Long considered a niche technology with limited practical value, needle-free injection (NFI) is about to shed its image as an out-of-the-mainstream drug delivery technique, says this consultant
The convergence of improved device designs, patient sentiment and new therapeutic applications is re-making NFI into an attractive technology being pursued by a number of major pharmaceutical companies.
As interest in NFI increases, collaborations and acquisitions between leading NFI companies and drug developers are re-shaping the competitive landscape.
The four leading NFI companies have each announced major deals in the past six months.
Growth in this segment is being fueled by evolving market dynamics and interest in new drug delivery applications, including the re-entry of several major pharma companies into the vaccine arena.
The recent re-alignment of device developers and drug suppliers will provide NFI companies with the capital and market presence they have always lacked.
Important growth opportunities for needle-free injection include reproductive health, procedure-related topical anesthesia, and vaccines, with therapeutic DNA vaccines a particularly hot segment.
These findings are contained in a new report, 'Needle-free injection: players, products, and prospects'.
The report contains product evaluations, market data and forecasts, company profiles, and detailed analysis of key business factors - essential information for understanding the growing importance of needle-free injection on drug packaging and administration, patient quality-of-care, and healthcare economics.