Pharmaceutical Industry Case Study | Data-Driven Engineering for Life Sciences

CASE STUDIES

Digital Transformation for Large
Pharmaceutical Company

ABOUT THE COMPANY

Pharmaceutical Company

This was a global leader in biopharmaceuticals, known for developing innovative therapies that address serious medical conditions. With a strong focus on antiviral and oncology treatments, the company has been at the forefront of research in areas with high unmet medical needs. Their commitment to improving patient outcomes and advancing medical science has positioned them as a key player in the healthcare industry, consistently pushing the boundaries of what’s possible in medicine.

INDUSTRY

Pharmaceutical

COMPANY SIZE

Large Enterprise

CHALLENGE SCOPE

Legacy system modernization and operational efficiency

Executive Summary

Dhuni Software partnered with a leading pharmaceutical company to modernize their drug discovery platform, resulting in dramatic performance improvements and streamlined operations. Through comprehensive UI redesign, database optimization, and intelligent automation, we delivered a 10x performance increase while significantly reducing operational overhead.

The Challenge

The Solution

Key Results

Technologies & Methodologies

Client Impact

The Challenge

Our pharmaceutical client faced critical limitations with their existing drug discovery platform:

The current research and drug discovery environment involves multiple systems, manual processes, and legacy technologies that can make workflows less seamless than desired. Researchers spend significant time navigating different interfaces, handling repetitive tasks, and working with complex or slow-performing systems. While these processes support research, they also require additional training, coordination, and careful attention to maintain consistency and efficiency. As data volumes grow and analytical requirements become more complex, there is an opportunity to modernize the infrastructure, streamline workflows, and enhance usability—enabling researchers to focus more fully on core scientific work and accelerating the overall research pipeline.

These challenges were directly impacting their drug discovery timelines and operational costs, requiring immediate strategic intervention.

Our Solution:

Complete UI Transformation

Database & System Optimization

Drug Discovery Pipeline Automation

Navigation & Workflow Automation

Strategic Team Augmentation

Research-Driven Redesign

Redesigned the user interface based on in-depth user research and usability testing to understand the needs and workflows of pharmaceutical researchers and scientists. Using these insights, a new interface architecture was developed that emphasizes task-based workflows and reduces cognitive load. The updated design incorporates modern design patterns, improved visual hierarchy, and streamlined navigation that better aligns with users’ mental models of drug discovery processes.

Streamlined Workflows & Accessibility

Enhanced the user experience through workflow analysis and iterative design improvements that removed unnecessary steps and reduced task completion times. Introduced intelligent form validation, contextual guidance, and progressive disclosure to support users through complex processes while keeping the interface clear. The updated design also meets accessibility standards and provides customizable options to accommodate diverse user needs and preferences.

Iterative Validation & Testing

Carried out extensive user testing and iterative refinement with pharmaceutical researchers and laboratory personnel to ensure high adoption and user satisfaction. Multiple rounds of usability testing, A/B testing, and feedback sessions were conducted to validate design decisions and identify opportunities for improvement. This collaborative approach helped ensure that the final interface effectively supported the diverse workflows and real-world needs of different user groups within the organization.

Database Performance Analysis

Performed comprehensive database performance analysis using profiling tools and monitoring systems to identify bottlenecks and inefficiencies in query execution. Examined query patterns, index usage, table structures, and data access patterns to develop targeted optimization strategies. This analysis highlighted areas where database design improvements and query restructuring could significantly enhance performance across the system.

System Architecture Improvements

Enhanced system architecture through database schema changes and normalization, implementation of connection pooling, and redesign of the data access layer to reduce network latency. Introduced asynchronous processing for resource-intensive operations and established real-time performance monitoring. These improvements were designed to support future scalability and accommodate increasing data volumes.

Customizable Dashboards

Developed highly customizable dashboards tailored to different user roles, including researchers, laboratory managers, data analysts, and executives, each aligned with their specific information needs and workflows. The dashboard system included role-based access controls, personalized data visualizations, and configurable alerts to keep users informed of relevant developments. Designed as central command centers, these dashboards provide flexibility to accommodate individual preferences and evolving requirements.

Coding Standards and Documentation

Established comprehensive coding standards and documentation protocols aligned with industry best practices and the specific needs of pharmaceutical software development. These standards covered code organization, naming conventions, testing requirements, and documentation expectations to ensure consistent, maintainable code across all development efforts. The protocols support collaboration, help manage technical debt, and facilitate regulatory compliance.

