How Data-Driven Audience Expansion Reignited a Mature Pharma Brand
In the pharmaceutical lifecycle, the sixth year on the market is often where brand growth begins to plateau. Traditional specialty-based targeting often reaches a point of diminishing returns, leaving brands searching for “untapped” volume. For a leading hypoglycemia brand, Health Union proved that the right data strategy can not only prevent a plateau but act as a powerful engine for new growth.
The Strategy: From Static Lists to Clinical Triggers
The challenge was to transcend traditional targeting by leveraging Real-World Evidence. Health Union moved beyond a fixed target list to identify HCPs based on actual patient encounters.
By utilizing clinical triggers, specifically ICD-10 diagnosis codes and NDC prescription data, we identified incremental segments of providers who were already writing in the category but were not being reached by existing media. This included a strategic pivot to reach existing brand prescribers, as well as a custom-built audience of providers treating patients with severe hypoglycemia indicators.
Results: Scaling Reach, Driving Dominance
The impact of this expansion was immediate and transformative. By shifting the campaign from a supporting channel to a primary driver of prescriptions, the brand saw a massive step-up in its market footprint.
- Triple-Digit Reach Growth: In just one year, the campaign tripled its NPI reach (+173%). By the end of 2025, Health Union was reaching nearly 4x more providers than the previous December, effectively doubling the program’s penetration in the prescriber universe.
- Attribution Dominance: This wasn’t just “noise”—it was high-value engagement. The campaign’s “Direct Influence” metric jumped significantly, with 63.7% of the total brand volume in 2025 attributed to the reached audience.
- Accelerating New Patient Starts: The expansion proved highly effective for acquisition. Approximately 58.1% of all New Brand Starts (NBRx) came from the reached audience. Crucially, the data showed that impact was accelerating; the 6-month NBRx attribution was higher than the 18-month baseline, proving the campaign was finding the right “trialists” at the point of clinical intent.
Sustaining Value: The Compounding Effect of Loyalty
While acquisition was the primary goal, the data revealed a significant secondary benefit: adherence. Refill attribution saw an 11-percentage-point surge, climbing to 67% by the end of the year. This suggests that Health Union’s media isn’t just finding a patient once; it is helping keep them on therapy, cementing long-term brand sustainability.
Conclusion: The New Adoption Floor
