The
pharmaceutical and biotechnology industries have come a long way when it comes
to advancements in drug discovery. New “druggable” targets and mechanistic
approaches to treating even complex diseases are constantly discovered and
optimized, generating a rich pipeline and continuous supply of fresh
therapeutics for difficult diseases, such as autoimmune inflammatory disorders
(for example, rheumatoid arthritis, inflammatory bowel disease), cancer,
hepatitis C, and other infectious diseases, as well as neurological conditions.
However,
developing a safe and effective drug is only part of the picture – perfecting
the delivery of that drug into the patient is also a significant aspect of the
total pharmacotherapeutic regimen. It is generally accepted by the
pharmaceutical industry that the oral route of delivery is most preferred by
the patient. For example, biologicals, such as vaccines or therapeutic antibodies, typically must be injected
directly into the bloodstream because oral ingestion would result in the
destruction of the fragile protein composition. Also, orally administered drugs
tend to be distributed systemically, whereas the diseased portion of the body
may be localized to a single organ or tissue. Thus, oral administration and
systemic distribution may result in unnecessary exposure to the drug and
unwanted side effects that could potentially be avoided with targeted drug delivery
and isolation at the source of disease.
Recent Developments in Injectable Drug Delivery:
Products
like tumor necrosis factor (TNF) inhibitors for rheumatoid arthritis or
glucagon-like peptide-1 (GLP-1) analogs for diabetes offer patients true disease-modifying
benefits as opposed to simply treating the symptoms, and these benefits
generally, outweigh the discomfort associated with the injection. All other
things being equal, subcutaneous is generally the preferred injectable route as
it can be easily performed by the patient at home using delivery devices, such
as auto-injectors or pen injectors. However, even with the most sophisticated
pen injectors, it still may be considered an unpleasant experience by many
patients.
Tailoring
the delivery of injectable drugs is mainly dependant on the specifics of two
parameters: formulation and device. When the injection is a necessity, new
delivery technologies can improve the experience in several ways. Detailing upgrades can decrease the
recurrence of the administration, lessen the volume required for every
infusion, or diminish reactions related to the definition, for example, immunogenicity. Delivery device improvements,
for example, a smaller needle or auto-injectors that improve ease of
self-infusion, can fundamentally improve the patient experience. Although the
pharmaceutical industry makes many attempts to move away from injectable administration,
injectable drugs continue to fill the development pipeline as demonstrated in
Figures 2 and 3.
Several
companies are making great strides in improving the patient experience of
self-injection which resembles an adhesive patch rather than a typical pen
injector. It will be like a disposable pump that slowly delivers a subcutaneous
dose of medication over a period ranging from 5 seconds to 24 hours and can
deliver volumes up to 5 milliliters. Rather than having to perform
self-injection by pinching the skin and holding a pen injector in place, the
patient simply adheres to this pump-patch to a suitable location, such as the
abdomen, and, with the press of a button, the device slowly injects the
medication. In addition to improving ease of use, the slow delivery also
reduces trauma and discomfort associated with the injection of larger volumes
because the drug is allowed to slowly scatter instead of framing a pocket
underneath the skin. Because the device uses hydraulic power of an expandable
gel to drive the injection, the shelf life and utility are greatly enhanced
compared to a device that relies on battery power. This device could be used
with any drug with no need to reformulate, and even high-viscosity formulations
can be successfully delivered.
For more details, contact us at pharma@memeetings.com
