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Post by careful2invest on Feb 17, 2017 0:34:49 GMT -5
LOL! I'm right there with you slug. What a long strange trip it's been. Oh hell yes - Too long and way, way too strange. Slugworth, Switch from beer to bourbon. Takes away the stress, no weght gain! A little ganja newer hurts either...might even be legal depending on where you live! Blend them together and it's nighty night time! GLTA TRUE LONGS! |
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Post by careful2invest on Feb 15, 2017 6:18:51 GMT -5
Many mistakes were made, that is in the past, cannot change that, but things are finally in place for success. The "time in range" trials being conducted now is huge! I was so happy to read that! AFREZZA shines in that capacity! Many of us have been asking for advertising for a very long time. But in hindsight, maybe it was best that they did not advertise early and here is why... Think if MNKD would have advertised in the beginning with Sanofi, taking into account spirometry, titration and insurance coverage. None of that was in place or dialed in. Doctors and Patients would have been confused and (at that time) neither MNKD or Sanofi knew enough or had the resources available to address these issues with the amount of volume that they would have probably been coming in, Due to advertising. It could have been a disaster! No doubt, the past three years or so has been no picnic, and the pps is suffering, but I feel like the ship is finally being righted! MNKD learned alot in that time (with Sanofi) and thankfully, due to MNKD's efforts, they have addressed these issues and between MNKD, VDEX, JDRF, etc., a new patient can receive superior direction to adjust to using AFREZZA. The timing for advertising is now! GLTA TRUE LONGS! I have been using Afrezza for 2 years come March 11th. I am T2. My GP gave me the script because I told him to. In 2016 I had to go to an Endo because my insurance co stopped covering it unless I had a letter of medical necessity. Originally my new Endo wouldn't write the letter so I paid for afrezza myself. He was adamant about that. Didn't want to go to bat for me against a medical director of United Healthcare . After another 3 months of seeing ny A1C go from 6.2, to 5.7 to 5.5 you wouldn't believe the great letter he wrote and the letter he helped me write. I received coverage within 24 hours after they received the letter of medical necessity. If there is a will there is a way. My son is T1 and has been using Afrezza for his meal time Insulin for 22 months. He has been featured on Fox News in NY and in CBS WITH DR MAX GOMEZ. If you haven't seen the Video from Dr Edelstein on how to properly use Afrezza you must watch it. If you are trying to get your doctor to write a prescription make sure he watches it in front of you. I guarantee it will change his mind. Hillsave, Your persistance has definitely paid off! Thanks for sharing your story! I hope that you continue to spread the word about AFREZZA. It's great to hear stories like yours and your son's. AFREZZA is revolutionary, and thanks to your efforts and many others, AFREZZA is gaining some ground, albeit slowly, (a bit too slowly) but every new prescription helps to open and change peoples minds. Have you considered making a video to put on youtube or on another AFREZZA website? It seems clear that commercials would speed things up (even short, inexpensive, regional ads) Hopefully that happens sooner than later. GLTA TRUE LONGS and PWD! |
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Post by careful2invest on Feb 14, 2017 22:20:03 GMT -5
Hell, if that's the case Sports, maybe I will meet you there!! |
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Post by careful2invest on Feb 14, 2017 22:07:21 GMT -5
Every diabetic that a friend and I convinced to request Afrezza was turned down by the doctor; if doctors are not on-board no amount of consumer advertising is going to increase scripts. Thats when the patient steps up and does not give up until they find a doc that will prescribe AFREZZA. That, or find the nearest VDEX location. Apparently, the benefits of AFREZZA are well worth the extra effort for a longer and better quality of life! GLTA TRUE LONGS! |
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Post by careful2invest on Feb 14, 2017 21:59:21 GMT -5
