Meeting The Challenge Of Delivering High Volume Biologic Therapies

By Alex Vasiev Ph.D., Manager of Device Development, and Pete Evans, Director of Device Development

Enabling a flexible autoinjector platform for the delivery of high viscosity or high-volume parenteral formulations

Recent advances in molecular biology have accelerated the development of a new class of therapeutics. Biologics offer more targeted therapies and fewer side effects compared to the small-molecule drugs which came before. Due to poor absorption through the digestive tract, as well as susceptibility to damage from digestive enzymes and acid, biologics cannot be administered orally. Because of their molecular size (e.g. IgG: 150kDa; aspirin: 0.18kDa), biologic drugs tend to have higher mass doses. These large therapeutic doses favour the injected rather than inhaled or nasal route. In the next decade injectable drugs are expected to be the largest growth segment in drug delivery.¹ Most of this growth is driven by the continued development of new biologic drugs and biosimilars.

As the industry moves towards self-administration to reduce healthcare costs and improve convenience for patients, there is a compelling need for simple-to-use, low-cost disposable devices for domestic use.