B2B Insights Podcast #70: How Market Research Accelerates Healthcare Innovation

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In this episode of the B2B Insights Podcast, Beata Miklosz and Niklas Heitland from B2B International speak with Dr Christine Wübben, Postdoctoral Researcher at the University Hospital Bonn, and Sandra Lewash, PhD Researcher at the University Hospital Bonn, about the role market research can play in transforming scientific discoveries into commercially viable healthcare innovations.

The discussion focuses on COLDEX, an innovative antiviral nasal spray project developed within the ImmunoSensation Cluster of Excellence. Having demonstrated the scientific feasibility of their technology, the team partnered with B2B International to better understand market needs, validate key assumptions and identify the most promising routes to commercialization.

Through a program of market research involving healthcare professionals, patients and other stakeholders, the team gained valuable insights into target audiences, market opportunities, adoption barriers and strategic priorities for future development.

Hear Beata, Niklas, Christine and Sandra discuss how market research helped shape the project’s direction, reduce risk and strengthen confidence in key innovation decisions.

Key discussion points:

• How COLDEX evolved from fundamental immunology research into a real-world healthcare innovation
• Why scientific evidence alone is not enough for successful market entry
• The importance of validating assumptions before making major development and investment decisions
• How market research helps innovators understand user needs, commercial potential and regulatory considerations
• Lessons learned from engaging healthcare professionals, patients and other key stakeholders
• Why prevention-focused innovations can present unique market adoption challenges
• The value of introducing market research earlier in the innovation process
• Advice for researchers and innovators looking to bridge the gap between scientific discovery and commercial success

 

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Introduction

B2B International: Hello everyone, and welcome. We are Beata Miklosz and Niklas Heitland from B2B International, and today we’re joined by Dr Christine Wübben and Sandra Lewash from the University Hospital Bonn.

Christine is a postdoctoral researcher at the Institute of Clinical Chemistry and Clinical Pharmacology and part of the ImmunoSensation Cluster of Excellence. Her work focuses on developing immunostimulatory RNA-based strategies for innovative immunotherapies targeting cancer and viral infections.

Sandra is a PhD researcher at the University Hospital Bonn and works closely with Christine within the ImmunoSensation Cluster. She is also a co-author on a peer-reviewed publication on immunostimulatory RNA and RIG-I activation.

Together, they are involved in the COLDEX project, led by Christine alongside Dr Simone Carneiro from Ludwig Maximilian University of Munich. The project is focused on developing a nasal spray for the early treatment of viral respiratory infections and has already received funding from the German Ministry of Research, Technology and Space and SPRIND, the Federal Agency for Breakthrough Innovations.

Today, we’ll discuss not only the science behind COLDEX but also how market research has supported its development journey.

Christine and Sandra, welcome.

Christine Wübben (University Hospital Bonn): Thank you for having us.

Sandra Lewash (University Hospital Bonn): Thank you. We’re happy to be here.

 

From Research Discovery to Real-World Innovation

B2B International: Before we discuss market research, let’s start with the innovation itself. Could you explain what COLDEX is, how it originated and where the project stands today?

Christine: Absolutely. The innovation originated from basic research into immunostimulatory RNA and innate immune activation.

The underlying principle is based on the discovery of a specific ligand capable of stimulating the immune system. This work stems from research conducted by Gunther Hartmann and his team, which was published in Science in 2006.

Our goal with COLDEX is to build on that excellent scientific foundation and develop a nasal spray for antiviral protection. What began as basic research is now being translated into a product with real-world applications.

B2B International: So the idea originated from research conducted at the University Hospital Bonn. Did you always know the technology could have such broad applications?

Christine: Not necessarily. We knew there was translational potential because a previous startup had emerged from similar research within our group.

However, when we discovered this novel ligand, we started asking ourselves what practical applications it could have. Scientific evidence alone isn’t enough – you need to understand where and how the innovation can create value. That’s why understanding the market became so important.

 

When Did Market Research Become Necessary?

B2B International: At what point did you realize you needed market research support?

Sandra: Once we had demonstrated scientific feasibility.

We had shown that the ligand worked in principle within cell culture models, but then we needed to answer broader questions: What is the unmet need? Who are the target users? What is the commercial potential?

Initially, we tried to answer some of those questions ourselves, but we quickly realized how difficult it was. As scientists, we’re deeply immersed in our research and don’t always have the perspective needed to assess market opportunities objectively.

That’s when we decided to work with an external agency. We needed expertise, experience and an independent point of view.

B2B International: Was market validation also important from a funding perspective?

Christine: In the early stages, funding programs are primarily focused on the science. They want to see strong scientific evidence first, which is completely reasonable.

Once you’ve demonstrated the science works, the focus shifts toward how the innovation could be translated into something that creates real-world value.

Sandra: In fact, the market research itself was funded through the GO-Bio Initial Funding Program. The objective was specifically to help us understand the market opportunity and determine the best route forward.

