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Post by beardawg on Oct 29, 2015 6:51:39 GMT -5
This is what bothers me. Why is Praluent Sanofi's golden child ? Jérôme Contamine: As you know, Praluent® received U.S. approval in late July and EU approval in late September. The product was launched in the U.S. within days and is gaining market access and developing awareness in the broader medical community. It will become available in some major European countries by year end. Our comprehensive patient and prescriber support hub, called “MyPraluent”, has already served as an effective platform for over 4,000 prescribers. We recently secured branded preferred Tier 2 commercial formulary position with Express Scripts. In addition to gaining greater U.S. market access, near-term expansion opportunities are focused on driving product awareness and adoption. We are also pleased to report that launches in the first European countries are underway. So overall, launch progress is consistent with our expectations of a gradual uptake in the market. It's easier to get in the game. Praluent is an obvious leap forward in treatment (with claims allowed by FDA), like Sovaldi/Harvoni were for Hep-C. I believe Afrezza is the same (more of a leap, actually), but they can't claim it yet. |
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fap
Newbie
Posts: 23 
Sentiment: Long
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Post by fap on Oct 29, 2015 6:54:36 GMT -5
The numbers look right to me or am I looking at it wrong
year
Sanofi said year to date sales €5 million = $5,483,500
Symphony shows $7,005,800 = %65 = $4,553,770
quarter
Sanofi said this quarter sales = €2 million = $2,193,180
Symphony shows $3,236,000 = %65 = $2103,400
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Deleted
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Post by Deleted on Oct 29, 2015 7:03:13 GMT -5
Please keep in mind, Afrezza needs to attain better insurance coverage before spending $ on advertising. People need to remember, MannKind pays a portion of advertising; to advertise without prescriptions being filled is wasting $.
As an investor, I am happy with the conservative rollout until insurance coverage is obtained. For traders, this is not great news, so perhaps you should reassess your trading strategy.
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Post by jbe on Oct 29, 2015 7:10:26 GMT -5
Letting Sanofi set the price of MNKD's product was a mistake, the price should be competitive with the pens, that would likely dramatically improve insurance coverage...then, Afrezza's future would rest primarily on how well it improves the quality of life for diabetics vs other prandials, I believe Afrezza would win that competition.
Sanofi charges a premium for Afrezza, and yet doesn't promote it, but is surprised sales have not done better? What exactly were Sanofi's original expectations?
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Post by mnholdem on Oct 29, 2015 7:15:23 GMT -5
There are several good points being made here this morning. Let's face it, there is no getting around the fact that Afrezza was approved with a less than desirable label. Simply being non-inferior with a premium price tag isn't going to cut it. We're waiting to hear results from Sanofi for two near-term post-marketing trials. One is completed and the other will be in December 2015.
Are these two trials enough to improve the label? Some think yes, others say no. Without clear evidence that Afrezza is superior to the other RAA insulin choices, or have benefits that others don't, where is the incentive for insurers to assign Tier 2 coverage to Afrezza?
However, even the insurers' response to the label is not a sufficient excuse for such low sales. I am still of the opinion that Sanofi (or somebody sponsored by Sanofi) is conducting additional studies that will improve the label and that they have been suppressing their sales effort - thus saving their sales & marketing $$$ - until this insurance obstacle is resolved.
I only wish that Sanofi would be more forthcoming about what they are doing with Afrezza. This kind of information (i.e. studies to improve the label) is hardly what one would consider as requiring secrecy for competitive reasons.
Frankly, the silence is a bit unnerving. I take solace in the fact that institutions are still accumulating. If there were wholesale abandonment by the 'tutes, then I'd be concerned. But, as Hakan mentioned at the last earnings call, we are still in the 6-12 month after-launch period when insurers typically determine coverage. Some plans make updates monthly but I think, for the majority of health plans in the U.S., changes in coverage for Afrezza may not become effective until January 1, 2016.
...and so the Sanofi chess match continues.