Many doctors have NEVER been visited by an Afrezza rep, so it will be interesting to see what happens and how quickly. What I think is that DTC ads would result in an immediate jump in script counts due to patient demand. Has anybody yet to talk to a friend, relative or acquaintance that has even heard of Afrezza?Clinic visits by our new sales force may result in a jump, too, but I would think that growth would be more modest. I have not yet found 1 person who has heard of Afrezza or Mannkind (with many attempts at inquiries). I totally agree with your thinking, MN, about DTC helping demand. Hopefully, DTC, Doctor Visits from the new sales force, Clinics, etc., all that advertisement and word of mouth hitting at around the same time will be enough to stir the pot and get sales going. I still truly believe that Mike knows what he is doing, and has everything under control. Very exciting times. "I have not yet found 1 person who has heard of Afrezza or Mannkind (with many attempts at inquiries). Same here! And I have been talking about AFREZZA for over 7 years! Not ONE! My kids are tired of hearing me talk about AFREZZA and MNKD! I keep telling them that it's going to make it! AFREZZA will one day, become a household name! Please, Mike and Matt, don't make a liar out of me! I personally, am ready for an "epic" turnaround followed by an "embarrassment of riches" GLTA TRUE LONGS! |
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Post by careful2invest on Feb 14, 2017 21:47:30 GMT -5
Mannkind management needs to quit modeling themselves after giant pharma and do things differently. They are making things too difficult the way to create demand for Afrezza is to advertise to consumers. The lazy ass endo's will not drive sales but patients demanding Afrezza will. If I were Mnkd management I would be on the phone to Tom Hanks, Paula Deen, Jay Cutler, Hallie Berry et all begging until I got a spokesperson. Show them the difference it could make in their life and health both now and down the road and they might be glad to praise it. Sure it seems like things can't be that simple but guess what it can. Who really in their right mind would prefer shots or sticks if you can just inhale? Advertising could be videos on You Tube. Picture this Sam Fuld of the Oakland A's standing in the batters box calls time and pulls out dreamboat and inhales steps back into the batters box and smacks a homer. Use you imagination surely we can do better than we are now and the sales force needs a boost and the only way we can do this is advertising. Get that 30 million loan that is available and create demand advertise. I put most of my savings into this and have been in for 7 years now because I believe in the product and yes I'm down a ton but I'm still not out. Please management think outside the box and do things differently. fldave They are; they're not selling. They sure are spending though..10-12M a month. Back when Sanofi was in control and halfway through I was posting on the YMB repeatedly calling for advertising. I indicated that educating the doctors was not going to do much and that it had to be timed properly with advertising to push from both sides. Doctors are way too conservative in general;part of their training. I stated that if the advertising wasnt timed properly there would be a significant lag in momentum and probably stagnation in sales. I cant remember how many times I repeated the same thing here as did many others in remarking about the need for building mass awareness. Now to be fair MNKD has had alot of impediments they have had to work out (spirometry, titration , coverage etc. ) Remember all the way back when Hakan went to France and came back with the excuse that spirometry was holding back acceptance and sales? However, these are all problems that MNKD seems to have not been aware of until they had to figure out what was causing poor sales and lack of retention. They should have been aware of all these problems from the beginning. Seems shareholders have been paying dearly for MNKD's steep learning curve despite the large executive salaries and compensation. I hope they succeed but it appears that alot of very bad management decisions have limited their abilities and put a very large limitation on any funds for advertising. Many mistakes were made, that is in the past, cannot change that, but things are finally in place for success. The "time in range" trials being conducted now is huge! I was so happy to read that! AFREZZA shines in that capacity! Many of us have been asking for advertising for a very long time. But in hindsight, maybe it was best that they did not advertise early and here is why... Think if MNKD would have advertised in the beginning with Sanofi, taking into account spirometry, titration and insurance coverage. None of that was in place or dialed in. Doctors and Patients would have been confused and (at that time) neither MNKD or Sanofi knew enough or had the resources available to address these issues with the amount of volume that they would have probably been coming in, Due to advertising. It could have been a disaster! No doubt, the past three years or so has been no picnic, and the pps is suffering, but I feel like the ship is finally being righted! MNKD learned alot in that time (with Sanofi) and thankfully, due to MNKD's efforts, they have addressed these issues and between MNKD, VDEX, JDRF, etc., a new patient can receive superior direction to adjust to using AFREZZA. The timing for advertising is now! GLTA TRUE LONGS! |
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Post by careful2invest on Feb 12, 2017 16:02:16 GMT -5
