|
Post by mannmade on Sept 12, 2016 18:58:30 GMT -5
Alphabet and Sanofi in $500 million diabetes joint venture REUTERS SEPTEMBER 12, 2016 1:54 AM TAGS: ALPHABET, ALPHABET-INC, FUNDING DAILY, GOOGLE, SANOFI, VERILY A logo is seen in front of the entrance at the headquarters French drugmaker Sanofi in Paris October 30, 2014. Above: A logo is seen in front of the entrance at the headquarters French drugmaker Sanofi in Paris October 30, 2014. Image Credit: REUTERS/Christian Hartmann/File Photo PARIS (Reuters) — French drugmaker Sanofi and Google owner Alphabet’s life sciences firm Verily are to invest about $500 million in a diabetes joint venture combining devices with services, an example of growing ties between the pharma and tech sectors.
Sanofi, which made the announcement on Monday, said last year it was working on a partnership with Google in diabetes.
“The company will leverage Verily’s experience in miniaturized electronics, analytics, and consumer software development, with Sanofi’s clinical expertise and experience in bringing innovative treatments to people living with diabetes,” the two companies said in a statement on Monday.
The Sanofi deal comes just after a month after British drugmaker GlaxoSmithKline and U.S.-based Verily – formerly Google Life Sciences – created a new company focused on fighting diseases by targeting electrical signals in the body, jump-starting a novel field of medicine called bioelectronics.
Nearly 400 million people worldwide have diabetes, with the type 2 version accounting for more than 90 percent of cases. Without proper treatment or lifestyle changes, those numbers are expected to grow substantially in the coming years.
The JV, called Onduo, “will initially focus on the type 2 diabetes community, specifically on developing solutions that could help people make better decisions about their day-to-day health, ranging from improved medication management to improved habits and goals,” Sanofi and Verily said.
A spokeswoman for Sanofi said products on sale would include connected objects such as insulin pens and online services.
She said Sanofi had invested $248 million in the joint venture, in which the French group controls a 50 percent stake.
The French group is working hard to revive declining sales in its diabetes division, hurt by sustained pricing pressure in the United States, the world’s largest health market.
(Reporting by Matthias Blamont and Andrew Callus; Editing by Greg Mahlich and Geert De Clercq)
|
|
|
Post by mannmade on Sept 12, 2016 18:49:13 GMT -5
Also coincides with all of the recent FUD articles that have been published.
|
|
|
Post by mannmade on Sept 12, 2016 18:41:55 GMT -5
One interesting fact from the presentation for me was that 172 doctors wrote their first prescription of Afrezza in the past 13 weeks. With the current NRX/TRX counts that means each one of these doctors only has 1-2 patients on Afrezza. The tremendous opportunity is to get these doctors to prescribe Afrezza to a larger share of their patients. Just imagine if we can get to 5 patients per doctor and beyond. Once they write one prescription, i would assume they are more likely to prescribe from that point forward. The key is to get their patients to continue on Afrezza. Hopefully, the patients are participating in programs to help them titrate and become comfortable with using Afrezza. And the doctors and their medical staff...
|
|
|
Post by mannmade on Sept 12, 2016 14:44:07 GMT -5
If MannKind wanted to sell at 1.25 a share...
|
|
|
Post by mannmade on Sept 12, 2016 13:56:13 GMT -5
Most broadcasts are local teams until the playoffs so likely tied to playoffs and whatever association MLB has with diabetes.
Could be for late September thru October which is month before November which is National Diabetes Month. My guess is that it is not broadcast TV nor likely cable as 3m is more likely something for digital or placement at the park's for the playoffs.
