FWIW
What We Learned From The MNKD Presentation
There were several things that investors learned from the MNKD presentation...
Afrezza Advertising – First and foremost, MannKind stated the obvious by saying that Afrezza was off to a relatively rough start. However, they still believe that the inhaled insulin is going to be a blockbuster as consumer awareness improves. Sanofi is in charge of commercialization and MannKind is expecting to see more relatively soon. They explained that the direct to consumer campaign is under way and we will soon see a big push in online and magazine advertising for Afrezza.
Afrezza Regulation – Afrezza has only been approved in the United States. However, MNKD is working with regulatory agencies in Asia and Europe to get the inhaled insulin approved in these regions as well. The company is expecting to release more updates with regard to regulatory approval abroad next year.
Technosphere – If you've read any of my past MNKD articles, you know that I look at MannKind as a company far beyond Afrezza. Sure, Afrezza is the only approved treatment MNKD has on the market, but it's not going to be the last. During the presentation MannKind announced that they are working on other indications for technosphere. They believe that this technology has fundamental advantages in the medical space. More specifically, the company is working on a treatment for pulmonary hypertension indications. While there was a mention of other indications, the presentation wasn't clear as to what the other indications might be.
Financial – In the presentation MNKD also touched on their finances, an area that proved to be a major area of question for investors. However, in the presentation, we learned that MannKind is working to eliminate unnecessary functions and is now burning cash at a slower rate. They also explained that milestones are coming. While the presenter wasn't at liberty to disclose much information with regard to these milestones, it was announced that a $50 million milestone has been met and that a $25 million milestone is likely soon to come.
