Glide technology offers a number of advantages over traditional needles and syringes:-
In addition, the innovative transcutaneous Glide drug delivery technology offers many advantages that are attractive to pharmaceutical companies, prescribing physicians and healthcare workers as well as patients themselves.
The technical advantages:
Delivery of drugs in a solid dose format
Over one third of drugs listed in the U.S. Pharmacopoeia and about 50% of new drug molecules are insoluble and therefore cannot easily be formulated for delivery with a needle and syringe or for transdermal drug delivery. As a result, many drugs currently have a sub-optimal formulation and many otherwise promising compounds never reach the market. The Glide technology offers the opportunity to deliver these drugs in a solid dosage form.
Improved product stability and storage
Most drugs are more stable in solid form than in a liquid state. Glide products will incorporate the drug in a solid dosage form. In addition, increased stability of the drug in a solid dosage form provides opportunities for storage of the final product at room temperature rather than requiring refrigeration.
Controlled release of the drug to the systemic circulation
The ability to formulate the drug as a solid enables slow dissolving formulations to be used to provide controlled release of the drug. The controlled release can be a slow sustained release and / or a pulsed release of the drug. Controlled release of a drug over days or weeks can also reduce the frequency of injections required by the patient.
Excellent relative bioavailability
100% bioavailability compared to a subcutaneous injection with a needle and syringe allows the needle-less Glide technology to be used for high cost drugs where minimum wastage of the active drug is desired (e.g. erythropoietin) and for the development of generic drugs following a bioequivalence strategy.
Accurate dosing
Delivering a repeatable dose of drug every administration, regardless of the skin type or location, enables the needle-less Glide technology to be used for applications where accurate dosing is imperative.
Benefits to the user/patient:
Ease of use
The Glide technology is extremely quick and easy to use. When the actuator triggers, the injection is completed almost instantaneously, which in the Phase I clinical study was found to be a particular advantage of the technology over needle and syringe. During focus group discussions patients have commented on how simple the needle-free Glide technology is to use.
Low sensation
In a Phase I clinical trial the sensation felt during a Glide administration was found to be equivalent to the sensation felt during an injection with a 27-gauge needle and syringe (one of the smallest standard needle sizes commonly available). The prick of a needle and syringe injection is followed by the sensation of the fluid being pushed in and the needle being withdrawn, whereas the Glide injection is over almost instantly. The volunteers in the study found the Glide technology preferable.
Easy self administration
With a simple to use technology patients can easily learn how to inject themselves and use the technology at home, work, or wherever needed, thus reducing healthcare costs. As no needles are involved, there are no concerns about disposal and the used drug cassette can be disposed of in normal household waste.
Minimal skin response
The device pushes the drug in a solid dosage form into the skin very rapidly, resulting in a prick mark on the skin similar to that seen following a needle and syringe injection. However, the Glide technology does not cause bleeding or bruising, which is often experienced with a needle and syringe injection.
Safety
The needle-free Glide technology does not have the potential to cause needle-stick injuries which also carry potential infection hazards. The World Health Report 2002 reported that about 3 million healthcare workers worldwide receive percutaneous exposures to blood borne pathogens each year. The Glide technology is also much cleaner than a needle and syringe and poses very little risk of transmission of blood borne diseases compared to a conventional needle and syringe.
Elimination of needle phobia
The prevalence of injection phobia, generally defined in terms of ability to receive an injection, has been estimated to be between 7% and 22% in the general population and poses a serious challenge for healthcare providers. Being needle-free and much quicker to administer than traditional needle and syringe, the Glide technology overcomes the problem of needle phobia and reduces patient distress (Bienvenu and Eaton: Psychological Medicine 1998; 28,1129-1136).
Manufacturing and scale-up advantages:
Cost effective
The small overall number of actuator components and the use of a standard spring for the power source mean that production costs are minimized. The Glide actuator and drug cassette can easily be manufactured on a large scale at reasonable cost.
Reusable actuator
The Glide actuator can be reused many times, if desired, keeping the cost per injection at a minimum.
Potential benefits to pharmaceutical companies:
Product differentiation
The Glide technology enables a pharmaceutical product to be differentiated from competitive products and therefore offers the potential for an increased market share with many applications.
Product life cycle management
Incorporating a marketed product in a new drug delivery system allows the life cycle of the pharmaceutical product to be actively managed and extended.
Patent extensions
Association of a pharmaceutical product with a new drug delivery technology allows the opportunity for patent extensions on proprietary compounds that may be close to generic competition.
