Analyzing demand of IVIG products

The economics of plasma-based drugs are complex. The supply is based on the availability of plasma donations from individuals and involves a 12-18 month processing time. For wholesalers, the focus on inventory management is more important than margin. Predicting demand would allow wholesalers to increase their purchase of plasma products before a spike in usage, and therefore optimize inventory and increase profits.

The study looked at various data points that could be used to predict demand based on historic fluctuations. A comprehensive view of the market was accomplished by combining internal intravenous immunoglobulin (IVIG) sales data with external data sources. The analysis set forth to find relationships between demographic information and plasma product sales data. Since demographic information can be forecasted through established processes, the sales data, therefore, can be forecasted with any correlation found with this study.