All I know, is that for every task for Management, they've failed in its execution (since launch). Every projection I've made, from script counts to things MannKind needs to get done, have ended in disappointment. If you go back to all the conference calls from launch, MannKind just isn't getting done what they say they're going to do. I think we have waisted a lot of time by not advertising Afrezza at the same time Mike was working on insurance. Telling the Endo's has not worked for SNY or for us. Although SNY didn't make it to any doctors that I know. Awareness, insurance and dosing. The Endo's do need to be told we are not off the market. But advertising would do that too. IMO they may just recomend Afrezza if the patient isn't happy. ( If we're lucky ) Tell the patients and it will open up a new word of freedom for them and they will spread the word among themselves. I agree the time has come for advertising, though I think a regional approach would be best, starting with states/regions where payer coverage is highest. That would make it easier for MNKD to work with doctors to convince them to prescribe. There you have it! We can start with a regional approach. We just have to start somewhere! My 95 year old mother (who also invested in MNKD bc of me) was telling one of her friends about AFREZZA. To no ones surprise, her friend had never heard of it. My mother then asked me why, after so long, have there not been any advertisements for AFREZZA? I do not have a good answer for that question. I think to those that do not know what MNKD has gone through since FDA approval,It sounds questionable as to why a company that has (such a great product) and they have never advertised it in almost three years. That alone adds to the skepticism, which does a new brand no favors! It's time to advertise! GLTA TRUE LONGS! |
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Post by careful2invest on Feb 12, 2017 14:48:46 GMT -5
Alfred Manns own words... “take care of the patients and everything else will take care of itself”.
1)How can you take care of patients if the patients have never heard of AFREZZA?
2)How can you take care of patients if the patients doctors have never heard of AFREZZA?
3)How can the doctors take care of patients if the doctors are not assured that AFREZZA (is even here) let alone here to stay?
ONE WORD... ADVERTISING!!!
And please, (to those on this mb) No more excuses about how the lable changes need to happen first.
Or this or that needs to happen first. AFREZZA is impressive enough in its own right without the (extremely important) label changes that are hopefully in our future.
According to Matt, The biggest hurdle with insurance has taken place.
70% of all prescrictions are approved with little or no pre authorization issues. (Words to that effect)
That is more than a large enough percentage to reach success.
There are various ways in which to advertise that do not break the bank.
What can be said now about the benefits of AFREZZA, is more than enough to stimulate interest.
As FDA approves other studies that prove AFREZZA to be superior, those points can be brought to light in future ad's.
IMO, While we have made advancements, WE are still burning daylight.
MNKD has an FDA approved, REVOLUTIONARY treatment for diabetes.
And basically no one has ever heard of it?
It just does not make sense!
Alfred Mann was a genius!
Listen to a genius!!
GLTA TRUE LONGS!
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Post by careful2invest on Feb 12, 2017 14:22:27 GMT -5
All I know, is that for every task for Management, they've failed in its execution (since launch). Every projection I've made, from script counts to things MannKind needs to get done, have ended in disappointment. If you go back to all the conference calls from launch, MannKind just isn't getting done what they say they're going to do. I think we have waisted a lot of time by not advertising Afrezza at the same time Mike was working on insurance. Telling the Endo's has not worked for SNY or for us. Although SNY didn't make it to any doctors that I know. Awareness, insurance and dosing. The Endo's do need to be told we are not off the market. But advertising would do that too. IMO they may just recomend Afrezza if the patient isn't happy. ( If we're lucky ) Tell the patients and it will open up a new word of freedom for them and they will spread the word among themselves. MNKD Management, Alfred Manns own words... “take care of the patients and everything else will take care of itself”. 1)How can you take care of patients if the patients have never heard of AFREZZA? 2)How can you take care of patients if the patients doctors have never heard of AFREZZA? 3)How can the patients doctors be assured that AFREZZA is (even here) let alone here to stay? ONE WORD... ADVERTISING!!! |
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Post by careful2invest on Feb 10, 2017 22:06:48 GMT -5
