Greystone
Associates Examines Key Technology and Commercialization Factors
(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.
Source: Greystone Associates
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