Research and Development
Overview of Development Activities
Research and product development (R&D) efforts are focused on enhancing the company’s current product offerings and on developing new needle-free injection products. Current activities include providing, currently available customized devices that require intradermal injection as well as devices with properties uniquely suited to significant market opportunities.
Pipeline
Our partnering opportunity pipeline includes:
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Products in Development*
Stage
ID Pen
Feasibility
Iject® and Iject® R
Development
Iject® R (reusable device)
Concept
Intradermal Syringe
Development
Jupiter Jet
Concept
Intradermal (ID) Pen Injector*
Bioject's ID Pen spring-powered needle-free injector, currently under development and not yet cleared by the FDA, is intended to be used for intradermal injections for vaccinations and drug therapy. The system consists of a hand-held, user-filled device that incorporates single-use, auto-disable disposable syringes. The molded syringes have orifices about the thickness of a human hair, through which the liquid drug is forced into the skin. The ID Pen is designed to deliver .05 mL or .10 mL for each injection. The injector is entirely mechanical and is intended for administration by trained clinicians and properly trained users in home settings. For more information, see the following article here.
*Investigational use only and in development; not yet cleared by the FDA.
Iject® and Iject® R
Iject is a small, lightweight, gas-powered injection system designed for home or professional use. This system has two versions, one is a pre-filled, single-use disposable injector, and the other is a reusable injector that accepts pre-filled medication cartridges. To learn more, click here
Intradermal Syringe
Intradermal injections are shallow in comparison to other injection types. They are very difficult to administer with a traditional needle because of the skill and accuracy required to deliver them properly. To learn more, click here
Jupiter Jet
The Jupiter Jet, a unique hand-held device that is capable of administering small volumes (0.03 to 0.2 mL) of drugs at SC, IM or ID* depths. The Jupiter Jet is simple and very easy to use – essential traits for a product targeting the self-injection market or procedures with repeat injections. To learn more, click here
Iject®
Iject®
The Iject® is a small, lightweight, gas-powered injection system being developed for home or professional use. This system has two versions, one is a pre-filled, single-use disposable injector, and the other is a reusable injector that accepts pre-filled medication cartridges.
Iject®R
The Iject® is a versatile injection system that can be adapted to deliver subcutaneous, intramuscular, and intradermal injections, as well as a variety of injection volumes. By integrating key design elements from Bioject's other systems, the Iject® uses proven needle-free technology.
Because the Iject® features a pre-filled syringe, it is designed to be a customized delivery system for specific injected medications and vaccines. Bioject intends to license the Iject® technology to pharmaceutical and biotechnology companies who wish to improve the delivery of their injected products.
Bioject intends to license the Iject® technology to many different pharmaceutical and biotechnology companies for delivery of non-competing products. Bioject anticipates producing a whole family of Iject® devices, each specially customized for the delivery of a specific injected drug or vaccine.
For more information, please refer to our Iject® brochure.
Intradermal Syringe*
Intradermal injections are shallow, delivering medication between the layers of the skin. A successful intradermal injection creates a "wheal," or raised bump on the skin.
This type of injection is very difficult to administer with a traditional needle because of the high level of skill and accuracy required. Since the layers of the skin are so thin, it is easy to accidentally punch through to the deeper subcutaneous layer when using a needle. Bioject's prototype needle-free intradermal injection system may prove to be a faster and more repeatable method for administering this type of injection.
The intradermal layer may be a more effective location for the delivery of certain vaccines, particularly DNA-based vaccines. The reason for this is that the dermis has a higher concentration of antigen-presenting cells (APCs), an important part of the immune system that helps the body to form responses to infectious agents.
Although the intradermal layer has been known to be a more favorable site for vaccine delivery for some time, most vaccines are still delivered to the intramuscular or subcutaneous layers because intradermal injections are so difficult to administer in routine clinical practice. Bioject's goal for its needle-free intradermal injection systems is to develop a reliable, repeatable method for quickly and accurately delivering injections to the intradermal layer.
Multi-Port Orifices
Bioject is also developing multi-port orifices for improved intradermal injections. This new injector nozzle allows for a greater dispersion of injectable materials, improving the delivery and therapeutic effect of the drug. For many vaccines that require an intradermal injection, this new development could offer significant benefits.
Click here to see how the dispersion of medication is improved by needle-free injection as compared to a needle.
*Investigational use only
Jupiter Jet
The Jupiter Jet, a unique hand-held device that is capable of administering small volumes (0.03 to 0.2 mL) of drugs at SC, ID* or IM depths. It has a variable volume adjustment and will accept a standard pre-filled syringe. The device uses a small CO2 cartridge when applied for self-injection therapy or can be adapted to a small CO2 tank for use in a clinical setting.
The Jupiter Jet can be customized with pistol-shaped or cylindrical and is an ergonomic, gas-powered injection device being developed for patient and professional use. It is capable of delivering low doses of injectable (0.03 - 0.2 mL) at subcutaneous and intramuscular injection depths. It can be loaded using a standard, pre-filled (3 mL, 5 mL or 10 mL) vials or syringes. It is powered by either a gas cartridge (similar to that powering the Biojector® 2000) or from an external CO2 tank that connects to the Jupiter Jet via a hose. The injection nozzle is disposable.
The Jupiter Jet is simple and very easy to use – essential traits for a product targeting the self-injection market. It can be loaded with a standard pre-filled syringe vial allowing for multiple variable-dose injections with a single loading. This feature allows the Jupiter Jet to be well suited for regular self-injection or procedures with repeat injections. Not only does this design reduce time and effort involved in loading the drug into the device, but also using a standard syringe vial reduces the costs associated with using the Jupiter Jet.