One game on broadcast TV would reach more than 3m during the playoffs.
|
|
|
Post by mannmade on Sept 12, 2016 13:47:30 GMT -5
DBC, I also was thinking the same way and also do not know the repercussions of taking an epi dose. what is the outcome if you are not experiencing an attack but think you are and still take an epi dose. can it be lethal or did you just "waste" a dose and now you have to buy another one? Matt specifically said in the cc no harm if taken and not needed.
|
|
|
Post by mannmade on Sept 11, 2016 11:55:34 GMT -5
It simply may not have been on their radar. It coincides with the response I got when discussing AFREZZa with a new diabetologist. She had an article saying that AFREZZA actually caused more hypo events. I have sent a note to mike about both of these events.
|
|
|
Post by mannmade on Sept 9, 2016 18:41:15 GMT -5
Justice... Now there's a concept...
|
|
|
Post by mannmade on Sept 8, 2016 13:47:54 GMT -5
Intensive type 2 diabetes treatment can extend survival: study September 8, 2016 by Serena Gordon, Healthday Reporter Intensive type 2 diabetes treatment can extend survival: study (HealthDay)—Intensive management of type 2 diabetes can make a difference in how long and how well you live, even if you don't start until middle age, researchers report.
People who were already at risk of type 2 diabetes complications were randomly selected to continue with their normal treatment or to be placed in an aggressive and multipronged treatment group. Two decades after the study began, the researchers found that people in the aggressive treatment group lived almost eight years longer. Not only that, they lived better—their risk of heart disease, kidney disease and blindness all dropped. The only complication that didn't seem to improve was nerve damage caused by diabetes. "Early, intensified intervention in type 2 diabetes patients with microalbuminuria with both target-driven pharmacological (medication) and behavioral actions increased life span. And, that extra life length is free from severe and feared complications," said study senior author Dr. Oluf Pedersen. He's a specialist in internal medicine and endocrinology for the Novo Nordisk Foundation Center for Basic Metabolic Research at the University of Copenhagen in Denmark. Microalbuminuria is the presence of small amounts of protein in the urine. It's a signal the kidneys aren't working properly and the first sign of diabetic kidney damage, according to the American Diabetes Association. Someone with microalbuminuria is at risk of developing other diabetes complications, because it's a marker for generalized blood vessel damage, Pedersen explained. The new study included 160 Danish people who had type 2 diabetes and microalbuminuria. Their average age was about 55 when the study began in 1993. All were overweight, bordering on obese, according to the study. Pedersen said the goal of the intensive treatment was to address all known modifiable risk factors for complications or early death. Those factors include blood sugar, blood pressure, cholesterol and triglycerides, and the risk of blood clots. When appropriate, medications such as cholesterol-lowering statins or blood pressure drugs were prescribed.
Behavior modification was also a big part of the intensive treatment. Study volunteers were instructed on how to make healthy diet and exercise changes, and they were given help to quit smoking. They were treated at the Steno Diabetes Center in Copenhagen for almost eight years. "They were constantly educated and motivated," Pedersen said. All of that motivation paid off. The participants' blood pressure went down. Good cholesterol rose, while bad cholesterol and triglycerides went down. Not surprisingly, blood sugar levels also dropped. After slightly more than two decades, 38 people had died in the intensive treatment group, compared to 55 in the conventional therapy group. In addition to longer survival, the intensive group had an average eight-year delay in the onset of heart disease or stroke, Pedersen said. The benefits were so clear after the intensive treatment officially ended that both groups were offered continued intensive treatment if they wanted it, Pedersen said. Dr. Joel Zonszein is director of the Clinical Diabetes Center at Montefiore Medical Center in New York City. "These results are impressive, and the message is important. Physicians are not being aggressive enough, and aren't treating to targets at the beginning," he said. "If you look at all the factors they (the Danish researchers) treated, about 80 percent of the U.S. population isn't treated correctly, according to national surveys," said Zonszein, who wasn't involved with the study. Zonszein added that another researcher did a sub-analysis from this data to see which factor made the most difference. "It was mostly giving statins that made a difference," he noted. And that's good news, since statins are available in generic form, making them affordable for most people, he said. But it's not clear if the study results would be as impressive if done in an American population, Zonszein said. "There would definitely be an improvement with intensive treatment, but the population here is very diverse, and would lead to different results," he said. The study was published recently in the journal Diabetologia. Explore further: Tight blood sugar control doesn't prevent strokes in diabetics More information: Learn more about managing type 2 diabetes from the American Diabetes Association.
|
|
|
Post by mannmade on Sept 7, 2016 13:26:26 GMT -5
We can debate all of this all day long and then some... as the story of Mnkd is one big Onion. So instead of crying about my situation I try to look at what is real and what the future may realistically hold in my opinion of the then current snapshot... For the current snapshot of Mnkd, I choose to hold. Waiting on what I do believe will be more dilution this year. Then pending the terms and whether or not money is off the table for a year or so and scripts are steadily rising (does not have to be spectacular) I will likely buy more. Also I will take a very serious look at options (calls and leaps) This is my personal strategy and am not advising anyone else to follow.
