|
|
Post by MnkdWASmyRtrmntPlan on Nov 4, 2016 9:29:54 GMT -5
It sure would be nice to hear an explanation for and a plan for a solution for these less-than-explosive sales numbers at the CC. What are the biggest obstacles and challenges that the sales team is facing, and what is the solution plan (with or without a BP)?
It seems insurance is being addressed well enough – good job, Mike.
An established sales team didn’t do the job for Sanofi.
Top-down advertising is not working … maybe we need bottom-up. The doctors don't seem to be getting onboard with this obviously best diabetic tool. So, maybe the "Ask your doctor if Afrezza would be right for you" approach is what is needed. Would an ad in game 7 have made the needed sales turnaround and saved MNKD? MNKD does not have the cash necessary for advertising, but a new BP will have to. Or, would doctors just answer “No, Afrezza is not right for you”?
It just makes no sense for Afrezza to be doomed. What to heck is the real problem and solution here, anyway?
|
|
|
|
Post by gtay87 on Nov 4, 2016 9:47:26 GMT -5
From what I've seen posted here, there are quite a few problems:
1. black box with spirometry requirement
2. insurance coverage still a major problem
3. endos and diabetics wonder whether MNKD will survive so why start something only to have to give it up if the company goes under
4. price is still expensive relative to humalog and novolog
5. afrezza appears to have a learning curve which is a more complicated than previously anticipated
6. long term use health concerns
Those stand out to me at the moment. What I'd really like to know is whether MNKD has actually done any sort of patient and/or endo survey to determine the level of interest in having an inhaled version of insulin -- hard to sell ice to Eskimos and all that.
|
|
|
|
Post by bradleysbest on Nov 4, 2016 9:49:42 GMT -5
As others have suggested , it would be a shame if Afrezza failed & there was not 1 commercial (DTC) creating awareness for it....
|
|
|
|
Post by harryx1 on Nov 4, 2016 9:53:48 GMT -5
|
|
|
|
Post by promann on Nov 4, 2016 9:54:50 GMT -5
From what I've seen posted here, there are quite a few problems: 1. black box with spirometry requirement 2. insurance coverage still a major problem 3. endos and diabetics wonder whether MNKD will survive so why start something only to have toi give it up if the company goes under 4. price is still expensive relative to humalog and novolog 5. afrezza appears to have a learning curve which is a more complicated than previously anticipated 6. long term use health concerns Those stand out to me at the moment. What I'd really like to know is whether MNKD has actually done any sort of patient and/or endo survey to determine whether the level of interest in having an inhaled version of insulin -- hard to sell ice to Eskimos and all that. Don't forget the biggest obstacle: Sanofi reps poisoning Afrezza !! ( OH we took Afrezza off market Doc try our new and approved Toujo ) And they have many more then 70 |
|
|
|
Post by nadathing on Nov 4, 2016 9:57:08 GMT -5
The only thing that will drive script numbers is demand from PWD telling their doctor they want Afrezza. I did it with Bydureon. They aren't going to suggest a new drug. Patients must demand them. Bydureon had a black box warning. My doctor advised me of it and I said I wanted it anyway. She wrote the script. Doctors rarely argue with patients over risk of losing the patient.
Unfortunately, MNKD does not have the money for a real DTC ad campaign.
