Craig Millian
Analyst · RBC. Your line is now live
Thank you, Yuval and good morning. I would like to take a few minutes to highlight the progress we’re making in preparing for the successful launch of lenabasum. As we prepare for upcoming data, we are building best-in-class commercial capabilities that will give us maximum flexibility to commercialize ourselves or partner out specific geographies, such as Asia.At this point in pre-launch planning, we are focused on three critical elements to ensure success: first, building our commercial leadership team and capabilities; second, establishing a strong foundation of deep market insights; and third, communicating a compelling and concise narrative that will provide an appropriate scientific context ahead of a potential regulatory approval. We are continuing to build an experienced, lean, cross-functional team that will drive a successful lenabasum launch. Over the past 6 months, Corbus has hired key leaders for marketing, supply chain and medical affairs. And in September, we hired Keith White as our Vice President of Market Access. Keith most recently served as VP of Market Access and Pricing at Intercept Pharmaceuticals, where he led global managed access functions for the launch and commercialization of OCALIVA in PBC. Keith is already digging into health economics, value and pricing, payer engagement and distribution channel strategies.Next, we recently completed in-depth patient journey research. Blinded interviews were completed with systemic sclerosis patients and with academic and community-based rheumatologists. They told us about the devastating impact of this disease on patients’ lives and their frustration regarding the lack of treatment options that alter the course of the disease, but there was acknowledgment that there are a limited number of available treatments, usually immunosuppressants or others selected based on specific organ involvement. There was consensus that there are no therapies that address the totality of this disease. These insights will be foundational to developing our go-to-market strategies, product positioning, value proposition and market segmentation.Not surprisingly, when we shared the blinded target efficacy and safety private profile for lenabasum, there was considerable interest and enthusiasm from both patients and physicians. Armed with these insights, we are now finalizing an unbranded disease education campaign that will give voice to the unmet need for new treatments in systemic sclerosis. This will begin a dialogue around new scientific approaches, including ECS, to address the totality of this devastating disease. This disease education campaign will start in Q1 2020, in conjunction with an increased presence at medical conferences and engagement with thought leaders. In addition to systemic sclerosis, we have been preparing for lenabasum’s potential opportunity in cystic fibrosis. As such, we have conducted market research with pulmonologists from CF treatment centers. We’ve just come back from the North American Cystic Fibrosis Annual Meeting, where recent advances in CF treatment were celebrated. Conversations with experts at this meeting, combined with the recently completed market research, affirm that there remains a need for new anti-inflammatory treatments, particularly for patients with established lung disease who continue to exacerbate.To sum up, our market research reinforces the opportunity we have within these first 2 indications. We are ensuring strong execution around commercial launch fundamentals, and I look forward to engaging with you further in the coming months as we advance our commercial capabilities and prepare for launch.With that, I will turn the call back over to Yuval.