Jamie Hartford 1

January 23, 2017

3 Min Read
New Autoinjector Options for Emergency-Use Drugs

SMC's recent acquisition of Oval Medical Technologies Ltd. brings under its purview novel autoinjector platforms that could be used to deliver drugs during a crisis.

Daphne Allen

SMC Ltd. acquired Oval Medical Technologies, a maker of
autoinjectors, in December.

Today's patients want small devices that can be easily carried in a pocket or purse and are highly intuitive to use, explains Barbara Tischart, vice president of marketing for SMC Ltd. Such features are particularly important when it comes to autoinjectors, as many drugs delivered this way are used during a crisis, she told Qmed.

To address such needs, Somerset, WI-based SMC, which has been performing contract manufacturing for medical device companies for more than 25 years, recently acquired UK-based Oval Medical Technologies Ltd. "The addition of Oval Medical Technologies provides novel autoinjector platforms that address a number of pharma needs not met by our competitors," Tischart said. "Patients want to know that their injectable will achieve the drug's target of either a subcutaneous or intramuscular injection, which the Oval platforms address."  

Two drugs that could potentially benefit from autoinjector innovations include epinephrine and naloxone. "Oval's unique platform for crisis drugs such as epinephrine for the treatment of anaphylactic shock and naloxone for the treatment of opioid overdose provides small, easy-to-use devices that are convenient to carry," Tischart said.

SMC will be displaying Oval autoinjectors at Booth #2801 at MD&M West February 7-9, 2017.

Oval's autoinjector platforms can be developed to deliver either non-viscous or viscous drugs in a simple two-step administration. Both cyclic olefin plastic and glass primary drug containers are offered, depending on the application. "Oval's devices offer pharma companies clear differentiation from their competitors through innovative design and offer benefits including accurate dosing with high viscosity formulations and improved stability for biologics within small, intuitive-to-use devices for patients," said Tischart.

SMC and Oval are working together to provide what Tischart calls a new service model. "Oval's innovative autoinjector technology provides a device platform to customize to your drug," she says. "Oval personnel have decades of experience successfully designing and launching new drug delivery devices, and SMC has decades of experience in manufacturing development for new products, rapid scale-up, and full device production."

Added Chetan N. Patel, SMC's President and Founder, in a news statement: "SMC's years of experience in medical device contract manufacturing paired with Oval's innovative approach to drug delivery combination products creates a complete solution for the pharmaceutical market. In addition to autoinjectors, the Oval team brings a wealth of knowledge and experience in the design, development and manufacturing of inhalation products."

The two companies will work together to speed products to market. "The combination of Oval's design and development capability and SMC's capabilities in global manufacturing will ensure a high level of reliability in product performance and a fast route to market," said Barbara Lead, Oval's CEO, in a statement. "These capabilities are also important for the acceleration of the development of our innovative epinephrine combination product. This small innovative, and reliable design is favored by patients who need to carry these potentially lifesaving products at all times." The company will operate under the name Oval Medical Technologies, an SMC Ltd. Company. 

Daphne Allen is executive editor of Pharmaceutical and Medical Packaging News and a contributor to Qmed. Reach her at [email protected]

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