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12 August 2014Americas

Sanofi and MannKind strike Afrezza deal

French pharmaceutical company Sanofi and the US-based MannKind Corporation have entered into an exclusive licensing agreement to develop and commercialise MannKind’s Afrezza (insulin human), an inhalable insulin therapy for adults with types 1 and 2 diabetes.

Afrezza is an insulin powder to be taken by diabetics before meals through an inhaler. It was approved by the Food and Drug Administration in June, and has 30 patents listed in the Orange Book. Sanofi and MannKind plan to launch the drug in the US in the first quarter of 2015.

Under the agreement, announced yesterday (August 11), Sanofi will handle global commercial, regulatory and development activities, while MannKind will manufacture the drug at its Connecticut facility. The companies will also collaborate to expand their manufacturing capacity as necessary.

MannKind, which was profiled by LSIPR last year, will receive an upfront payment of $150 million and potential milestone payments of up to $775 million.

MannKind’s chairman and chief executive Alfred Mann said: “We are so very pleased and honoured that Sanofi has joined with MannKind to bring Afrezza to patients with diabetes worldwide.

“Sanofi is the ideal partner given its complementary product portfolio, its vast insulin market presence and a leading global commercial infrastructure. Our profit-sharing agreement aligns the interests of MannKind and Sanofi to optimise development, commercialisation and manufacturing costs.”

Pierre Chancel, senior vice president of Sanofi’s diabetes division, said: “Afrezza is a further addition to our growing portfolio of integrated diabetes solutions. It is uniquely positioned to provide patients with another insulin therapy option to manage their diabetes but does not require multiple daily injections.”