Needle-free injection and jet injectors for drug delivery

For a number of technical, economic and strategic reasons, needle-free injection (NFI) remains a niche technology where commercial success continues to be elusive. The pure play drug delivery firms that have attempted to follow a technology-based business model have faired poorly, in large part due to intense competition from competing injection devices such as pen injectors and autoinjectors that stole much of NFI’s perceived advantage. These companies have been acquired, diversified into more commercially viable delivery platforms, and/or been forced to repeatedly restructure and reduce staff to survive. A younger group of companies, mostly private firms that seek to develop NFI products strategically using a product-based model, are faring better. They seek to develop drug-device combination products based on NFI through the clinical trial process. In terms of look and feel, these bundled devices mimic many of the pen and autoinjector achievements, and provide product differentiation that has become critical in the direct-to-consumer marketing era. While light-weight and ergonomic designs that represent the new generation in NFI improve the chances of technology-based NFI business models succeeding commercially, the product model is here to stay.

Publication Date: March 2010

Summary of Contents

Executive Summary

Injectable Drug Delivery Market Dynamics

Biological Drugs Proliferating

The Push for Less Frequent Dosing

Expanding Device Options

Proliferation of Prefilled/Disposable Syringes/Injectors

Strong Upward Trend in Key Injectable Therapeutics Markets

The Trend toward Self-Administration

Needle-free Injection – Market Drivers and Risk Factors

Market Drivers

NFI and Sharps Legislation

Patient/Consumer Sentiment and Preferences

Drug Protocols and Patient Compliance

Risk Factors

Needle Technology is Improving – Finer Needles = Less Discomfort

Pre-Emptive Marketing - Prefilled Devices and Drug/Device Collaborations

NFI Reliability and Patient Population Variability

Device Cost and Healthcare Economics

Development Costs, Business Models and Capitalization

Needle-free Device Design and Technology Factors

Application

End User/Practitioner Fill Injectors

Prefilled Disposable Models

Refillable Cartridge Designs

Energy Sources

Specialized Designs

Needle-free Injector Markets

Healthcare/Practitioner

Self-Administration

Mass Immunization

Needle-free Device Analysis and Assessment

Single Use Injectors

Cartridge-based Systems

Point-of-Use Fill Models

Needle-free Injection – Therapeutic Sector Assessments & Forecasts

DNA Vaccines

Hormone Replacement

Infectious Disease

Metabolic Disease

Neurology

Oncololgy

Pain Management

Market Factors

Regulatory Issues

Private Labeling

Managed Care and Reimbursement

Needle-free Injection – Company Profiles

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