And my thesis is, there is no rapid turn around here. I can't help but feel that groupthink has taken over a majority of this board. I'll save you the effort. en.wikipedia.org/wiki/GroupthinkBetter yet, it appears quite clearly that you do not hold much faith (if any) in the immediate or ultimate success of AFREZZA. I too, have felt that way about certain prospects along the way. I typically let them go and move on. It may be time and in your best interest to sell your position in MNKD (if you have one) and move on to the next thing on the horizon. Why waste ones time talking down a product or it's management on a mb to others who choose to remain invested in this company (MNKD) No one on this board is convincing me to remain invested in MNKD or any other stock. We're all grown ups here, Right? GLTA TRUE LONGS! |
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Post by careful2invest on Feb 10, 2017 20:42:40 GMT -5
Two reasons... 1) In too deep to sell now. 2) I still believe that AFREZZA is a Revolutionary treatment for Diabetes. Placed in no particular order. GLTA TRUE LONGS! .....and I completely agree with you on point #2. Reason #1 is a fallacy. You still have some value left right? Then why not sell and move those funds into something that offers a return? You will know when/if Mannkind turns around and you can always get back in. I'm not encouraging selling so much as I would like someone to express a plausible argument for holding. In reference to #1, if GM spent $2B dollars developing the best automobile the world has ever seen and no one bought it what would you have? An Edsel! My loss right now is only on paper. If I sell, then the loss is solidified. Timing for reentry into a stock like MNKD is too risky because at any given moment, any positive announcement could move the pps into the stratosphere. (reference Pharmacyclics PCYC) How many stocks have you heard about after they soared? And wished that you would have purchased before hand? After seven years of holding and adding to my position in MNKD, I for one, will not take the chance at this, the ninth inning of the game! And for the record, Ford made the Edsel. Named after Henry Fords son, Edsel Ford. GLTA TRUE LONGS! |
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Post by careful2invest on Feb 10, 2017 20:20:07 GMT -5
Oh my god! There I even spelled it out for you. This board has become completely delusional. Allow me to lay some facts out for you..... 1. The stock faces de-listing and management has put you on notice they may have to execute a reverse split. 2. All efforts to sell product to date have not worked. 3. Believing that some miracle will happen and the share price will magically double and avoid de-listing is very unlikely. Why can't people come to grips with reality instead of creating some delusional theory that good times are just around the corner. There ain't no corner okay? If Mannkind doesn't start to sell product then Afrezza will be gone or at least only hang on in some diminished "niche" manner when someone picks it up for next to nothing. I would like someone to make a serious case for holding at this point. No, not some sort of "I believe and I'm not selling' crap, I would like to hear a plausible case made for continuing to hold Mannkind shares. If you are honest with yourself, do you really believe the share price will go up soon? Two reasons... 1) In too deep to sell now. 2) I still believe that AFREZZA is a Revolutionary treatment for Diabetes. Placed in no particular order. GLTA TRUE LONGS! |
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Post by careful2invest on Feb 10, 2017 1:15:48 GMT -5
Dreamboat wrote...
"FDA is pretty darn restrictive. Go to the Afrezza.com website and look at the page on "outsulin". What is said there is likely right up to the limit of what they feel they can get away with. If they could say any of the other things like you'd wish in an TV advert, why aren't they already doing it on the web page.
Absolutely, they CANNOT use anecdotal patient results as is done with nutritional supplements with "your results may differ". Clinical benefits can only be stated if proven to be statistically significant in an FDA approved trial.
When it comes to FDA approved drugs, simply watch the TV commercials that run day and night. The lack of the things you are hoping to see for Afrezza isn't because they have bad ad agencies that are less creative than you are... it is because they are constrained by FDA."
End of quote.
Dreamboat, Just for the record, I do not claim to have a talent for creative advertising.
Nor do I claim know the rules for advertising an FDA approved drug, so I will ask in a different way...
MNKD has shown the pk graph that I am mentioning in many conference calls and various presentations
even after AFREZZA was approved by the FDA. Right?
So are they are allowed to do that?
My answer to that is yes, but am I wrong?
If so, what is the difference between making that claim in front of a group of people from various walks of life in a
seminar or doing the same in an ad?
