A self-injection pen prefilled with Brussels-based UCB’s Cimzia (certolizumab pegol) has been made available this week in the U.K. after a positive opinion from the EMA.
UCB developed the AutoClicks pen along with a New York company not normally known for such medical devices: kitchenware maker OXO.
With OXO’s Good Grips line of ergonomic, nonslip utensils and the like, the company helped UCB--along with core technology license provider Bespak--deliver a pen with button-free administration and a wide, nonslip handle. The company says this helps people with disabilities use the pen more easily.
The cost to the NHS for treating a patient with the device is £715 for two doses of 200 mg.
For patients with rheumatoid arthritis, a normal pen can be difficult to use. Ailsa Bosworth, CEO of the National Rheumatoid Arthritis Society and a patient herself, said: “It is difficult for people who do not suffer from this disease to understand just how challenging doing the ordinary things in daily life can be, more so for those with painful and swollen joints. Trying to grip an everyday object such as a kitchen gadget can cause immense pain. So we welcome any innovation that can help make the lives of RA patients more comfortable while they manage their condition."