SHL Medical discusses the evolution of drug formulations and how it’s supporting cartridge-based subcutaneous drug delivery in redefining the field of patient self-injection.
Key highlights:
- The growth of autoinjectors is down to their ease of use, they can be designed into two- or three-step self-injection devices that do not expose the user to the needle.
- A mechanism called Needle Isolation Technology (NIT) has been developed to address the challenges associated with cartridge-based injection systems.
- Treatments in the oncology area have also been exploring the subcutaneous route through enzyme-assisted drug formulations, further opening the possibility for cartridge-based autoinjector combination product development.
In the past decade, notable advancements in formulation science facilitating better delivery of subcutaneous injections have resulted in several defining moments within the space of parenteral drug delivery. For example, a second-generation GLP-1 receptor agonist suspension drug was approved in 2017 in a cartridge-based autoinjector to offer its patients a more convenient injection experience. And in 2020, the industry saw the regulatory approval of a 2.0 mL autoinjector format of a breakthrough biologic therapy for atopic disorders, a first in the self-injection space.