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Post by ilovekauai on May 6, 2016 14:35:59 GMT -5
I don't know if this topic has been discussed much in the past, but anyone got any thoughts on why with each passing week, the script counts are dropping? The latest just posted by Liane, dated 4/29, shows a significant drop that IMO is worrisome. We seem to be heading south faster than ever. My hope was the script count would stabilize until MNKD launches Afrezza anew, and then we climb upward from there. Aloha.
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Post by laffs4sale on May 6, 2016 15:24:51 GMT -5
Scripts are falling because inhaled insulin is a hard sell to begin with and nobody is putting any money into promoting this drug. Also, endo's are rightly worried that MNKD is going bankrupt and the drug will be pulled from the market. We are in a death spiral, and if Matt the b.s. artist doesn't announce one of his "epic" deals tomorrow, we are going below a dollar and never recovering.
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Post by centralcoastinvestor on May 6, 2016 15:30:45 GMT -5
Scripts are falling because inhaled insulin is a hard sell to begin with and nobody is putting any money into promoting this drug. Also, endo's are rightly worried that MNKD is going bankrupt and the drug will be pulled from the market. We are in a death spiral, and if Matt the b.s. artist doesn't announce one of his "epic" deals tomorrow, we are going below a dollar and never recovering. I could not disagree with you more. Matt has been doing a good job under the circumstances. Your commentary sounds very YMB basheresque. Since you are new, I will reserve judgement on whether you are legit or not. |
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Post by novafett on May 6, 2016 15:58:48 GMT -5
Scripts are falling because inhaled insulin is a hard sell to begin with and nobody is putting any money into promoting this drug. Also, endo's are rightly worried that MNKD is going bankrupt and the drug will be pulled from the market. We are in a death spiral, and if Matt the b.s. artist doesn't announce one of his "epic" deals tomorrow, we are going below a dollar and never recovering. Haha! Oh man.. pick me up off the flow. Thanks for the belly laugh of the day! I needed that after a long day at work. Much appreciated. |
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Post by LosingMyBullishness on May 7, 2016 3:47:30 GMT -5
I am intrinsic bullish, but the script counts make me slightly nervous as well. I did not expect a big explosion of scripts but at least some substaining reversal. The investment in new personnel has till now only generated statements but not scripts.
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Post by mbseeking on May 7, 2016 4:51:35 GMT -5
MNKD are presently putting together the team to market Afrezza. What we are seeing now is truly zero effort from SNY to sell, as you'd expect, and the users who are most committed to the product. Elsewhere on this board (in the script count sections) you will see the first hints that MNKD is prevailing. The number of plans with Afrezza without restriction is just starting to tick up. There are anecdotes elsewhere here that the co-pays at a number of funds are plummeting. All of this suggests a lot of work by MNKD in the background to make the cost of Afrezza to patients the same as injectable prandial insulin. In my humble opinion - exactly the right strategy. My guess is that this background activity will continue a pace for the next few months as the team to sell to endo and volume PCPs is put in place. My next guess is that we are probably at the low of lows for the scripts right now, give or take.
Increased plan coverage and better pricing will soon start to turn it around. It's anyone's guess how 'viral' this demand could be come. SNY targeted Afrezza as a niche insulin - and so it became. MNKD seems to be now pricing it at a price comparable alternative to the volume insulin out there today. Again, INHO , exactly the right approach. I personally still believe that as people discover they can now puff insulin rather than sticking it into scar tissue with something sharp - at the same price - they will do so en masse.
I dont believe Matt has to show us a big deal on Monday. But some certainty of as many quarters as possible of solvency: and there is still hope for this revolutionary solution to one of mankind's most daunting diseases..
