Here's more evidence the future of drug delivery involves tossing those old-fashioned, barbaric needles. In-PharmaTechnologist reports on author Mary Anne Crandall's new report that predicts needle-free drug-delivery devices will double in value over the next 5 years, from $3.6 billion to $6.2 billion by 2016. Remember those Star Trek hyposprays that were once science fiction? Well, we're getting closer to that futuristic world, with meds released through bursts of pressurized liquid through a device placed against the skin.
As we've reported before, needle-stick injuries are an increasing concern among healthcare workers and those who choose to self-administer drugs, so jet injectors are going to become even more popular. Crandall mentions specifically Bioject's Biojector 2000, Vitajet's Vitajet 3 device, PowderMed's PowderJect and Zogenix's DosePro as products that could benefit from this shift away from needles
"Needle-free jet injection devices can and should play a major role in solving the problems of needle-stick injuries and needle phobia in the United States," Crandall writes. Among the drawbacks are an inability of jet injectors to deliver small quantities of drugs and prohibitive costs for developing countries.
- read the whole story in In-PharmaTechnologist