What exactly is the Technosphere® Platform?

One of the largest organs in your body are the lungs. Picture the size of a full tennis court and that is roughly the surface area of both lungs in a typical adult. Running through those lungs are airways whose total length measures 1,500 miles – that’s the distance between Chicago and Las Vegas, New York to Albuquerque, and Los Angeles to Nashville.

Simply put, the lungs create a wonderful platform for effective drug delivery. MannKind’s Technosphere technology recognizes this and provides the distinct advantage of rapid, deep lung drug delivery. The effect is similar to intravenous delivery (I.V.; within a vein) and has the added benefit of bypassing the liver which can be especially helpful in reducing systemic side effects.

Examining it closer, it helps to look at inhalation, air flow travel, and the exhale. When you breathe in, air is drawn into the lung and flows down curving, narrowing airways that end in the air sacs or alveoli. When air is exhaled, the flow is reversed. Between the end of an inhalation and the start of exhalation, the air in the lung is stationary. To reach the deep lung, inhaled particles must be carried by the air stream and have enough momentum to continue through the stationary air to collide with the lung surface.

Particles that can reach the lung have aerodynamic diameters between 0.5 µm and 5-6 µm (1 µm is 1 micro-meter or about 0.00004 inches). Particles that are larger than 6 µm will leave the air stream and hit the back of your mouth and throat; smaller than 0.5 µm wouldn’t have the ability to reach the lungs and would simply get exhaled.

“The average Technosphere particle is about 2-2.5 µm which is in the middle of the respirable range,” explains Marshall Grant, PhD, MSc, Executive Director, Clinical Pharmacology & Research for MannKind Corporation. “The particle size distribution is a major reason Technosphere powders are highly efficient in delivering drug to the lungs than other dry powder inhalers (DPIs).”

The Technosphere particles in FDA-approved Afrezza® (insulin human) Inhalation Powder and Tyvaso DPI™ (treprostinil) Inhalation Powder are manufactured by different processes and possess different characteristics. But both are made up of small crystals of FDKP (fumaryl diketopiperazine), MannKind’s proprietary molecule. FDKP provides high solubility and fast dissolution at physiologic pH – and more importantly – can crystallize and form particles in the range appropriate for optimum delivery to the lungs.

When Technosphere powder reaches the lung surface, the FDKP and drug dissolve. The FDKP is then rapidly cleared from the lung into systemic circulation. The FDKP is not metabolized, but rather excreted primarily in the urine. Another value of Technosphere powders has been their versatility – they are compatible with a wide range of doses with different types of drugs.

MannKind’s Technosphere powders are delivered into the lung’s airstream via an inhalation device or DPI (dry powder inhaler). The breath-powered inhalers (Dreamboat® being the most common version) provide excellent delivery efficiency and are proven to deliver up to 70% of the dry-powder dose deep into the lungs. Our DPI are designed to be simple, easy to use and discreet. For patients, imagine having a drug in the convenient form of an inhaler that fits in the palm of your hand. This approach allows patients to not only take control of their health but do it while going about their day and enjoying life more humann.

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NTM Lung Disease on the Rise

“I cough every morning upon waking, so I don’t feel rested.” “Imagine not being able to breathe.” “Anxiety ruins everything about you – it’s not a normal life.” “You just exist from day to day and week to week.” These are a sampling of comments about the most bothersome symptoms from living with Nontuberculous Mycobacteria (NTM) shared in a study from NTM Info & Research, Inc. The statements are unfortunately typical and those with NTM often have unpredictable day-to-day health functioning and reduced quality of life.

NTM lung disease is a serious infection that is caused by bacteria that are common in the environment and can cause lung damage. The reality is that we are all exposed to these bacteria in our day-to-day lives – more than 120 species of mycobacteria have been identified. These common bacteria exist in water and soil particles that are in the air, wet places like hot tubs, steamy bathrooms, dishwashers, and even the dewy ground we walk on at the park. But not everyone is at risk of getting NTM lung disease just because they are exposed.

Those predisposed often have underlying conditions such as asthma, COPD, and bronchiectasis, which makes them prone to NTM infection. NTM is not considered to be contagious. Women over the age of 65 make up the majority of those impacted, with a predominance in those of Caucasian and Asian descent.

