MannKind hosted its Q2 ’20 earnings call (press release) and provided updates to its business, particularly around how the company is continuing to cope with the COVID-19 pandemic. Importantly, MannKind disclosed the company’s CMO, David Kendall, will be leaving the company. Below, FENIX provides highlights and insights from the call.
A series of diabetes-related news items have been observed: Livongo and Teladoc Health announced they have entered into a definitive merger agreement; Eko announced it entered into a global partnership with AstraZeneca for a heart failure diagnostic tool; ViaCyte and Gore announced an agreement to further develop ViaCyte’s Encaptra Cell Delivery System to facilitate stem cell-derived islet replacement (press release); and Teva hosted its Q2 ’20 earnings call (press release; slides). Below, FENIX provides highlights for the respective news items including thoughts on the Livongo+Teladoc merger and insight into the AZ diagnostic partnership as a lead generation tool for Farxiga.
Two diabetes-related news items have been observed: Merck announced it has entered into an exclusive licensing agreement with Hanmi for the development and commercialization of efinopegdutide, a QW GLP-1/glucagon dual agonist for the treatment of NASH (formerly HM12425A and JNJ-64565111) and Lupin received tentative FDA approval for its generic empagliflozin (view article). Below, FENIX provides thoughts on why Merck has Janssen and Novo to thank for the favorable deal terms.
A CT.gov record has recently been observed for a Lilly-sponsored trial evaluating the user experience of its “integrated insulin management” system (IIM) in both T1DM and T2DM adult patients. According to the CT.gov record, the IIM system is comprised of lispro and/or glargine pens, a mobile medical application (MMA), a BLE insulin data transmission (IDT) module, and a commercially available BLE-enabled BGM. Below, FENIX provides an overview of the trial as well as thoughts on how it could indicate Lilly is further behind in its connected pen ecosystem development than originally thought.
Merck hosted its Q2 ’20 earnings call (press release; slides) but did not provide any update to its diabetes business beyond the financial performance of its Januvia and Steglatro franchises. Unsurprisingly, much of the call was focused on the company’s COVID-19 vaccine development and oncology portfolio. Below, FENIX provides diabetes-related financial highlights and insights from the call.
Tandem Diabetes Care hosted its Q2 ’20 earnings call (press release) and provided updates to key commercial and clinical activities including its curious partnership with Medtronic (previous FENIX insight), t:connect app launch, partnership with Abbott, and more. Below, FENIX provides highlights and insights from the call.
On Wednesday, July 29, BMS and bluebird bio announced (press release) the resubmission of their BLA application for ide-cel (bb2121) to the FDA. According to the press release, the submission provides further details on the CMC module, addressing the additional regulatory information requested by the FDA in May 2020 (see previous insight). Below, Celltelligence provides additional thoughts on ide-cel’s potential approval, and the possible benefit a delayed ide-cel launch could have for Janssen.
Lilly (press release; slides), AstraZeneca (press release; slides), and Lexicon (press release; slides link unavailable) hosted their respective earnings calls. Importantly, BI/Lilly announced positive topline results from the EMPEROR-Reduced outcomes trial in HFrEF patients with and without T2DM, AZ discontinued its small molecule GLP-1RA (MEDI7219), and Lexicon is restructuring its business to shift focus toward R&D. Below, FENIX provides insights into the EMPEROR-Reduced results in the context of the evolving SGLT2i HF market as well as thoughts on how Lexicon’s restructuring could be an indicator for the sotagliflozin CVOT results.
On Friday, July 17, BMS announced (press release) that the EMA has validated BMS’s MAA for lisocabtagene maraleucel (liso-cel). Below, Celltelligence provides thoughts on Liso-cel’s MAA and the potential impact of a Liso-cel approval for Novartis and Gilead (Kite).
Abbott has officially launched its Libre 2 CGM in the US, although the website (view here) has not yet been updated at the time of this publication. Of note, Abbott disclosed the Libre 2 App remains under review by FDA, suggesting the user must purchase the dedicated reader. Below, FENIX provides an excerpt from the Libre 2 launch email as well as brief thoughts on how the lack of a Libre 2 App could impact the initial launch.