Phillips-Medisize, a Molex company, has unveiled the Aria Smart Autoinjector platform to unlock innovation, differentiation and sustainability in the digital drug-delivery device market. The small, simple smart injection device features a reusable electronic drive unit and single-use, disposable cassettes to elevate patient care while reducing environmental impact.
According to an April 2021 survey commissioned by Molex and Phillips-Medisize on “Digital Health and the Future of Pharma,” digitized drug delivery is on the rise. More than half of pharmaceutical professionals polled expect digital drug delivery to improve patient outcomes for many types of drug treatments. Nearly everyone reported adoption challenges, however, with usability and sustainability among the obstacles 
Source: Phillips-Medisizecited most frequently by participants from companies currently marketing one or more therapies.
Straightforward operation of the compact Aria Smart Autoinjector is aided by sound and light signals that indicate dose progress and completion. Simple sleeve-triggered activation and needle safety features are also provided.
Key findings from a recent Phillips-Medisize user study reinforce Aria’s ease of use, as 100% of experienced and novice users successfully completed self-injection without training. Moreover, no users lifted the device too early during the injection while unanimously confirming the importance of sustainability.
The autoinjector addresses growing sustainability requirements. Early lifecycle assessments conducted by Phillips-Medisize indicate that the storage required, and the waste generated by disposable autoinjectors can be significantly reduced by adopting a more environmentally friendly approach. Aria’s reusable drive and disposable cassette help pharmaceutical companies meet growing sustainability mandates while addressing patient preferences for a greener drug delivery device.
Built-in Bluetooth and optional RFID connectivity ensure seamless data sharing of time-stamped dosing logs with smartphones, tablets and mobile healthcare apps. The result improves patient engagement, supports improved medication adherence and disease management. Aria easily connects with Phillips-Medisize’s companion mobile app and other third-party mobile apps.
The Aria Smart Autoinjector platform is available in a basic model with a simple user interface for standard injection sequences and an advanced model with a screen-based graphical user interface to offer more user interaction for complex injections. Phillips-Medisize is collaborating with pharma customers to run comparative user studies and feasibility assessments, as well as full development programs for combination products. The device can support drug portfolios of innovator companies as well as for biosimilars and generics, where an attractive cost-per-injection is a critical consideration.