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Deleted
Deleted Member
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Post by Deleted on Oct 29, 2015 7:45:39 GMT -5
There are several good points being made here this morning. Let's face it, there is no getting around the fact that Afrezza was approved with a less than desirable label. Simpy non-inferior with a premium price tag isn't going to cut it. We're waiting to hear results from Sanofi for two near-term post-marketing trials. One is completed and the other will be in December 2015. Are these two trials enough to improve the label? Some think yes, others say no. Without clear evidence that Afrezza is superior to the other RAA insulin choices, or have benefits that others don't, where is the incentive for insurers to assign Tier 2 coverage to Afrezza? However, even the insurers' response to the label is not a sufficient excuse for such low sales. I am still of the opinion that Sanofi (or somebody sponsored by Sanofi) is conducting additional studies that will improve the label and that they have been suppressing their sales effort - thus saving their sales & marketing $$$ - until this insurance obstacle is resolved. I only wish that Sanofi would be more forthcoming about what they are doing with Afrezza. This kind of information (i.e. studies to improve the label) is hardly what one would consider as requiring secrecy for competitive reasons. Frankly, the silence is a bit unnerving. I take solace in the fact that institutions are still accumulating. If there were wholesale abandonment by the 'tutes, then I'd be concerned. But, as Hakan mentioned at the last earnings call, we are still in the 6-12 month after-launch period when insurers typically determine coverage. Some plans make updates monthly but I think, for the majority of health plans in the U.S., changes in coverage for Afrezza may not become effective until January 1, 2016. ...and so the Sanofi chess match continues. Be extremely subtle, even to the point of formlessness. Be extremely mysterious, even to the point of soundlessness. Thereby you can be the director of the opponent's fate. Sun Tzu - The Art of War |
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Post by pmikeks on Oct 29, 2015 8:33:02 GMT -5
In MHO there are three probable issues that are impeding Affrezza's success related to its potential in addition to insurance and awareness.
SNY doesn't want Affrezza to take market share away from Lantus and Toujeo. If you are using Affrezza the need for injectable meds is dramatically decreased. I'm using less then a third of Lantus than I was taking before taking Affrezza and if I always ate what I'm supposed to eat, I wouldn't take any. Anybody who isn't a moron knows that SNY knows this too and that it would hurt their profits (65% vs 100%) so why would they promote it on a large scale as they have Toujeo? And while they wait for Lixilan to be approved.
SNY won't do the things necessary to make it a mega success unless they buy Mannkind out. They will most likely just sit on it as a nitche product until they can buy the rights to Affrezza. I don't believe for a second they will walk away from it because one of their competitors would pick it up, promote it properly and take major market share (65% vs 0%).
Finally Mannkind management is clueless! I believe it's the worst management team in corporate America, the worst since Dendreon. While they have to be aware of displacement of SNY's products and new ones coming, they don't know what to do or say so they do nothing and say nothing. I know "they are in a quite period" but they've been in a quiet period since approval.
I know there will be a few "know-it-alls" who will try explaining it all away i.e. slow and steady rollout, they've had dinners for doctors, not good insurance coverage and "advertising would be a waste of money until there is greater awareness". Really??? Teojeo hasn't been approved by many insurance companies either according to the SNY representative in our area AND they have TV commercials very frequently on the major networks.
I'm an significant investor, an Affrezza user and before retirement in Senior Management but the truth is if I was running SNY this is exactly the strategy I would use.
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Post by kball on Oct 29, 2015 8:32:39 GMT -5
^ Do the French even read Sun Tzu?
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Post by jimo on Oct 29, 2015 8:47:48 GMT -5
They just threw us under the bus on the call. Looking for excuses and Afrezza is an easy target. Crazy how they never exposed sales expectations now we're the problem with their decline. This partnership smells worse every day that passes.
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Post by savzak on Oct 29, 2015 8:49:46 GMT -5
They just threw us under the bus on the call. Looking for excuses and Afrezza is an easy target. Crazy how they never exposed sales expectations now we're the problem with their decline. This partnership smells worse every day that passes. jimo, I'm not listening in. Can you be more specific about what was said? |
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Post by fedakd on Oct 29, 2015 9:13:47 GMT -5
We definitely don't have the right partner. We needed a BP less involved in basal insulin sales. Sanofi has pulled the wool over MNKD management's eyes.
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Post by uvula on Oct 29, 2015 9:49:29 GMT -5
If afrezza wasn't mentioned we would be complaining about that too. We know sales suck. There was nothing they could have said that would have made us happy. It would have been much worse if they said afrezza sales were better than expected.
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Post by cfield23 on Oct 29, 2015 9:49:25 GMT -5
They just threw us under the bus on the call. Looking for excuses and Afrezza is an easy target. Crazy how they never exposed sales expectations now we're the problem with their decline. This partnership smells worse every day that passes. jimo, I'm not listening in. Can you be more specific about what was said? He can't. As far as I heard, nothing explicit was said. I'll go back and read the transcript, but I didn't hear any "throwing under the bus" unless it's the line from the PR about how it's contributed. Nothing new. |
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Post by savzak on Oct 29, 2015 9:54:36 GMT -5
jimo, I'm not listening in. Can you be more specific about what was said? He can't. As far as I heard, nothing explicit was said. I'll go back and read the transcript, but I didn't hear any "throwing under the bus" unless it's the line from the PR about how it's contributed. Nothing new. Thank you. |
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Post by peppy on Oct 29, 2015 10:01:17 GMT -5
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