Injection with a needle is still the most common means of achieving predictable drug concentrations, and is the only established route of administration for large molecules, such as therapeutic proteins. Over 10 billion needle injections are given worldwide every year, yet they are disliked by most patients and are a safety hazard for patients and healthcare professionals.

Indeed, there are over 600,000 needle-stick injuries every year in the US to healthcare professionals, leading to the risk of infection by diseases such as hepatitis B, C and HIV.

Current "needle free" injection systems using CO2 or spring compression to force a drug through the skin into the subcutaneous tissue can be expensive, loud, cumbersome, and can cause injury to the patient. These systems often require special training for use and maintenance and have not enjoyed widespread use with self-administered drugs. Passive transdermal delivery of large molecules using patch systems has so far been unsuccessful due to the skin’s lack of permeability, and only small molecules like nicotine have been deliverable with this methodology. Active transdermal techniques, employing either electrical or chemical enhancement, have shown some early signs of success; however, they have sustained difficulties with formulation stability and have the potential to cause skin irritation.

MicroDose has conceived a battery operated, electromechanical device that controls the needlefree injection of micro-liter quantities of a drug in rapid pulses until the entire volume is delivered. Unlike systems using iontophoresis or electroporation, our system will be able to deliver both small and large molecules. The system can be designed as a standard pen injector for use by patients who are skilled at self-injection, but it can also be designed to be worn as a patch, which can be programmed for intermittent or continuous delivery, allowing the appropriate amount of medication to be given at a predetermined time. The patch design would be most helpful for children and patients who are unable or unwilling to give themselves injections, and for those patient groups that are poorly compliant. The system would be safe and simple to use, inexpensive, quiet, and would use drugs prepackaged specifically for a unit dose pack to eliminate cleaning and assure correct dosing.

MicroDose's non-invasive, needlefree delivery system approach overcomes the problems associated with needle injections and alternative needlefree systems, offering significant benefits to patients, healthcare professionals and pharmaceutical manufacturers.

Using this technology for injections would virtually eliminate the associated risk of contaminated needle stick injuries and resulting blood-borne pathogen transmission, a major concern throughout the healthcare industry.

MicroDose's needlefree approaches, while patented, are now only in the conceptual stage. Development plans through rapid proof-of-concept have been developed and can be initiated upon demonstration of interest by potential partners.






Please visit our User Agreement. Your continued use of this site will automatically constitute your agreement to be bound by all the terms and conditions of the User Agreement.

©2004 MicroDose Technologies, Inc.