Responding to RSV: How Pharma Brands Can Help 131 Million People

Big Pharma and the $19 Billion RSV Market

Welcome to part 1 of this month’s edition of our Brand Breakdown series, a deep dive into markets, consumers, and brands through the lens of owned asset optimization (OAO), a new approach to building consumer connection.

$19 billion

Based on demographics and vaccination rates, the demand for RSV immunizations in the U.S. could eventually exceed $19 billion. (More on that later). However, beyond the numbers lies a vital opportunity for pharmaceutical companies to become an essential resource for consumers and drive positive health outcomes.

With only a few immunization options currently approved by the FDA, pharmaceutical giants like Pfizer, GSK, Sanofi, and Sobi are fiercely competing for market dominance. And new competitors like Moderna are also preparing to enter the market.

But it won’t be easy to differentiate.

When patients are immunized, they aren’t exposed to product packaging or brand names. All they see is a generic syringe. In fact, 80% of consumers take drugs without considering the manufacturer.

How can pharmaceutical companies overcome these challenges to authentically connect with consumers, strengthen brand awareness, and have a greater impact on public health?

In this three-part edition of Brand Breakdowns, we’ll analyze consumer search data to reveal which RSV topics people care most about, which brands are meeting their needs online, and how the American Lung Association grew its organic search market share from 4% to 12% in one year.

131 million potential U.S. customers

RSV doesn’t affect everyone equally. It’s most dangerous to people with weaker immune systems, including babies, pregnant women, and the elderly. While the total addressable market (TAM) may be smaller compared to the flu shot, the potential for positive impact remains substantial.

Pfizer’s Abrysvo caters to various age groups with distinct needs and is recommended for pregnant women to immunize babies before birth, as well as adults over 60. (Note: The FDA may expand its recommendation to include adults over 50, so we’ll use that expanded age range in our estimates). This gives Pfizer the largest TAM of about 124.4 million people.

GSK’s Arexvy also has a massive opportunity to reach roughly 120.8 million, slightly lower than Pfizer because it’s not approved for use during pregnancy.

Two pharmaceutical brands, Sanofi and Sobi, offer monoclonal antibody treatments approved only for the 7 million U.S. children under 2 years old, prioritizing the well-being of our communities’ youngest members.

Improving vaccination rates in the $19 billion RSV market

The flu vaccine has been widely available in the U.S. since 1945, giving us access to decades of data about immunization rates. RSV vaccines were only approved in 2023 so, we’ll need to rely on flu vaccination rates to estimate total potential demand for (and economic impact of) RSV vaccinations.

Although these two viruses are different, they both have a greater impact on vulnerable populations, and draw similar seasonal demand according to search data from Google Trends.

If we combine population and vaccination data from the CDC and Statista, the total potential reach of RSV vaccinations in the U.S. comes into focus. And, if we factor in the average cost per dose based on the CDC’s vaccine price list, we can estimate the economic impact per age segment, as well as the overall financial implications at full adoption. ?

If we exclude the 50 to 60 demographic, the total reach would equate to about? $13.6 billion. If the FDA approves RSV vaccination for that age group, it could unlock an additional $5.5 billion, bringing the total to $19.1 billion in economic impact.

As promising as this data looks, it’s just a snapshot of one possible future if pharmaceutical brands invest in growing RSV awareness.

Currently, demand is particularly low among seniors. Although 73% of seniors get a flu shot, only about 15% opted for RSV vaccination in 2023.

To increase vaccination rates, brands like Pfizer and GSK must educate consumers about risks, symptoms, and prevention with brand marketing and physician education via owned asset optimization.

Which RSV topics are consumers most concerned about? Which brands are helping people most throughout the customer journey?

Stay tuned for those answers and more in part 2 of our brand breakdown.

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