Asembia 2025: The Role of Face-to-Face Connection in Pharma Commercialization

At this year’s Asembia Summit, Pharmaceutical Commerce sat down with Blake Powers, CEO of Medigi, to discuss the company’s role in bridging innovation and patient access in the life sciences space. Powers shared his insights on the evolving landscape of commercialization, the growing importance of digital health and automation, and how in-person connection at events such as Asembia remains critical in an increasingly virtual world. As the industry moves toward greater integration of technology and patient-centered solutions, Powers emphasized how Medigi is helping to close the gap between groundbreaking therapies and the patients who rely on them.

PC: What is Medigi’s primary goal in attending this year’s Asembia Trade Show, and how do you expect the event to support that goal?

Powers: Asembia is really the Super Bowl of pharma. I feel like all the big players come to a show like this. The cliché answer might be networking, but at the end of the day, that’s truly what it’s all about—getting face-to-face time with people you've previously only connected with through email threads or Zoom conferences. It’s great to build that person-to-person connection.

PC: How is Medigi helping to bridge the gap between life sciences companies and the patients they’re trying to reach?

Powers: Therapeutically, today’s technology is outstanding. However, sometimes during the go-to-market process and commercialization, there’s a bit of insulation from the healthcare providers and patients who are actually trying to acquire the medication. That’s where our company comes in—to ensure we complement the state-of-the-art therapy with solutions that make it easier for customers to access and procure it.

Full Interview Summary: For many in the life sciences industry, Asembia is seen as the "Super Bowl for Pharma," bringing together the biggest players in the field. This year, the primary goal for attendees such as those from Medigi is to foster in-person connections, moving beyond email and Zoom to build stronger, face-to-face relationships with industry partners.

Medigi’s mission is focused on bridging the gap between cutting-edge therapeutic technologies and the patients who need them. While innovation in therapies is impressive, commercialization often creates barriers between manufacturers, healthcare providers, and patients. Medigi works to complement these technologies with solutions that improve accessibility and procurement, ensuring that advancements reach patients efficiently.

Several panels at this year’s assembly align closely with Medigi’s focus. The company is particularly interested in sessions on biosimilars and cell and gene therapies—hot topics as hospital pharmacies seek to modernize their digital intake systems. In addition, panels on AI and automation are generating excitement, especially as the industry examines how emerging technologies can transform hospital pharmacy operations.

Looking more broadly, the assembly is evolving to reflect the growing role of digital health and tech-enabled services. The convergence of biotech, distribution, and technology vendors is creating a dynamic environment where innovation is driving better commercialization strategies and, ultimately, better patient access.

As the industry looks ahead to 2025—dubbed by some as the "year of the robot"—there is growing interest in how automation will impact healthcare staffing and operations. Medigi is particularly intrigued by the potential of automation to take over repetitive tasks, allowing healthcare providers to focus more on patient care. Asembia offers a front-row seat to these discussions, highlighting the technologies poised to reshape the future of healthcare.