 

Validating Early Assumptions

B2B International: What assumptions did you have at the beginning that needed validating?

Sandra: One of the biggest questions was identifying the right target groups.

At first glance, it seems that everyone could benefit from an antiviral nasal spray, but that isn’t a practical way to approach market entry. We needed to determine which user groups would benefit most and where demand would be strongest.

We also wanted to understand whether prevention or treatment represented the better commercial opportunity and which application would offer the strongest potential during initial market entry.

Christine: Another important point is that we weren’t even certain the final product should be a nasal spray. We considered several different approaches, and the research helped us gain confidence that a nasal spray was the most promising direction.

 

Reducing Commercial Risk

B2B International: Beyond validating assumptions, were there specific risks you were hoping to reduce through market research?

Christine: Absolutely.

The biggest risk is developing something that nobody wants or needs. If there is no market demand, there’s no point investing significant resources into development.

We also needed to understand potential regulatory barriers. In healthcare, it’s not enough to have a technically effective solution—you need to know whether it can realistically reach the market.

Finally, there are important questions around development costs and commercial viability. Market research helps ensure you’re making informed decisions before committing significant investment.

 

The Role of Market Research in Innovation

B2B International: How much influence do you think market research can have on product development and market-entry decisions, particularly in a highly regulated field like healthcare?

Christine: I think market research can have a significant influence.

It helps define target markets, shape product positioning and identify the most realistic commercialization pathways. In healthcare, decisions are influenced by many factors, including regulatory requirements, reimbursement considerations and ethical questions.

Market research doesn’t replace scientific evidence, but it provides an important perspective that helps ensure innovations are developed in a way that aligns with real market needs.

 

When Should Market Research Be Introduced?

B2B International: Looking back, at what stage of the innovation process would you ideally introduce market research?

Christine: As early as possible.

Everything ultimately depends on understanding who your customer is and what problem you’re solving for them. Those insights should inform development decisions from the very beginning.

At the same time, market research shouldn’t be treated as a one-off activity. It should run alongside technology development because both the market and the competitive landscape can change over time.

You want to validate your assumptions continuously rather than waiting until the product is almost finished.

B2B International: That’s an interesting point because many organizations delay research until later stages due to budget constraints.

Christine: That’s understandable, and it’s not always possible to involve external partners from day one. However, innovators should still try to gather market insights early, even if that initially means conducting their own research.

The sooner you understand market needs, the better positioned you are to make effective development decisions.

 

What Would You Do With a Larger Research Budget?

B2B International: If budget wasn’t a limitation, how would you expand the research?

Sandra: There are several areas we’d explore in greater depth.

We conducted interviews with patients, physicians and hospital stakeholders, and those conversations provided valuable insights. However, with a larger budget, we’d like to increase the sample size and speak to a broader range of participants.

That would provide a stronger evidence base and help us understand whether the same patterns emerge consistently across different groups.

We would also expand beyond Germany and explore international markets, particularly the United States and parts of Asia. Understanding market potential, regulatory frameworks and adoption dynamics in those regions would be extremely valuable.

Finally, we’d spend more time investigating pricing, reimbursement and market-access strategies. Those factors will play an important role when the product eventually reaches commercialization.

B2B International: Pricing research alone could be a substantial project.

Sandra: Exactly. We had to prioritize carefully and focus on the areas that would provide the greatest value at this stage.

 

Defining the Scope of the Research

B2B International: Before commissioning the project, what decisions did you need to make regarding the research itself?

Sandra: The biggest challenge was deciding where to focus.

Because our resources were limited, we couldn’t investigate every possible application or target audience. We had to identify our priority groups and concentrate on the areas that seemed most relevant for initial market entry.

That meant making conscious decisions about what would remain outside the scope of the study.

We also wanted to ensure the research remained sufficiently focused. If you try to answer too many questions at once, the results can become diluted.

Christine: We knew from the beginning that the market opportunity was potentially very broad. To generate meaningful insights, we needed to concentrate on the most important target groups first.

B2B International: And of course, when you’re interviewing healthcare professionals or other specialist stakeholders, there’s also a practical limit to how much information you can collect in a single conversation.

Sandra: Exactly. You have limited time with respondents, particularly with busy professionals such as physicians. It’s important to focus on the most critical questions rather than trying to cover everything.

 

Results: What Surprised You Most?

B2B International: Let’s talk about the outcomes. Was there anything in the results that particularly surprised you or changed your perspective?

Sandra: One of the most striking findings came from conversations with healthcare professionals.

Our technology is designed to provide broad antiviral activity, and from a scientific perspective, that’s simply a consequence of how the mechanism works. We viewed that as one of the product’s strengths.

However, many physicians were quite skeptical of that claim and wanted to see very strong evidence supporting it.

