Asembia 2025: Digital Health and Biosimilars Shape the Future of Pharmacy

At this year’s Asembia Summit, Pharmaceutical Executive 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.

Pharmaceutical Executive: Are there any panels that you plan on attending that you believe will resonate with medigi’s mission or approach?

Blake Powers: I’m excited about Blue Fin’s panel on biosimilars. Cell and gene therapy is also a hot topic right now. Many of our hospital pharmacy partners are increasingly asking how we can modernize the digital intake process for cell and gene therapies, as well as biosimilars. What role do these therapies play in today’s landscape? That’s definitely a key area I’m looking forward to. I’m also interested in the AI and automation panels—especially those focused on cutting-edge technologies. The big question is: will these innovations truly make their way into hospital pharmacy operations?

PE: How do you see the Asembia Trade Show evolving to reflect the increasing role of digital health and tech-enabled services?

Powers: I think what’s great about Asembia is that it brings together not only biopharmaceutical companies, but also the vendors who support them—across tech, trade, channel, and distribution. This is where it all converges. I see the show continuing to evolve with an increasing emphasis on technology that supports go-to-market strategies, ultimately helping patients receive the treatments they need. It also ensures healthcare providers have reliable, high-quality access points. That’s what we’re focused on at Medigi, and I believe many other tech vendors are here for the same reason. Every year, the show gets more innovative.

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.