For decades, the pharmaceutical industry has been defined by groundbreaking medical discoveries. But today, some of its most profound changes are happening outside the lab. The complex process of bringing life-saving treatments to market—navigating regulations, engaging healthcare professionals, and ensuring seamless commercialization—is increasingly dependent on sophisticated digital infrastructure.
Pharmaceutical IT has evolved beyond a back-office function to become a strategic pillar of the industry. As companies finally bridge the digital maturity gap and shift from isolated digital pilots to enterprise-wide adoption, technology now plays a central role in scaling global operations, improving compliance, and accelerating go-to-market strategies.
One of the experts driving this change is Venkata Nerusu, an IEEE Senior Member and a recognized leader in pharmaceutical IT. With over a decade of experience in enterprise data management and digital strategy, Nerusu has helped bring some of the industry’s most impactful therapies to market, including BridgeBio‘s Attruby, Gilead’s Biktarvy, and Ascendis Pharma’s Skytrofa. His work aligns IT with business strategy, demonstrating how digital systems have evolved from support tools into drivers of operational and strategic value.
IT’s Expanding Role in Pharma
For years, IT in the pharmaceutical sector operated behind the scenes, primarily focused on infrastructure and business continuity. That role has since evolved—today, digital transformation is directly shaping everything from regulatory compliance to product launches.
Take pharmaceutical sales teams, for instance. Historically, their primary mode of engagement with healthcare professionals was in-person interactions. Now, customer relationship management (CRM) systems, digital engagement platforms, and data-driven insights have become the backbone of commercial strategy. The most successful companies have transitioned to product- and platform-oriented models, using integrated technology to optimize physician engagement, track regulatory approvals, and streamline commercialization.
“IT in pharma today is almost inseparable from the launch,” explains Nerusu. “Companies rely on digital infrastructure and automation to execute their go-to-market strategies—most touchpoints with physicians and patients, and even regulators, now happen in a digital environment.”
This shift can be seen even outside of sales and marketing. Advances in clinical trial digitization and AI-driven analytics are changing how pharmaceutical firms develop and distribute new therapies. AI and machine learning, once experimental, are now foundational tools used for accelerating decision-making and improving treatment outcomes.
Bringing New Therapies to Market
Successfully launching a new therapy is a massive undertaking, requiring seamless coordination between sales, regulatory, and marketing teams. With more and more reliance on data analytics in early-stage drug discovery and clinical development, without a robust digital infrastructure, even the most promising treatments can face delays, inefficiencies, or compliance risks.
Despite this, a recent GlobalData survey found that 40% of pharma companies cited insufficient budgets for digital transformation—a gap that could leave them trailing behind industry leaders who are aggressively investing in automation and data integration.
Nerusu has led the technical strategy behind multiple high-profile drug launches, including Attruby, one of the top 50 FDA-approved drugs of 2024. His work has centered on developing scalable CRM and data integration platforms to support commercial rollouts.
“Every commercial launch requires a highly coordinated digital infrastructure, and with anything so complex comes the burden of troubleshooting,” he explains. “Sales teams need access to physician data, marketing teams need compliant outreach, legal and regulatory teams are expecting to track every piece of content. Without the right systems in place, these processes become fragmented—and that can lead to costly delays.”
By implementing cloud-based applications and integrated regulatory information management systems, Nerusu has helped pharmaceutical companies simplify their launches while ensuring global compliance. Companies that embrace these digital innovations are not only launching products more efficiently but also scaling their commercial strategies more effectively.
Compliance & Data Management
Regulatory compliance remains one of the biggest challenges in pharmaceutical IT. Every interaction with a healthcare professional—whether through sales, marketing, or medical engagement—must be logged, traceable, and stored in accordance with stringent laws such as FDA, HIPAA, and GDPR.
And compliance is as much about security as it is regulations. While healthcare data breaches have decreased slightly in recent years, they still saw a nearly 10% year-over-year increase from 2022 to 2024. This makes data governance, CRM security, and validated IT systems essential for operating at scale.
Nerusu has worked extensively in Master Data Management, helping pharmaceutical companies consolidate and secure their data across global markets. His expertise in integrating healthcare provider data across North America has improved the accuracy and governance of commercial operations. Most companies are also modernizing their IT infrastructure by consolidating vendors and migrating to cloud-based platforms, enabling AI-assisted decision-making and automated workflows.
Looking Ahead for Pharma IT
Digital transformation in the pharmaceutical industry is far from over. As global regulations become more complex, the demand for secure, scalable IT infrastructures will continue to grow.
With the e-pharmacy market projected to reach $300 billion by 2032 and telehealth adoption increasing, leading firms are expanding their digital strategies beyond traditional commercialization. Digital therapeutics, remote patient monitoring, and AI-driven analytics are now being integrated into core operations, redefining how pharma companies interact with patients and healthcare providers.
According to Nerusu, the next phase of pharmaceutical IT will focus on enhancing interoperability between sales, medical, and regulatory systems. Companies will centralize their data and analytics strategies on cloud platforms, leveraging AI to optimize commercial execution and regulatory tracking.
“We’ve reached a point where IT is actively shaping how the business operates,” Nerusu says. “Companies that invest in scalable, integrated digital solutions will set the standard for what comes next in pharmaceuticals—both in commercial strategy and patient impact.”