WESTLAKE VILLAGE, Calif. and
INDIANAPOLIS, May 13, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- MannKind Corporation
(Nasdaq: MNKD) is revved up to announce a partnership for the 2021
season with NTT INDYCAR SERIES driver Conor
Daly, who is living with Type 1 diabetes (T1D) and will help
raise awareness about diabetes and innovative management
options. MannKind will also be a primary sponsor for Ed
Carpenter Racing as Daly debuts the No. 20 MannKind Chevrolet at
the May 15th running of
the GMR Grand Prix at Indianapolis Motor Speedway.
"MannKind first met Conor in early 2019, and his ability to rise
above any challenge he's faced really resonates with us," said
Michael Castagna, CEO of MannKind
Corporation. "We are driven to find new ways to give people control
of their health, and Conor exemplifies the very spirit of
MannKind's mission – living life without limits."
Daly was first diagnosed with diabetes at the age of 14, and
today is the only known U.S. professional racing driver who
competes full-time while living with T1D. "I'm excited to work with
MannKind again for the 2021 racing season and I look forward to
sharing my T1D story through this partnership," said Daly. "I can't
wait to get the No. 20 MannKind Chevrolet on the track this
weekend."
The No. 20 MannKind Chevrolet will feature an edgy "Tired of
Pricks?" tagline –a purposeful wordplay designed to draw attention
to NeedleFreeInsulin.com. To highlight the text, the car presents
in a color scheme of magenta and teal which derives from MannKind's
brand palette.
"We're thrilled to introduce this head-turning livery when Conor
represents Ed Carpenter Racing this weekend at the Indianapolis
Motor Speedway," said Alejandro
Galindo, Chief Commercial Officer of MannKind Corporation.
"As part of an extended marketing partnership, we will work closely
with Daly on a series of appearances to stress that living with
diabetes should not stop you from fully living your dreams.
The first event is being planned for the week of Indy 500 in late
May."
Like many professional racers, Daly started regularly competing
in karting at the age of 10. Four years later, he encountered
a hurdle when he found himself heading to the hospital having lost
weight and possessing an insatiable thirst for water. "I
ended up not racing that day, but rather had tests run to learn
what was going on with me," recalled Daly. That answer came
in the form of a Type 1 diabetes diagnosis.
"It came as a surprise, but I knew that this was just another
challenge life was presenting, and I wasn't going to let it slow me
down," said Daly. True to his conviction, less than a week later he
was back racing at the go-kart track and went on to take home the
2006 World Karting Association Grand Nationals title. He progressed
to car racing in 2007, and has continued to thrive in the sport he
loves.
After finding success in both United
States and international open-wheel ladder systems, Daly
made the decision to concentrate solely on American motorsports in
2015. Over the past seven years, he has competed in over 60 Indy
car races. The 2021 NTT INDYCAR SERIES season is Daly's
second with ECR. He will compete for ECR in 14 of 17 events this
year, driving the No. 20 Chevrolet during the road and street
course events. When ECR team owner Ed
Carpenter steps back into the No. 20 for the Indianapolis 500 later this month, Daly will
shift over to the No. 47 U.S. Air Force Chevrolet. Known for a
desire to sharpen his skills by racing in different disciplines,
Daly has recently competed in USAC Midgets, Lamborghini Super
Trofeo North America and NASCAR Camping World Truck Series.
About MannKind Corporation
MannKind Corporation
(Nasdaq: MNKD) focuses on the development and commercialization of
inhaled therapeutic products for patients with endocrine and orphan
lung diseases. MannKind is currently commercializing
Afrezza® (insulin human) Inhalation Powder, the
Company's first FDA-approved product and the only inhaled
ultra-rapid-acting mealtime insulin in the United States, where it is available by
prescription from pharmacies nationwide. Afrezza is also
available by prescription in Brazil, where it is commercialized by the
Company's partner, Biomm SA. MannKind was established in 1991, and
is headquartered in Westlake Village,
Calif. with a manufacturing and R&D facility based in
Danbury, Conn. The Company also employs field sales and
medical representatives across the U.S. Please visit
mannkindcorp.com to learn more.
About Ed Carpenter Racing
Ed Carpenter Racing (ECR)
will be entering its 10th season of NTT INDYCAR SERIES
competition in 2021. The Indianapolis-based race team has proven its
versatility by collecting seven wins across each type of track the
series competes on – street and road courses, short ovals and
speedways. ECR is led by IndyCar's only team owner/driver,
Ed Carpenter, three-time pole winner
for the Indianapolis 500 (2013,
2014 and 2018). In 2021, Indiana
natives Carpenter and Conor Daly
will share the No. 20 Chevrolet as Carpenter drives the oval races
and Daly takes over for the road and street course events. Both
will be entered in the Indianapolis 500 alongside 2020 Rookie of the
Year Rinus VeeKay, full-time driver
of the No. 21 Chevrolet. ECR made its eSports debut in the 2020 iRX
World Championship with Jim Beaver
eSports. More information may be found at
http://www.edcarpenterracing.com/.
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