lack of a unified approach slowed time-to-market and limited scalability.

The objective was to strengthen engagement, maximize cross-market synergies, and unlock insights to drive better decision-making. A centralized, reusable hub was needed to establish global standards while allowing flexibility for local customization.

Solution

Marlabs developed a centralized hub product using Pantheon and Drupal, rolled out in three phases.

Product foundation

In the first phase, Marlabs built a scalable architecture and defined governance processes. The team optimized code, established release management protocols, and ensured quality assurance across the platform. This foundation supported consistent development and operations while aligning with enterprise standards.

Product refinement

The second phase involved piloting the solution in six markets. Feedback from real-world use was incorporated to refine the product. The team managed rollouts, developed digital products, and conducted thorough testing. Content feeding processes were also streamlined to support localized engagement.

Rollout

In the final phase, the hub was scaled across global markets. New features were added, including accessibility enhancements, SEO optimization, AI-driven research, and Power BI reporting. User training and dashboard development supported adoption, while R&D efforts ensured continuous innovation.

Results

The centralized hub delivered measurable benefits:

• Significant cost savings: Consolidating 10 sites in the Netherlands reduced platform management costs from €60K/year to €4K/year.
• Reduced compliance risk: The unified platform aligned with corporate IT and compliance standards.
• Streamlined vendor management: Consolidation simplified vendor relationships and oversight.
• Faster scalability: Markets could quickly add therapeutic areas with minimal effort.
• Improved independence: Local teams gained control over content editing and customization.
• Ongoing innovation: The global hub enabled continuous improvements and knowledge sharing.

Impact

The digital hub initiative delivered lasting benefits:

• Reduced platform management costs
• Improved compliance alignment
• Streamlined vendor relationships
• Accelerated scalability across markets
• Empowered local content control
• Enabled continuous innovation globally