DIGITAL PLATFORMS AS A FACTOR IN TRANSFORMING THE COMPETITIVE STRUCTURE OF THE GLOBAL PHARMACEUTICAL MARKET

Abstract

The purpose of the article is to analyze how the diffusion of digital platforms and digital ecosystems is reshaping the competitive structure of the global pharmaceutical market and the logic of interaction among its participants. The research methodology relies on adapting Porter's five forces model to the conditions of the digital economy, as well as on the analysis of practices of the largest pharmaceutical multinational corporations, primarily Pfizer. The results show that digitalization lowers entry barriers for technology companies and AI start-ups, strengthens the bargaining position of patients and payers, creates a new class of digital substitutes and changes the nature of rivalry among traditional industry players. Conclusions: sustainable competitive advantage in the global pharmaceutical market increasingly depends not so much on the patent portfolio as on a company's ability to build a platform ecosystem that integrates data, partners and patient-facing services.