Drug delivery round-up: News in brief
West launches ConfiDose auto-injector
West has released its ConfiDose disposable auto-injector, which it claims eliminates preparation steps and automates the administration of drugs.
This provides patients with a sterile, single-use delivery system that can be used at home. It consists of a 1ml affixed needle that can be used with either a glass or Daikyo Crystal Zenith syringe.
Upon pressing a button a needle automatically extends to deliver the therapeutic, retracting after the dose has been administered.
When not in use the needle is shielded within the system, preventing the risk of injury and allowing for safe disposal. Hiding the needle also reduces anxiety among users who fear needles, according to West.
Hospira acquires insulin delivery software
Hospira has acquired MD Scientific’s EndoTool business, which markets drug delivery software that monitors the need for insulin and releases the appropriate dose.
EndoTool is approved by the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) for controlling blood glucose levels in acute, critical care and operating room settings.
This replaces traditional paper-based methods that require clinicians to manually monitor and administer insulin intravenously.
EndoTool achieves this by inputting the patient’s latest blood glucose levels into 30 algorithms that calculate the required insulin dose.
Hospira claims that using this system ensures low incidence of hypoglycemia. After trialing the software Dr Phil Smith, chief medical information officer at Adventist Health System said it had: “lowered the average blood sugar in the hospital while we significantly lowered the incidence of hypoglycemia.”
As part of the deal Hospira has also acquired MD Scientific’s headquarters in Charlotte, North Carolina and the employees supporting the product. Financial details of the agreement were not disclosed.
3M Licenses Vaccine Adjuvants to Sanofi Pasteur
3M Drug Delivery Systems has signed a non-exclusive license agreement with Sanofi Pasteur, the vaccines division of Sanofi-Aventis.
Under the agreement, 3M will provide its toll-like receptor (TLR) agonist compounds for use as vaccine adjuvants. 3M’s TLRs are intended to increase the effectiveness of a vaccine and the company believes they can add significant value.
Philips using ultrasound for cancer treatment
Philips is looking to enter the drug delivery field by developing its ultrasound technology to administer cancer drugs.
The company is researching the possibility of using its loading bubbles with therapeutics and contrast agents and tracking their progress through the bloodstream using ultrasound.
When the clinician sees the bubbles have reached the tumour a higher energy focused ultrasound will be administered, bursting the drug delivery vehicles and releasing the therapeutic.
The technology is currently in preclinical, with Philips researching the delivery of paclitaxel in mice.
