MannKind Sees Early ReadyFlow Demand as Pediatric Afrezza Launch Gains Momentum

FUROSCIX ReadyFlow is showing early demand: Physicians have submitted coverage requests at several times the prior on-body infuser rate, with interest expanding to new prescribers in cardiology and nephrology. Afrezza’s pediatric launch is gaining traction: The approval for patients ages six and older targets a concentrated network of pediatric endocrinologists, while a $35 bridge program helps patients access the drug before insurance coverage begins. MNKD-201 is advancing toward Phase 2: The 153-patient IPF trial will test two doses against placebo, with data expected in the first half of 2028; MannKind reported encouraging tolerability in Phase 1b.

MannKind NASDAQ: MNKD CFO Chris Prentiss outlined the company’s commercial and development priorities at the H.C. Wainwright Global Investment Conference, emphasizing execution following three major 2026 catalysts: expanded pediatric approval for Afrezza, the launch of FUROSCIX ReadyFlow, and Phase 1b data for MNKD-201 in idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis, or IPF. Prentiss said the company is now focused on translating those developments into product sales growth while advancing its pipeline. “2026 was a huge investment year for us,” he said. Over the next 12 to 24 months, investors will be looking for sales trends for Afrezza and FUROSCIX, as well as timelines for additional clinical data from MNKD-201, he added.

MannKind acquired scPharmaceuticals last year, adding FUROSCIX, a furosemide product initially delivered through an on-body infuser. The company recently received approval for ReadyFlow, an autoinjector formulation of FUROSCIX, which Prentiss said began dispensing to patients during the week of the conference. According to Prentiss, physicians have submitted cost and coverage requests for ReadyFlow at several times the run rate previously seen for the on-body infuser. He said the activity suggests physicians are aware of the new formulation and interested in using it with patients. The company is monitoring whether current FUROSCIX prescribers shift to ReadyFlow and identify a broader set of appropriate patients. Prentiss said the on-body infuser was viewed by some physicians as a more complicated device appropriate for a narrower patient population. ReadyFlow could reduce that barrier, he said. He added that MannKind has seen prescriptions from physicians who had not previously prescribed the on-body infuser, including in cardiology and nephrology. The company expects to make ReadyFlow available later in the integrated delivery network, or IDN, setting. Prentiss described adoption in hospitals and IDNs as a longer sales-cycle opportunity. While hospitals understand the potential role of ReadyFlow in earlier-discharge protocols and reducing readmissions, each organization has its own operational requirements, he said. MannKind is developing real-world evidence initiatives for ReadyFlow and expects to provide more detail as the year concludes.

Afrezza, MannKind’s inhaled insulin product, was originally approved in 2014. The company recently received approval for use in patients aged six and older, opening a pediatric indication. Prentiss said early feedback from the pediatric launch has been encouraging, with enthusiasm that differs from the company’s experience in adults. He attributed part of that opportunity to the concentration of pediatric endocrinologists, noting that approximately 80% of the specialty represents fewer than 1,000 physicians and that most are located at roughly 50 academic centers. About half of the physicians at those cen...