When it comes to auto-injectors for severe allergies, the EpiPen has been the go-to product for decades. But there are some clear inconveniences with the device designed to treat anaphylaxis, and some companies are trying to remedy this while still keeping the efficacy where it should be in such emergency situations.
Christopher J. Stepanian, co-founder and CEO of Windgap Medical, and his team are trying to do just that. He talked about a new device in the works at MedCity CONVERGE this week.
For one thing, the EpiPen is awkwardly large when it comes to a device that some people need to (or should) have on hand at all times — especially children.
Another factor is that drugs like epinephrine are thermally unstable. Currently the EpiPen needs to be kept at particular temperatures to work optimally, but many people keep them in unstable conditions, including their cars. With Windgap’s new device, which will likely be approved and ready for use in 2018, the temperature issue would be remedied.
An additional major issue with the EpiPen that Windgap is addressing is the user-friendly/safety aspect of injection. Because of the way an EpiPen is designed, people often mistake where the needle is coming out and instead of injecting their leg, they mistake the needle end for a button and inject their thumb during administration.
Learn more and watch our CONVERGE NOW conversation about Windgap’s innovation with Stepanian here and below:
A Deep-dive Into Specialty Pharma
A specialty drug is a class of prescription medications used to treat complex, chronic or rare medical conditions. Although this classification was originally intended to define the treatment of rare, also termed “orphan” diseases, affecting fewer than 200,000 people in the US, more recently, specialty drugs have emerged as the cornerstone of treatment for chronic and complex diseases such as cancer, autoimmune conditions, diabetes, hepatitis C, and HIV/AIDS.
Photo: Flickr user kiwinky