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Post by slugworth008 on May 7, 2016 10:37:31 GMT -5
Scripts are falling because inhaled insulin is a hard sell to begin with and nobody is putting any money into promoting this drug. Also, endo's are rightly worried that MNKD is going bankrupt and the drug will be pulled from the market. We are in a death spiral, and if Matt the b.s. artist doesn't announce one of his "epic" deals tomorrow, we are going below a dollar and never recovering. Will the sun rise tomorrow? |
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Post by slugworth008 on May 7, 2016 10:38:17 GMT -5
Scripts are falling because inhaled insulin is a hard sell to begin with and nobody is putting any money into promoting this drug. Also, endo's are rightly worried that MNKD is going bankrupt and the drug will be pulled from the market. We are in a death spiral, and if Matt the b.s. artist doesn't announce one of his "epic" deals tomorrow, we are going below a dollar and never recovering. I could not disagree with you more. Matt has been doing a good job under the circumstances. Your commentary sounds very YMB basheresque. Since you are new, I will reserve judgement on whether you are legit or not. I had that same thought central. |
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Post by agedhippie on May 7, 2016 11:51:57 GMT -5
I am intrinsic bullish, but the script counts make me slightly nervous as well. I did not expect a big explosion of scripts but at least some substaining reversal. The investment in new personnel has till now only generated statements but not scripts. I am not expecting any change soon. The best I am looking for is the decline stopping. All the reasons why Afrezza did not get taken up fast are still in place. Right now as endos see it the offer is a small pharma which may go out of business which is selling a product that has failed twice and is, at best, equivalent to the existing proven product from huge pharmas who have first rate support. This is not a difficult choice for them and I am heartened that the new prescription numbers have held up at all. I am not convinced that the new sales force will make a significant difference since the label issue remains. The label and data say that Afrezza is equivalent to analogs, and there is a perception that a lung risk may emerge. At this point the question becomes why prescribe a drug with more risk than the existing one, but with no better performance. |
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Post by sweedee79 on May 7, 2016 12:33:12 GMT -5
The script count has only represented a very small part of this uncaptured market.. SNY hardly scratched the surface with their so called marketing... We now have the opportunity to capture this untapped market and show the medical community what Afrezza really is.. The scripts so far I would say mostly account for docs and patients who never understood the drug in the first place or were not that interested.. throw in the fact that insurance companies have been resistant due to the high price, unproven status .. and noninferior label. My dads insurance removed it from the formulary after he had been on it for 5 months which was effective Jan. 1 and could account for some loss of scripts.
I am very happy with what Matt P and Mike Castagna are doing so far.. The lowered price will count substantially toward insurance coverage. Some of the comments Mike has made have stood out to me as a man who "gets" what is going on and what needs to change. So while the loss of scripts does concern me very much,( the SNY debacle was bad for business) it doesnt mean things will remain this way. |
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Post by capnbob on May 7, 2016 12:50:40 GMT -5
I don't know if this topic has been discussed much in the past, but anyone got any thoughts on why with each passing week, the script counts are dropping? The latest just posted by Liane, dated 4/29, shows a significant drop that IMO is worrisome. We seem to be heading south faster than ever. My hope was the script count would stabilize until MNKD launches Afrezza anew, and then we climb upward from there. Aloha. Although others here might feel otherwise, Sanofi abandoning the drug was the worst possible thing that could have happened. Neither endos nor patients will investigate to see whether it was an attempt at sabotage or sandbagging. All they will see is that one of the world's largest pharmas didn't see fit to keep it in their diabetes armamentarium, and figure something must have been seriously wrong with it. |
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Post by ilovekauai on May 7, 2016 13:18:07 GMT -5
Mahalo for expressing your opinion. I don't agree with your analysis, but glad you stated how you felt. Aloha.
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Post by sportsrancho on May 7, 2016 13:39:40 GMT -5
I don't know if this topic has been discussed much in the past, but anyone got any thoughts on why with each passing week, the script counts are dropping? The latest just posted by Liane, dated 4/29, shows a significant drop that IMO is worrisome. We seem to be heading south faster than ever. My hope was the script count would stabilize until MNKD launches Afrezza anew, and then we climb upward from there. Aloha. Although others here might feel otherwise, Sanofi abandoning the drug was the worst possible thing that could have happened. Neither endos nor patients will investigate to see whether it was an attempt at sabotage or sandbagging. All they will see is that one of the world's largest pharmas didn't see fit to keep it in their diabetes armamentarium, and figure something must have been seriously wrong with it. Yep, it wasn't good. That's why MNKD didn't do it first. IMO But most people don't know Afrezza exists. It will all be new again. If I see a ad for something and I like it, I go get it. I don't care who is selling it or who sold it before. And the doctor I know, ( who only heard of Afrezza through me) is well aware SNY did not try to sell Afrezza! No reps! |
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Post by brotherm1 on May 7, 2016 14:38:53 GMT -5
I am intrinsic bullish, but the script counts make me slightly nervous as well. I did not expect a big explosion of scripts but at least some substaining reversal. The investment in new personnel has till now only generated statements but not scripts. I am not expecting any change soon. The best I am looking for is the decline stopping. All the reasons why Afrezza did not get taken up fast are still in place. Right now as endos see it the offer is a small pharma which may go out of business which is selling a product that has failed twice and is, at best, equivalent to the existing proven product from huge pharmas who have first rate support. This is not a difficult choice for them and I am heartened that the new prescription numbers have held up at all. I am not convinced that the new sales force will make a significant difference since the label issue remains. The label and data say that Afrezza is equivalent to analogs, and there is a perception that a lung risk may emerge. At this point the question becomes why prescribe a drug with more risk than the existing one, but with no better performance. |
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Post by brotherm1 on May 7, 2016 14:46:45 GMT -5
Dear Mr. Hippie - You say you don't believe scripts will increase significantly with MannKind's new sales force because of the black label that is still attached to Afrezza. Reading through your posts it appears you inject yourself with insulin. Did you have any personal experience with Afrezza you could share here? TIA
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