Category Archives: Insulin Delivery

Novo To Layoff 250 US Workers

Novo Nordisk is reportedly cutting 250 US-based jobs. The most recent round of layoffs appears to be part of the June 7 report that Novo was considering cutting 3000 jobs. Recall, on September 18, the company also announced plans to restructure its global R&D organization which included cutting 400 R&D jobs. Below, FENIX provides known details of the US job cuts and an updated headwinds/tailwinds analysis for the ongoing Novo personnel reductions.

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Tandem to Pioneer iPump Regulatory Pathway; Shares Close to $50

Tandem hosted its 2018 Institutional Investor & Analyst Day as well as announcing an increase to its 2018 sales guidance. Of note, Tandem disclosed plans to create a new pump category called iPump (via the de novo regulatory pathway), interoperable insulin delivery algorithms, and plans to accelerate development of its t:sport pump. Below, FENIX provides highlights from the investor event with insight into the potential market impact of Tandem’s pipeline, including how iPump could work for Medtronic.

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Dance Biopharm Raises $24.5M for Inhaled Insulin Development

Dance Biopharm announced it has raised $24.5M in private equity financing to help support the development of its inhalable insulin, Dance 501. According to the press release, Dance Biopharm plans to initiate Ph3 studies in 2019. Below, FENIX provides thoughts on Dance 501 including potential read through from Afrezza.

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Novo Cuts 400 Jobs in Denmark/China and Confirms Shift in R&D Strategy

Novo Nordisk announced plans to restructure its R&D organization which includes cutting 400 R&D jobs in Denmark and China. Novo is also establishing a new BD unit in Cambridge, MA to help facilitate additional R&D collaborations. This news comes as no surprise and is consistent with FENIX’s previous insight regarding Novo’s shift in R&D strategy as evidenced by 7 external R&D collaborations/acquisitions thus far in 2018. Below, FENIX provides thoughts on Novo’s new R&D strategy.

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Beta Bionics Raises $50M, but No Lilly Investment

Beta Bionics announced it has secured $50M thus far in a Series B round. Interestingly, the press release states Novo has participated in the Series B, but there was no mention of Lilly. Recall, Both Novo and Lilly previously invested $5M each in the Series A financing. Zealand also committed $5M to the Series B fresh off its $205M cash injection from the sale of Soliqua/Lyxumia royalties. Below, FENIX provides thoughts on the Beta Bionics financing including Lilly’s apparent decision to refrain from further investment.

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Sanofi Restructures GBUs; Stefan Oelrich Moves to Bayer

Less than 3 years after reorganizing the company into 5 Global Business Units (GBUs), Sanofi is once again restructuring the organization. Now, Sanofi is creating Primary Care and China & Emerging Markets GBUs, which will replace the Diabetes and Cardiovascular (DCV) and General Medicines & Emerging Markets (GEM) GBUs. As part of the transition, Stefan Oelrich, head of the DCV business, is leaving Sanofi to join Bayer’s Board of Management and lead its Pharmaceuticals Division. The transition is set to take effect by the beginning of 2019. Below, FENIX provides thoughts Sanofi’s reorganization with insight on the potential impact on its diabetes business.

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Insulet CEO Succession

Insulet announced that as of January 1, 2019, Shacey Petrovic (pictured below) will succeed Patrick Sullivan as Insulet’s CEO. For the last two years, Petrovic has served as the company’s President and Chief Operating Officer. Below, FENIX provides thoughts on the CEO succession and impact to Insulet moving forward.

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Livongo-Abbott Integration with Libre Pro

Livongo announced a partnership with Abbott to integrate the FreeStyle Libre Pro into the Livongo for Diabetes program. The integration with a professional (retrospective) CGM makes sense given Livongo’s focus on patient education and behavior-based treatment. Below, FENIX provides a unique perspective that the Abbott partnership could signal a limitation in Livongo’s diabetes solution.

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Sanofi DCV CMO Leaves

Riccardo Perfetti (pictured below), Sanofi’s VP Medical Affairs and Head of the DCV Global Medical Team, has reportedly left Sanofi to serve as the CMO of Applied Therapeutics. Perfetti had been with Sanofi since October 2007.

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Medtronic Guardian Sensor 3 CGM Now Integrated with 630G

Medtronic has started notifying HCPs that its 630G sensor augmented pump (SAP) with low glucose suspend is now available with the Guardian Sensor 3 CGM. This is the same sensor that is being used with the 670G hybrid closed-loop as well as the standalone Guardian Connect CGM system. Medtronic did not issue a press release on the new 630G/Guardian Sensor 3 integration. Below, FENIX provides observations and thoughts on the upgraded sensor integration.

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