Growth of Self-Administration Challenging Drug Delivery

(Amherst, NH) – Advances in medical technology over the past decade have made dealing with disease easier for a growing number of people. Nowhere is this more evident than in the way medication is dispensed and administered. Whether it’s insulin for diabetes, Enbrel for psoriasis, one of a number of interferons for multiple sclerosis, or a fentanyl patch for pain management, self administration of prescription drugs is a lot simpler and safer than it used to be. And this migration toward self medication and away from visits to the clinic or caregiver will continue.

This trend is creating both risk and opportunity for drug makers and their device partners. The recent escalation in new biological drugs indicated for chronic ailments is placing renewed emphasis on simple and reliable devices for the self-administration of prescription drugs. These factors are giving rise to a new generation of sophisticated, application-specific drug delivery devices designed to satisfy caregiver and patient preferences while addressing managed care initiatives and the formulation and shelf life limitations of new classes of therapeutic drugs.

User-friendly designs and the availability of an increasing number of drugs in pre-filled devices are propelling acceptance of user friendly combination products at the expense of other drug delivery methods. Because of their ability to safely and reliably satisfy treatment protocols and compliance goals, these new devices will have a significant impact on the future of drug delivery in general and self-administration in particular.

These findings are contained in a new and comprehensive report: Drug Delivery for Self-Administration: Technologies, Combination Products and Pipeline Prospects. The report concludes that therapy-specific drug-device combination products will continue to expand as device designers and drug developers collaborate to create delivery systems that address the specific needs of end users.

More information is available here

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Source: Greystone Associates