Revolutionary Autoinjector Changes Drug Delivery Paradigm

A novel autoinjector can deliver drugs with a viscosity (thickness) equivalent to that of motor oil.

The Oval Medical automatic injection device is based on the use cyclic olefin plastic, and can be used to deliver viscous (over 2,000 cPs [or mPa•s]) and nonviscous drugs. The main advantages include custom primary drug-container shape manufacture due to the properties of cyclic olefin plastic, which allow the manufacture of a short, wide, drug container profile—a proprietary plunger with low stiction (static friction) and friction. The autoinjector has successfully delivered 1,100 cPs [or mPa•s] solutions through a 25G thin wall needle in less than 7 seconds.


Other features of the autoinjector include a needle lockout system to avoid needle-stick injuries; manufacture of drug containers with varying volumes, from 0.1–3 mL; and a simple two-step procedure with patient feedback. In addition, since using cyclic olefin eliminates rubber, silicone, glue, and tungsten from drug contact, contamination danger is reduced. The design also reduces oxygen ingress, enhancing shelf life of oxygen-susceptible drugs. The autoinjector device is a product of Oval Medical Technologies (Cambridge, United Kingdom), and can be customized per demand.

“Companies have been attracted by the superior capabilities and performance of our autoinjector device over existing technologies, and by the flexibility to create customized designs for specific therapeutic areas,” said Catherine Beech, MD, CEO of Oval Medical Technologies.

The automatic delivery of high viscosity drugs is an important milestone for injection delivery, since viscosity has always been very problematic for many biopharmaceutical formulators. Until now, there has been no effective way of delivering high viscosity drugs through a prefilled syringe without extreme pain to the patient (due a large needle bore) and physical discomfort to the care-giver when administering the injection (due to high injection forces).

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Oval Medical Technologies