That was an important learning for us because it highlighted the gap that can exist between scientific understanding and market acceptance. What seems straightforward to researchers isn’t necessarily obvious to potential users.

B2B International: So one of the biggest strengths of the innovation also created questions that needed to be addressed.

Sandra: Exactly.

Because there isn’t currently anything comparable on the market, people naturally approach it with caution. We realized that demonstrating the science alone won’t be enough. We will also need to communicate the benefits clearly and explain the technology in a way that different audiences can understand.

The challenge is translating a complex scientific mechanism into language that is accessible and relevant to healthcare professionals, patients and other stakeholders.

B2B International: That’s a challenge we often see with highly innovative products. If the market hasn’t seen something similar before, education becomes an important part of adoption.

Sandra: Absolutely.

Another key learning was the difference between prevention and treatment markets. In a therapeutic setting, there is a clear disease that people want treated. The need is immediately visible.

Prevention is different. You first need to convince people that prevention is worthwhile before they even consider adopting a solution.

That makes market entry, communication and even clinical development more challenging.

B2B International: I also remember that some of the patient interviews revealed gaps in understanding around the products people were already using.

Christine: That was definitely surprising. Many participants weren’t fully aware of what they were taking or why they were taking it.

It reinforced the importance of education. Even the best innovation can struggle if people don’t understand its purpose or value.

 

Lessons That Apply Beyond COLDEX

B2B International: Are there lessons from this project that you believe could be applied to other innovations?

Christine: Definitely.

One of the biggest lessons is the importance of collaboration and communication. Scientists need to engage with people from different disciplines, whether that’s business experts, market researchers, clinicians or regulatory specialists.

Developing an innovation isn’t something that can happen in isolation.

For me personally, one of the biggest learnings has been that it really takes a wide network of expertise to bring a product from the laboratory to the market.

Another major lesson is that early market validation can save a significant amount of time and resources. The earlier you test assumptions, the earlier you can identify potential challenges and opportunities.

We’re still discussing many of these findings with mentors and advisors from different backgrounds, and those conversations continue to shape our thinking today.

B2B International: So market research becomes part of an ongoing decision-making process rather than a single project.

Christine: Exactly. Different stakeholders bring different perspectives, and it’s important to consider all of them when developing an innovation.

These lessons are relevant not only in healthcare, but especially in healthcare, where scientific, commercial and regulatory considerations all need to work together.

 

The Biggest Benefits of the Research

B2B International: Looking back, what would you describe as the biggest wins from the market research project?

Sandra: The research gave us much greater clarity around the market opportunity and the audiences we should focus on.

It also helped us understand which applications and patient groups appeared most promising.

That gave us considerably more confidence in our strategic decisions and our development roadmap.

The findings have also been valuable when applying for additional funding. We were able to use the insights as evidence to support the commercial potential of the project, which strengthened subsequent grant applications.

Overall, it gave us a much stronger foundation for moving forward.

 

Advice for Other Innovators

B2B International: What advice would you give to other researchers or innovators who are thinking about market research?

Sandra: Start earlier than you think you need to.

That doesn’t necessarily mean working with an external agency immediately. There are many ways to begin understanding your market through publicly available data, industry reports and conversations with potential users.

The important thing is not to wait until the innovation is fully developed before asking whether there is a market need.

As we’ve discussed, it doesn’t make sense to invest years developing something that nobody wants.

Christine: I would also encourage innovators to actively challenge their own assumptions.

That’s something we continuously do with mentors and advisors. Sometimes those conversations can be difficult because they force you to reconsider ideas that you’ve become attached to, but they are incredibly valuable.

Market research should not be used as a tool to confirm what you already believe. It should be used to test your thinking and improve decision-making.

The goal is not to prove that you’re right. The goal is to find the best possible path forward.

 

Final Thoughts: What Can Research Institutions Learn?

B2B International: Finally, what can research institutions learn from market-oriented innovation projects?

Christine: The biggest lesson is that market thinking should be integrated earlier into the innovation process.

Scientific excellence is absolutely essential, but innovation also needs a practical application. Those two things should develop together rather than separately.

Researchers should regularly ask themselves not only whether a technology works, but also whether it solves a real-world problem and whether people would actually use it.

If no one wants to use the product, even the most impressive technology won’t deliver impact.

That’s why it’s so important to understand the needs of users and engage with stakeholders throughout the development process.

Focus on the problem first. Focus on the real medical need. Then explore whether your innovation genuinely provides a solution.

B2B International: That’s a great note to finish on. Christine and Sandra, thank you both for joining us today and for sharing your experiences.

Christine: Thank you very much for having us. It’s been a pleasure.

Sandra: Thank you. We really enjoyed the discussion.

B2B International: And thank you to everyone listening. We hope you’ve enjoyed this conversation about the role market research can play in turning scientific innovation into real-world impact. Until next time, thank you for joining us.

 

 

 

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