Accelerating Access to Latin America Innovative Therapies Through Collaboration and Innovation
Accelerating Access to Latin America Innovative Therapies
In this update we outline a strategic vision for transforming Latin America’s healthcare systems through innovation, collaboration, and equitable access, with a strong emphasis on Latin America innovative therapies. A recent Pharma Boardroom interview with Constanza Losada, Vice President and General Manager for Latin America at Bristol Myers Squibb (BMS), highlights shifts from country-specific to unified regional strategies to speed up therapy introductions, investing in clinical research with 100 active trials across over 1,000 sites involving more than 5,000 patients, and implementing regulatory streamlining and risk-sharing models to reduce the five-year lag for innovative medicines following US or European approvals. Ultimately, the interview highlights BMS’s commitment to positioning Latin America as a global hub for growth, with plans to launch eight new molecules and 16 indications by 2030, potentially benefiting 1.5 million patients in areas like oncology, immunology, cardiovascular disease, and beyond.
Regional Synergies Fueling Therapy Rollouts
Losada’s transition from a country leadership role at Pfizer to regional oversight at BMS marked an important move toward long-term regional strategies that foster synergies across markets such as Mexico, Colombia, Peru, Chile, Argentina, and Puerto Rico. A core insight from the interview is the emphasis on operating as a unified team to amplify impact, by identifying best practices from individual countries and providing resources like knowledge sharing and barrier removal to support local teams. This approach has evolved amid 2025 challenges, guided by three objectives:
- advancing access to therapies in oncology, haematology, cardiovascular, and immunology;
- building agility and collaboration for equitable treatment distribution; and
- establishing BMS as an innovation hub through digital transformation and sustainable healthcare growth.
For instance, recent launches in psoriasis, myelodysplastic syndrome-related anaemia, and obstructive hypertrophic cardiomyopathy demonstrate this diversification beyond oncology, demonstrates how regional collaboration enhances the scalability of BMS’s 48-molecule pipeline targeting over 40 diseases.
Clinical Trials and Regulatory Pathways Bridging Gaps
Supporting these strategies, BMS employs a robust methodology centered on clinical research investments and regulatory harmonization to bridge access gaps. In Latin America, where healthcare spending averages 3.5% of GDP and relies heavily on out-of-pocket expenses, the company maintains 100 active trials with 50 molecules in global programs. Regulatory streamlining involves pathways that align local standards with international ones, potentially slashing approval timelines for Latin America innovative therapies. Also, innovative access models like risk-sharing and performance-based schemes integrate economic sustainability, as evidenced by public-private partnerships and initiatives such as the All.Can coalition in Argentina, Colombia, and Mexico, which unites medical societies, patients, and academia to optimize cancer care efficiency and reduce resource burdens.
Health Economics Driving Sustainable Impact
In Latin America, where regulatory and budgetary constraints delay access, BMS’s approaches—such as engaging stakeholders to quantify innovation’s value in preventing complications and enabling workforce participation—could inform reimbursement frameworks by highlighting long-term cost savings in high-burden areas like cardiovascular disease and lupus. From a market access and pricing perspective, risk-sharing models offer a pathway to mitigate fiscal pressures, potentially influencing payer negotiations and accelerating adoption of innovative therapies.
Reflecting on broader industry trends, these strategies position Latin America as a resilient contributor to global HEOR, fostering equitable outcomes while addressing out-of-pocket cost disparities and strengthening public-private ecosystems for sustainable reimbursement. Overall, this vision not only enhances patient access but also elevates the region’s role in global pricing and innovation dialogues, promising transformative impacts on health system resilience.
