Aptar Unveils Pro-Ject Technology Platform, Its First Auto-Injector

Global solution provider of innovative and proven aerosol, injection, and spray delivery systems for prescription drugs, Aptar Pharma Prescription Division unveiled Pro-Ject, its novel high-performance disposable auto-injector, at the PDA Europe conference held in Basel, Switzerland, on November 5th and 6th 2013.

It is estimated that the global market for injectable drugs is worth US $240 billion, giving it a 28% share of the overall drug market worldwide. The injectable drugs market experienced a 4% growth rate in 2012. The pharma industry has a very strong injectable R&D pipeline, with more than 3,500 projects for new drugs, the main portion of it being for generics.

The majority of injectable drugs have been developed for use by healthcare professionals in hospitals and local medical care centers to deliver injections and infusions with syringes or infusion lines and needles. Auto-injectors are designed for self-injection in a non-medical environment, for example at home, without the presence of healthcare professionals being required.

Auto-injectors are spring-loaded devices holding a prefilled syringe (the primary drug container). They are easy-to-use by design and intended for automatic self-administration of a fixed dose of medication by the patient.

The auto-injector market is a small niche of the injectable drug market, as these devices are used in the treatment of selected chronic diseases, such as rheumatoid arthritis, lupus, psoriasis, spondilarthritis, multiple sclerosis, hepatitis C, anemia, and emergency/crisis treatments, such as anaphylactic shock and migraine attacks. This niche device market was worth US$ 130 million in 2012 and has a strong annual growth rate of 20%.

Aptar Pharma’s traditional core business has been the innovative design, development, and manufacture of non-invasive spray and aerosol drug delivery devices. The company is a world leader in the pharma spray and aerosol market, manufacturing more than 1 billion proprietary devices each year in our facilities in Asia, EU, Latin America, and North America. These devices are regulated as combination drug products. Aptar Pharma has recently reoriented its strategy to increase its market presence in the large and fast-growing biopharmaceutical market where injectable devices are the gold standard dosage forms.

In November 2011, AptarGroup sealed a strategic partnership with Oval Medical, a cutting-edge parenteral technology company based in Cambridge, UK. In June 2012, AptarGroup acquired the French company Stelmi (now rebranded as Aptar Stelmi), a world-leading supplier of premium quality elastomeric closures for parenteral primary packaging. These deals will allow the company to combine Aptar Pharma’s recognized experience, industry leadership, and global presence with Oval Medical’s expertise and Aptar Stelmi’s 50-year track record, to become a leading player in high-quality injectable devices and components.

Pro-Ject is a novel auto-injector that has been designed and developed with input from patients and healthcare professionals in order to provide optimal patient convenience and compliance. This device integrates all the user-preferred features that were identified during user studies. Its design and development benefit from Aptar Pharma’s long experience of a Quality-by-Design approach, which translates into robust design, successful manufacturing scale-up, and flawless fast-track to market. Pro-Ject is a state-of-the-art disposable auto-injector technology platform designed around a standard glass prefilled syringe. Two simple handling operations, a large and clearly visible control window, and multiple safety and patient compliance features are among the device’s patient-friendly attributes.

It also has unique visual and acoustic feedback for needle insertion and end of injection that allows for strong product differentiation. Pro-Ject is very small and lightweight, providing real benefits for transport, storage, and environmental footprint. Its unique design allows easy adaptation to specific therapy needs, with the core technology providing design freedom to optimize the user interface.

Aptar Pharma is part of the Aptargroup family of companies, along with Aptar Beauty + Home and Aptar Food + Beverage. They create innovative drug delivery systems that meet the evolving needs of biotechnology, healthcare, and pharmaceutical companies around the world. For more information, visit www.aptar.com/pharma.