Self-Injectables

An analysis of market trends reveals a shift to pre-filled, disposable, simple devices that aim to address convenience, regulatory compliance requirements and needle phobia/patient compliance.  Such systems are rapidly expanding across therapeutic areas such as multiple sclerosis (MS), rheumatoid arthritis (RA), fertility, osteoporosis, hepatitis, oncology, anemia and migraine.

Rheumatoid Arthritis (RA) is a chronic and debilitating autoimmune disease that affects an estimated three million people in the United States and an estimated 20 million individuals worldwide. 

According to 2009 survey results published in “Rheumatoid Arthritis: Insights, Strategies and Expectations” (RAISE Survey), about 25 percent of people with RA surveyed, who are currently on a subcutaneous injectable medication, rely on caregivers or healthcare providers to administer the medication; while 24 percent of patients who self-inject experience pain upon injection and 20 percent experience irritation at the injection site.

Of those people who self-inject, approximately 12 percent describe the process as somewhat difficult demonstrating the unmet need for patient-friendly, self-injectable devices and formulations that are less painful.

Multiple Sclerosis (MS), also a chronic and debilitating autoimmune disease, affects about 2.5 million people worldwide.  The leading approved therapies are currently administered by daily or weekly self-administered subcutaneous or intramuscular injections.  However, it is estimated that up to 90% of MS patients have trouble with self-injection due largely to fear of needles and/or pain.  Consequently, medical experts agree that fear of self-administering treatment is a major barrier to therapeutic adherence. 

Milestone’s innovative, patented computer-controlled drug delivery platform has been designed to reduce the anxiety and pain of self-administration of medications for the rapidly expanding home-use market. The computer-controlled self-administration system provides a less threatening, virtually painless means for patients to safely self-administer in-home a variety of injections.  Moreover, certain differentiating features and capabilities of the invention include the following: