Case Study: New Product Development

Market research to identify a new 'anchor product' for chronic pain

The Client Issue

Our client was looking for new product development opportunities to expand its business into the area of chronic pain. The client was especially keen to understand the challenges in the sector, to establish the first steps in entering the market, and to identify a gap in the market or concerns surrounding current devices in order to establish a new "anchor" product to develop. Market research was needed to establish the following:

1) The most common products/equipment used in chronic pain and the clinicians' views about these products

2) The key challenges and unmet needs within chronic pain

3) The market size for chronic pain products worldwide

4) Ideas for a possible new product and the realistic potential for that product

The CMR Approach

CMR identificed and successfully recruited the leading worldwide specialists in chronic pain, and organised 2 x 2 hour focus group sessions in London and Manchester during which discussions were held, based around a pre-agreed discussion guide, in order to glean an understanding of the sector worldwide, and its key equipment requirements. Our client was able to watch and participate in the sessions to gather real-time information, from the top specialists within its key target market.
 
The Key Findings
 
  • The specialists highlighted the complexity of the procedures and the requirement for high quality, low cost and highly reliable products
  • Key equipment and techniques for interventional pain treatment were identified, and improvements to existing equipment and new product requirements were discussed
  • The specialists advised on the number of procedures and the worldwide number of people suffering from chronic pain, and the growth in numbers of chronic pain patients

The Impact

The research allowed our client to understand the concerns of key specialists in chronic pain, notably around the medical devices used day-to-day in procedures, and how these product could be improved. The specialists also highlighted some types of equipment that could be adapted or developed that would significantly improve the ease of conducting these procedures. Our client gained an understanding of the cost implications of devices on market uptake, as well as gathering pertinent feedback on current products in the market and how they could be improved to boost sales.

 

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