I made the bed I am lying in and now I can either stay in bed and hide or I can get up and think about what I can do to help right this ship... Or else it is time to jump off and swim to shore... Personally I choose to stay on board and help figure out what I can do to turn the ship around.
We all know someone connected to this issue in some way, whether they are diabetic, a doctor, works at a hospital, etc... Mnkd has become sort of a second job for me as I "volunteer" my time wherever I can. As Sports recently told me she carries a dreamboat with her wherever she goes. Now this may not be for everyone and I totally get that as it takes a certain personality to reach out to people and talk to them about AFREZZA without putting them off. Also you need to make sure you are talking to a "qualified lead," in other words, someone who can actually move the needle no matter how small a move. Such as one new patient, or a nurse who can get you time with a doctor or nurse practitioner, local news outlet, etc...
It's not easy and it takes a lot of time... But so does writing about how we have been wronged. I do get that people are justifiably upset but what good does it do other than work to increase negative energy. Either you truly believe you are doing this for the right reasons even if the sole reason is for profit, or you don't. If you don't then it just may time to head to shore...
Apologies in advance if this seems a bit preachy. My intent is to encourage a constructive conversation about what can be done to help right the situation in a positive and realistic way...
|
|
|
Post by mannmade on Sept 6, 2016 20:51:12 GMT -5
Fyi...my doctor friend will prescribe afrezza off label. Also says mnkd cares is working great. Just writes prescription and hands off to mnkd cares. They do the rest...Samples, insurance, questions, and following up. saxcmann, really good to hear your story. As it backs up Spiro's account which is important to know as it confirms the consistency of their service and that Spiro was not a one off or that their service is uneven for patients. Al said it best... For me there are four issues that kept retention low as follows: 1. Spirometry 2. Ins 3. Poor understanding of titration and use 4. Doctor education and understanding of real world benefits It appears that 1 & 2 have now been dealt with in a meaningful way. If we can now just get a handle on 3 & 4, (which I am confident Mnkd is doing but I just don't have clear evidence to that effect yet) then Mnkd would really be on their way to success... They seem to have a plan and seem to be executing it.
|
|
|
Post by mannmade on Sept 6, 2016 15:45:14 GMT -5
this is off topic; but. Wouldn't it be great if what we know could be condensed into a reader's digest presentation addressed to Endo's? The reps have got a presentation. I think it would be great if the patients had presentation information too. Most of us aren't scientists. It would be welcomed when a patient wants to make their case based in the language with answers which might address the physician's reluctance. Just a thought. If there were a doc like that I'd print it out and bring it with me to support the argument: why afrezza. For me it would start off with Metformin. ... sorry for the slight deviation of the topic. Might be good to include in a section on AFREZZAjustbreathe as a quick reference tool. Sort of an AFREZZA for dummies...
|
|
|
Post by mannmade on Sept 6, 2016 15:44:01 GMT -5
I will ask her for the names I know one is in NYC as she is in Princeton.
|
|
|
Post by mannmade on Sept 6, 2016 15:37:38 GMT -5
You may have a point, but we would need a forensic audit to know... As it could be what we call in the entertainment business " fuzzy math"... Many law suits by producers and talent who made deals for back end participation and did not receive it on major revenue films have been won in the entertainment business because of the "fuzzy math" based on marketing expenses and allocations that allowed no profits to be shown.
|
|
|
Post by mannmade on Sept 6, 2016 14:47:57 GMT -5
In answer to your question, from my personal experience, as I have had this occur while spending the last six months trying to help the mother of a 15 yr old athlete get a script for AFREZZA, most doctors actually don't even want new patients as they have very little time as it is if they are in an established practice. In addition they don't want to prescribe a script for a med they may or may not be familiar with to a patient that is someone who will be a one-off for whom they have no patient history. From a doctor's pov all they get out of it is the potential liability should something go wrong. Btw, just this last week she found two docs willing to prescribe a script for her son off the doctor finder.
|
|