Designing Better Pen Injectors for GLP-1 Receptor Agonists

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According to recent data from the World Health Organization (WHO), one in eight people in the world live with obesity.¹  This rise in obesity represents a global challenge as the condition can predispose patients to a range of chronic and comorbid medical conditions. In 2019 alone, diabetes was the direct cause of 1.5 million deaths globally.² Over 95% of diabetics have Type 2 diabetes, in which the body’s insulin resistance can lead to hyperglycaemia.³ 

GLP-1 receptor agonists have changed the way doctors and patients manage type 2 diabetes. When blood sugar levels rise, these receptor agonists help the body release insulin while reducing the hormone, glucagon, to lower blood sugar levels. However, these self-administered treatments present some unique challenges to traditional injectable packaging.

As with any injectable drug, primary packaging is a huge factor in the safety and efficacy of the product that patients receive. Since GLP-1 agonist treatment regimens regularly require ongoing injections administered by the patient themselves, pen injectors represent the ideal, most convenient solution.   

While vials are still used for the primary packaging of GLP-1 agonists, they require several steps to prepare and administer the drug. There is a higher risk for contamination due to multiple needle entries, and they are less convenient to carry and use on-the-go compared to prefilled options (prefilled syringes or cartridges).   

For diabetic care, it is important that the injected dose can be set based on a comprehensive evaluation of the patient’s specific needs, guided by healthcare professionals, which is only possible with a pen injector. For obesity care, the dose is more fixed and both a pen injector and an auto-injector can be used.

Cartridges are used in combination with pen injectors, while prefilled syringes can be used as a stand-alone. To further improve convenience for the patient, prefilled syringes are used in combination with an auto-injector on an increasing basis.   

Plungers are a fundamental component of the device’s mechanism, impacting not only the functionality of the device but also the container closure integrity (CCI), since they act as a seal for the drug product. Datwyler’s plunger designs ensure a consistent break loose and gliding force and limited plunger movement during air transport, which is important to ensure sterility of the drug product. Besides plungers, combiseals (which seal the cartridge at the other side) are another important component to protect the contents of the cartridge from contamination and leaks, even after multi-piercing with a needle.   

Datwyler plungers and combiseals are made of a specialised halobutyl-based formula which ensures an optimised extractable and leachable (E&L) profile, guaranteeing the stability of the drug product over the shelf life and safeguarding patient health. To achieve the highest-quality sealing solution for cartridges, the combiseals can be finished with a protective laminate technology. The company’s DuraCoat™ solution improves the seal’s durability during handling processes, reducing the incidence of flaking seen with standard epoxy-based lacquer, which can eventually contaminate the drug product.

Drug producers are up against countless challenges as demand continues to rise for this new class of medicine, but the availability of high-quality, reliable primary packaging components need not be one. With an extensive portfolio of cartridge and prefilled syringe solutions and a global manufacturing footprint, Datwyler’s industry-leading parenteral packaging solutions can be trusted to deliver. 

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