A rare disease, NTM can often be difficult to diagnose. Many will experience coughing, fatigue, weight loss and shortness of breath – all of which are common with other lung disease symptoms and other conditions like tuberculosis. With NTM, symptoms often worsen, and that is a marker not to be ignored.

It is estimated that some 86,000 individuals are living with NTM lung diseases, and it is on the rise growing 8% each year. Coastal regions including Gulf States have higher rates of infection accounting for 70% of annual NTM cases.

While no cure is available, treatments to manage NTM are available. Treatment for NTM involves antibiotic and multidrug regimens with duration lasting from months to years with tolerability and adverse reactions to treatment which often leads to a lack of adherence to therapy.

There is a valuable need to develop medicines that are well tolerated and effective that lends to consistent patient use and alleviates symptoms of NTM lung disease. MannKind continues to progress MNKD-101 (Clofazimine) for the treatment of NTM.

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Release Details

Alfred Mann Steps Down as Executive Chairman of Mannkind

02/19/16
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VALENCIA, Calif., Feb. 19, 2016 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- MannKind Corporation (NASDAQ:MNKD) (TASE:MNKD) today announced that on February 17, 2016 MannKind received notice from Alfred E. Mann that he was resigning as Executive Chairman and as a board member effective immediately.  On February 18, 2016, the directors of MannKind named Kent Kresa as Chairman of the Board and also named Mr. Mann as Chairman Emeritus of MannKind.  Mr. Mann will continue to advise the Company as an employee in a non-executive capacity. 

"Al founded this company in order to bring his unique flair for medical innovation to the biopharmaceutical space," said Matthew Pfeffer, Chief Executive Officer of MannKind Corporation.  "We are awed by his many accomplishments during a legendary career and are proud to continue Al's decades-long pursuit of addressing the unmet needs of patients with diabetes and other serious illnesses."

"Al is a true visionary and has created a great company with an impressive lead product and powerful technology to help patients with serious diseases," said Kent Kresa, Chairman of MannKind Corporation.  "We have much to do to make his dreams a reality, but we have the people, technology and know-how to make that happen."

Kent Kresa has been a director of MannKind since June 2004 and was named Lead Director in November 2011.  Mr. Kresa is Chairman Emeritus of Northrop Grumman Corporation, having previously served as its Chairman and Chief Executive Officer.  Mr. Kresa also served on the boards of General Motors Company, Avery Dennison Corporation (including as Chairman) and Fluor Corporation. Mr. Kresa has been a member of the Caltech Board of Trustees since 1994, and he also serves on the boards of several non-profit organizations and universities. As a graduate of Massachusetts Institute of Technology, he received a B.S. in 1959, an M.S. in 1961, and an E.A.A. in 1966, all in aeronautics and astronautics.

About MannKind Corporation

MannKind Corporation (Nasdaq:MNKD) (TASE:MNKD) focuses on the discovery and development of therapeutic products for patients with diseases such as diabetes.  MannKind maintains a website at http://www.mannkindcorp.com to which MannKind regularly posts copies of its press releases as well as additional information about MannKind. Interested persons can subscribe on the MannKind website to e-mail alerts that are sent automatically when MannKind issues press releases, files its reports with the Securities and Exchange Commission or posts certain other information to the website.

Forward-Looking Statements

This press release contains forward-looking statements that involve risks and uncertainties, including statements regarding the potential of Afrezza and MannKind's technology platform and MannKind's future development plans.  Words such as "believes," "anticipates," "plans," "expects," "intend," "will," "goal," "potential" and similar expressions are intended to identify forward-looking statements.  These forward-looking statements are based upon MannKind's current expectations.  Actual results and the timing of events could differ materially from those anticipated in such forward-looking statements as a result of these risks and uncertainties, which include, without limitation, MannKind's need and ability to raise additional capital and other risks detailed in MannKind's filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission, including the Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2014 and the Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q for the quarter ended September 30, 2015.  You are cautioned not to place undue reliance on these forward-looking statements, which speak only as of the date of this press release.  All forward-looking statements are qualified in their entirety by this cautionary statement, and MannKind undertakes no obligation to revise or update any forward-looking statements to reflect events or circumstances after the date of this press release.

Company Contact:
Matthew J. Pfeffer
Chief Executive Officer
661-775-5300
mpfeffer@mannkindcorp.com