Novartis Develops an Easier-to-Use Injection Device for Extavia

The new design may potentially improve adherence and outcomes for patients with relapsing-remitting multiple sclerosis.

Leading pharmaceutical company Novartis, along with Cambridge Consultants and medical device maker Owen Mumford, recently announced another option for administration of Novartis’ injectable MS treatment, Extavia (interferon beta-1b).

Extavia is indicated for the treatment of relapsing-remitting multiple sclerosis (RRMS). Patients with RRMS administer the treatment subcutaneously every other day to help reduce the risk of relapses in MS.

The new delivery system for Extavia, known as the ExtaviPro^® 30G auto-injector device, is intended to be more user-friendly than past designs. To develop the new system, engineers incorporated feedback from over 500 patients with MS, in addition to feedback from health care professionals who treat patients with MS. The easier-to-use system may facilitate delivery of interferon beta-1b, potentially improving adherence and, ultimately, outcomes.

The injector may be especially useful for patients with MS who develop restricted mobility, balance problems, and cognitive issues as the disease progresses.

As Andy Pidgeon, head of the industrial design and human factors group at Cambridge Consultants notes in a press release, “Our aim was to make the ExtaviPro 30G auto-injector very simple and intuitive to use, and enable one-handed injection.” Pidgeon continued, “Its ergonomic shape leads patients to instinctively hold it correctly—which is vital for those who suffer from tremors, as having a firm grip is key to self-injecting safely.”

The device has a soft, nonthreatening appearance, a rubberized grip, an ergonomic shape, and the entire system is easily stored in a specially designed bag. According to a press release, “even the bag went through several rounds of user studies to ensure it best suited individual lifestyles.”

Although the ExtaviPro^® 30G auto-injector device is not yet available in the United States, Novartis may consider extending the device to the US market after introduction in Germany and Europe.