MNKD includes this same information on a webcast that is available for public access at any given time for their consumption.
How is that not in violation of FDA Law, (as you are telling me) if making the identical claim in an ad for public consumption is in violation?
I am not trying to be a smart ass, it just does not make sense!
You pose the question " why aren't they already doing it on the web page"
I have watched the webcasts with the slides displying the pk graph generated from MNKD CORP web page under "webcasts" and from the "news and events" sections on the actual MNKD CORP website.
In addition, there are many aspects of social media that could help grow the market for AFREZZA.
MNKD should be exploiting all of them.
As well as spending the appropriate amount of money to efficiently and effectively promote AFREZZA.
Doesn't it seem odd to you that a drug as "life changing" (according to the head of the JDRF and many others)
and Revolutionary as AFREZZA actually is, that two plus years after an FDA approval, nearly everyone that you may mention AFREZZA to, has never even heard of it?
It just does not add up!
That needs to change!
GLTA TRUE LONGS!
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Post by careful2invest on Feb 9, 2017 21:42:44 GMT -5
AFREZZA's performance is second only to the function of a healthy human pancreas.No other drug can make that claim!
Add to that, Non diabetic A1C's !!MannKind can't make those claims either, because of the FDA. Why is that so hard to understand? Ny lefty and agedhippi... There is a pharmacokinetics graph floating around (that I'm sure that you have all seen) that shows in one color how insulin is naturally released in a healthy non diabetic human. In a different color on the same graph, it shows the performance of AFREZZA. That graph alone displays how closely that AFREZZA works nearly duplicating the release of insulin in a healthy person. MNKD has shown that graph in conference calls and in several presentations. What other drug can come closer to duplicating a healthy pancreas than AFREZZA. There is scientific proof behind that study. That graph alone sells the product to anyone with half of a clue. You are telling me that MNKD is allowed to show that in a demonstration to the masses but is not allowed to make that same claim in an advertisement?? That just does not make sense! If MNKD cannot, there has to be some other way to get the word out! In addition, You are stating that MNKD cannot say that "we have had patients that have been using our product that are experiencing non diabetic A1C's after using AFREZZA" in the same manner as you would expose any negative possible side effect?? Like Weight loss, weight gain, rash etc..) Along with the disclaimer that " your results may differ" Something can and has to be done to let the world know about AFREZZA! There has always been an excuse as to why there has not been any promotion of AFREZZA. First, it was a "slow launch" and we all took the bait, (me included) then it was "we are restricted by Sanofi" (which may have been true) Now, it's basically being said by a few on this board ( that may be correct) that "we are restricted by the FDA" As everyone knows, we must adhere to FDA guidelines, but are you absolutely certain about these points? I will be doing my own DD to look into this further and I am asking others to do so. Because to me...It just does not add up! The "silence" ever since the FDA approval has been unnatural for a Revolutionary "life changing" Drug that is AFREZZA! GLTA TRUE LONGS! |
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Post by careful2invest on Feb 9, 2017 16:50:36 GMT -5
Probably because it does not require a billion dollar tab for FDA testing. OOG The FDA costs are behind us. And they came up with the cash to fight through 2 CRL'S and a botched partnership with Sanofi. With the ball (AFREZZA) at the one yard line, the hardest and most expensive portion is behind us. Lets get this done. And not at the cost of the retail investor. We have suffered enough! Certainly the MANN Foundation does not and will not go this far only to ultimately fail, or potentially fail! Pony up whatever the cost could be for a effective advertising promotion. Once enough people are successfully using AFREZZA, it will sell itself. But not if no one knows about it! Due to the efforts of Mike C and the MNKD team, The initial bugs have been worked out with insurance issues and proper titration, Just let the world know that AFREZZA exists! And the multiple benefits of implimenting it to battle Diabetes.
AFREZZA's performance is second only to the function of a healthy human pancreas.No other drug can make that claim!
Add to that, Non diabetic A1C's !!Those statements alone can and will spark interest in AFREZZA. But not if you keep it a secret! Two plus years after approval, and still no active sales promotion?? It just does not make sense! Come on MNKD! |
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