How self-administered medicines are transforming chronic disease care

With nearly 880 million adults estimated to be living with obesity worldwide, injectable weight loss drugs have become one of the biggest stories in medicine. Commonly referred to as GLP-1s, these drugs have the ability to manage diabetes and the effects of obesity. Additionally, recent clinical data suggests these drugs help reduce the risk of cardiovascular disease , stroke and kidney failure. Their adoption has grown at an unprecedented scale, signaling a shift in how patients navigate chronic weight management, with growing acceptance and demand for self-administered treatment taken at home.

The larger class of biologics is showing great promise for some of the most difficult-to-treat chronic diseases like inflammatory and autoimmune diseases. Biologic drugs are set to become one of the most important areas of medical and scientific progress over the next decade. This shift highlights an area that’s often overlooked: the marriage between medications and the devices that deliver them. Devices like wearable injectors are designed to be simple and safe for patients to use, but also contain highly sophisticated technology necessary for storing and injecting sensitive drug molecules.

The next generation of medicines requires the next generation of delivery devices. Biologic therapies are often comprised of larger molecules of varying stability, and as a result use larger amounts of more viscous liquids to ensure viable therapeutic delivery. These are the kinds of medicines you’d traditionally receive through an IV infusion – but there are a limited number of infusion centers with limited staffing, and it is inconvenient, time-consuming and costly for patients to make a trip every time they need a dose.

This is where new advanced delivery devices come in. Some wearable injectors package medicines into a simple “peel, stick, click” design that’s easy for patients to use, monitor the injection and know when it’s complete with no intravascular access needed. By making it easier to self-administer injectable medicines, these devices can unlock benefits across the entire healthcare system. Patients can use these where they want to – in the privacy of their home – avoiding extra travel to an infusion center or doctor’s office.?

A recent report found that around two-thirds of infusion centers are struggling with staffing shortages , leading to longer wait times, overbooking and hectic clinician schedules. Enabling patients to receive medicines at home can help to address these challenges and solve for a potential access barrier as drugs become available to more people sooner. Advanced delivery solutions help to address these hurdles so new therapies can reach patients and families as quickly as possible. Think of what that could mean for the future of treating diseases like Alzheimer’s or cancer.

That future is here and it’s what we’ve been working toward at BD. Our Pharmaceutical Systems business draws on more than 50 years of expertise partnering with pharmaceutical companies to design delivery solutions, tailor the device to the molecule and rapidly scale manufacturing to meet demand. With products like our BD Hypak? for Biotech and BD Neopak? Glass Prefillable Syringes , we are already a global leader in pre-fillable syringes that are used by approximately 70 percent of the top 100 biopharmaceutical companies. And we’re applying our expertise to create new advanced delivery solutions like our BD Libertas? Wearable Injector.

GLP-1s mark an exciting new chapter in medicine. Even with all the headlines and hype, this is only the beginning of what is possible. As advanced biologics redefine care for cancer, autoimmune diseases and other chronic conditions, new device innovations will ensure these medical breakthroughs are also safe, effective, practical, and easy-to-use everyday products.

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