Potter (Glide): Rising healthcare costs mean that treating
patients is becoming more and more expensive. If a patient can
self-administer their medication then this reduces the time they
need to spend with a healthcare professional and, thus, reduces
cost. Most medications can be taken orally, but many peptides
and proteins have to be injected to ensure they are not damaged
by the acidic environment in the gastrointestinal tract. If a
patient is to be trained to self-inject, however, then the
technology needs to be simple to ensure that it is operated
correctly. In addition, medication compliance is a serious issue
with many patients; the easier and more convenient the product
is to use, then the more likely the patient is to take their
medication. These needs for lower cost of goods, ease of use,
and convenience are also shaping the evolution in drug delivery
technologies suitable for self-injection. Sadowski (Antares):
Self-administered products currently account for about half of
the of therapeutic biologi