|
|
|
|
Post by dictatorsaurus on Nov 4, 2016 10:02:10 GMT -5
Don't forget the biggest obstacle: Sanofi reps poisoning Afrezza !! ( OH we took Afrezza off market Doc try our new and approved Toujo ) And they have many more then 70 Really? Our biggest problems stem from Sanofi reps bad mouthing Afrezza? What a load of bull. There's a massive list of major issues here, and I can tell you Sanofi being the culprit is not one of them. We need to stop blaming Sanofi for Mannkind's failures. Afterall, no one forced them to sign with them in the first place. They've had 11 months to make a difference. And here we are, averaging 2 scripts per rep. How is that even remotely close to being acceptable??? |
|
|
|
Post by mockingjay on Nov 4, 2016 10:18:13 GMT -5
From what I've seen posted here, there are quite a few problems: 1. black box with spirometry requirement 2. insurance coverage still a major problem 3. endos and diabetics wonder whether MNKD will survive so why start something only to have toi give it up if the company goes under 4. price is still expensive relative to humalog and novolog 5. afrezza appears to have a learning curve which is a more complicated than previously anticipated 6. long term use health concerns Those stand out to me at the moment. What I'd really like to know is whether MNKD has actually done any sort of patient and/or endo survey to determine whether the level of interest in having an inhaled version of insulin -- hard to sell ice to Eskimos and all that. Don't forget the biggest obstacle: Sanofi reps poisoning Afrezza !! ( OH we took Afrezza off market Doc try our new and approved Toujo ) And they have many more then 70 it's quite easy to blame Sanofi reps these days !!! sorry if I'm a rep , I want to make money , I don't want to badmouth a product that I want to sell |
|
|
|
Post by surplusvalue on Nov 4, 2016 10:26:52 GMT -5
As others have suggested , it would be a shame if Afrezza failed & there was not 1 commercial (DTC) creating awareness for it.... Afrezza itself is not a failure; results are tremendous from most reports. Its the promotion that has been a failure (so far)and a lack of foresight to raise cash. Commercialization requires effective communication and this can be accomplished in many ways not just by throwing a lot of money at TV which they dont have anyways. Nice to have a fabulous automobile but you need enough money for gas to drive it anywhere. |
|
|
|
Post by bradleysbest on Nov 4, 2016 10:45:59 GMT -5
So far those ways have not worked & our share price is in the toilet...
|
|
|
|
Post by matt on Nov 4, 2016 10:52:50 GMT -5
1. There has been some progress on insurance, but not nearly enough. So long as companies like Lilly and Novo make package deals across their full line of insulins in exchange for preferred placement on the formulary, Afrezza will never get covered on the major plans regardless of price. Having a single product in the form of a rapid acting insulin but no basal insulin to bundle is a major hurdle to getting favorable PBM coverage.
2. Competitors talking up their products and talking down another product is called doing business. If you need an example ask any Ford salesmen whether you should buy an F150 or a Chevy Silverado. Competition is not going away. If Sanofi didn't exist there would still be Lilly and Novo to deal with, and frankly, they are both way better at marketing than Sanofi.
3. There are long-term health concerns that have not been addressed to the satisfaction of the medical community. Until that happens, some physicians will choose other products.
|
|
|
|
Post by surplusvalue on Nov 4, 2016 10:58:59 GMT -5
So far those ways have not worked & our share price is in the toilet... Yes that is true but MNKD havent thought through other means of marketing. I have suggested that you need a CEO with a strong presence (Matt P isnt just this type it seems) in the market and a long time ago suggested that Matt P (even with his deficits) do the health/medical show circuit. Cost is limited but it requires foresight and coordination. Even better, having a spokeperson like Laura K or someone else do these appearances even better. Again same requirements. This is all mute now anyways since the immediate problem is cash to extend the runway to be able to then focus on getting out DTC efforts. |
|
|
|
Post by bradleysbest on Nov 4, 2016 11:24:46 GMT -5
Is the Sham Wow guy available?
|
|
|
|
Post by zuegirdor on Nov 4, 2016 11:30:56 GMT -5
As babaorieley noted in symphony topic, the solution is obvious, the math is simple. But I will recap an emergent explanation initiated by other posts:
Afrezza has fewer reps that nonetheless are bringing in new scripts at 4 or 5 times the rate as Sanofi. The number of New scripts is increasing at a constant rate. In order to increase the rate of new scripts, you can give the current fleet of reps some wonder steroid that turns them into ultra super fast acting reps so they can be ten times as efficient as the Sanofi reps. This may be harmful to their health but better for investors.
Or as baba said, we can hire more reps and thereby increase the RATE of new scripts. Yes we need cash for that. Do you think $10M per year would do it? $20M?
If the conference call announced such a move could be funded now that they found some cash in the couch cushions, that would be a big boost in my mind.
|
|
|
|
Post by anthony7 on Nov 4, 2016 11:39:47 GMT -5
The black bird of doom that you use fits your constant negativity.
|
|
