Lilly announced the availability of its new “Lilly Diabetes Solution Center helpline” to assist patients in finding appropriate programs to make insulin treatments more affordable. Below, FENIX provides insights about the new Lilly program in the context of patient need and other savings programs from large insulin manufacturers.
Sanofi and Pfizer hosted their respective Q2 ’18 earnings calls. Sanofi only briefly discussed its diabetes business including continued headwinds for its glargine franchise. Of note, Sanofi has recently updated the name of its efpeglenatide CVOT to “AMPLITUDE-O.” Pfizer did not discuss its Steglatro (ertugliflozin) franchise; however, in the pipeline update, it was noted that PF-06342674 (IL-7 receptor precursor modulator) for the treatment of T1DM has been discontinued. Below are highlights from the respective calls.
Biocon hosted its CY Q2 ’19 (FY Q1 ’19) earnings call and provided an update on its biosimilar glargine development program including the CRL that was issued in early June 2018. Additionally, Merck hosted its Q2 ’18 earnings call and briefly touched on its diabetes business unit. Below, FENIX provides an overview of the calls and insight on Biocon’s glargine CRL.
Lilly hosted its Q2 ’18 earnings call and provided updates on its marketed and pipeline products. Lilly announced three major pipeline updates including advancement of their QW GIP/GLP-1 agonist to Ph3 after meeting a “high bar” in Ph2 trials, filing of nasal glucagon, and discontinuation of their Ph1 GPR142 agonist. Of further interest, President of Lilly Diabetes, Enrique Conterno, indicated the median follow-up for REWIND would be ~5 years (providing an additional ~1 year for Kaplan-Meier curve separation compared to the 3.8-year median follow-up for LEADER).
J&J hosted its Q2 ’18 earnings call and provided brief updates on its diabetes business. Importantly, senior management did not make any comments regarding the early stopping of the CREDENCE study or the delay in the CANVAS/R CV indication. Below are highlights from the Q2 2018 J&J earnings call.
Beta Bionics has initiated (press release) their home-use clinical trial (CT.gov record)of an insulin-only iLet AP system. Additionally, Ed Damiano, Beta Bionic’s CEO, presented at the Friends For Life conference and provided an update on the iLet commercial device. Below, FENIX provides analysis of the iLet study as well as implications to the glucagon market.
With Sanofi and Verily’s recent Sensile Medical partnership for a connected pre-filled patch pump (Sensile website), FENIX has conducted an analysis of Sanofi’s connected care strategy with market, manufacturing, and payer implications. Below, FENIX provides insight into the diabetes connected care landscape in the context of the large insulin manufacturers (Sanofi, Novo, and Lilly).
MannKind hosted an Institutional Investor and Analyst Meeting that was largely focused on providing an overview of the company with the intention of attracting new investors. Of note, senior management disclosed that they have re-initiated itsAfrezza TV DTC campaign. Below, FENIX provides highlights of the event including Afrezza EASD data presentations and Afrezza LCM roadmap as well as thoughts on the future for the Afrezza brand.
21 major press releases featuring new data presented at ADA ’18 were observed across diabetes drugs, devices, and apps, a major increase from 9 on the first day of ADA ‘17. Below, FENIX has provided context and analysis for 14 drug-related announcements, with analysis of device and app-related announcements to follow in a separate alert.
Voluntis and Monarch Medical Technologies have announced a strategic collaborationto integrate Voluntis’s personal T2DM diabetes platform (Insulia) with Monarch’s in-patient insulin titration tools (EndoTool IV and EndoTool SubQ). Below, FENIX provides insight into the collaboration including perspective on competition to Glytec who provides a similar product.