Sustainable Development Practices

Implemented sustainable development practices for long-term system maintenance, including automated testing frameworks, continuous integration pipelines, and version control best practices. Deployment procedures, rollback mechanisms, and change management processes were established to ensure safe, reliable system updates while maintaining compliance. These practices aim to reduce maintenance overhead, improve system reliability, and enable faster, more confident deployment of new features and enhancements.

Key Features & Innovations

Performance Improvements

Operational Efficiency

Technical Excellence

User Experience

System Performance Improvements

Achieved up to 5X faster performance across core operations through database optimization, query restructuring, and system architecture enhancements. Response times for critical operations were reduced from minutes to seconds, enabling researchers to work more efficiently and complete tasks that previously required significant waiting periods. Performance gains were validated through extensive testing and proven consistent across different usage patterns, peak load scenarios, and diverse workflows throughout the drug discovery process.

Page Load and Query Optimization

Reduced page load and query response times through optimized data access patterns, advanced caching mechanisms, and streamlined interface components. Complex data visualizations and analytical reports were optimized to load much more quickly, improving workflow efficiency and allowing researchers to focus on their analysis rather than system delays. These enhancements also supported more consistent performance across varying data volumes and user workflows. Overall, the optimizations contributed to a smoother, more responsive user experience throughout the platform.

Automation of Routine Processes

Implemented automated pipelines to handle routine tasks without manual intervention, including restarting services that consumed unnecessary resources, file syncing, and sending email notifications. This automation allowed researchers to focus on high-value analytical work and strategic decision-making, improving overall team productivity and workflow efficiency.

Improved user productivity

Enhanced user productivity through intuitive interface design that reduced training requirements, minimized unnecessary navigation steps, and provided intelligent workflow guidance. Task completion times for common operations were significantly reduced, enabling users to work more efficiently

Technical Debt Remediation

Addressed critical technical debt that was limiting system evolution and increasing maintenance complexity. Legacy code components were refactored or replaced with modern, maintainable alternatives following industry best practices. Updates included modernizing libraries, restructuring monolithic components into modular architectures, and implementing comprehensive testing frameworks to ensure stability while enabling confident future development.

Scalable System Architecture

Established a scalable system architecture designed to accommodate growing data volumes, user loads, and functional requirements without requiring major redesigns. The architecture incorporates microservices patterns, cloud-native design principles, and horizontal scaling capabilities to support current operations and future expansion. Best DevOps practices were applied during deployment, system upgrades, and migrations to ensure reliability and maintainability.

Enhanced User Satisfaction

Improved user satisfaction through a modern, responsive interface that addressed previous usability challenges and aligned with users’ expectations. Users reported noticeable improvements in ease of use, visual appeal, and task efficiency. The updated experience also contributed to higher system adoption and a reduction in support requests, as users were able to complete tasks more independently and confidently.

Technologies & Methodologies

FRONTEND

Implemented the frontend using C# Razor, Bootstrap, and native HTML/CSS, following responsive design principles to ensure usability across desktop and mobile devices. The frontend architecture employed structured templates and reusable components to maintain visual consistency and support efficient development and maintenance of the user interface.

BACKEND

Developed the backend using Python and C# .NET Core, providing robust processing capabilities to support pharmaceutical data analysis and workflow automation. Databases included SQL Server and MongoDB, with indexing and query optimizations applied to enhance performance and maintainability. Selenium was used for automated testing and process validation, ensuring system reliability.

METHODOLOGY

Agile development methodology with continuous feedback loops, regular stakeholder engagement, and iterative improvement processes that ensured alignment with user needs and business objectives. The development approach incorporated user-centered design principles, extensive testing protocols, and change management practices that minimized disruption to ongoing research activities. Regular sprint reviews, retrospectives, and stakeholder demonstrations ensured transparent communication and rapid adaptation to changing requirements throughout the project lifecycle.

Client Impact

The transformation delivered measurable business value:

The implemented system optimized workflows and automated routine processes, significantly accelerating research cycles and improving operational efficiency. Researchers were able to focus more on high-value scientific work rather than manual tasks, while bottlenecks in data processing and report generation were reduced. The improvements also lowered infrastructure and maintenance costs, decreased training requirements for new team members, and enhanced overall system reliability, delivering measurable return on investment and enabling reinvestment in further research capabilities. In addition, the modern, scalable platform positioned the organization to adopt emerging technologies, integrate with new laboratory systems, and adapt to evolving regulatory requirements. The updated infrastructure supports future innovations such as advanced analytics, AI integration, and cloud-based collaboration, while fostering higher user satisfaction and productivity across all teams. This future-ready system ensures clients can expand their research capabilities, respond rapidly to market opportunities, and maintain a competitive edge in the pharmaceutical industry.