Takeda first to use new drug delivery tech to improve med adherence for chronic illnesses
While biologic medications have revolutionized the treatment of chronic diseases and conditions, reports show approximately 50 percent of medications for chronic disease are not taken as prescribed. It’s a situation that providers, payers and pharmaceutical companies are trying to change, and a breakthrough needle-free drug delivery system from Portal Instruments that uses technology out of MIT to allow patients to easily manage their chronic conditions at home could help.
The Cambridge-based company's new system improves the patient experience and includes digital health features that empower patients to holistically manage their chronic condition interactively, with real-time tracking and reporting that sets a new standard for interactivity between the patient and care teams - - with an aim to improve medication adherence and medical outcomes. Takeda Pharmaceuticals recently announced a collaboration with Portal Instruments and plans to use the needle-free device to deliver Entyvio, Takeda’s biologic drug for ulcerative colitis and Crohn's disease that is now administered via intravenous infusion. Under terms of the agreement, Portal could earn up to $100 million in milestone payments and royalties. What makes Portal Instruments’ device unique is its technology, developed out of Ian Hunter’s lab at MIT. Its computer-controlled system automatically adjusts for changes in a drug’s viscosity due to temperature - - up to one thousand times in the half-second it takes to completely deliver a 1 ml dose. Patients simply load a cartridge pre-filled with the liquid drug into the reusable device, and the system pressurizes the drug so that it creates a very fine jet about the size of a piece of human hair that pierces the skin without discomfort. There’s no needles to worry about or dispose of, and it enables patients to self-administer an exact dose every time from the comfort of their home.