Good news for people with life-threatening allergies who need to carry around EpiPen injectors. A new auto-injector is coming that is smaller and has a longer shelf life. It’s called Abiliject.
From Fortune:
Mylan, the company that sells the ubiquitous EpiPen, controls some 90% of the $1.3 billion U.S. auto-injector market. But, according to startup Windgap Medical, a good alternative is long overdue. Their Abiliject auto-injector, due for release in 2018, promises to be smaller, have a longer shelf life, and be easier to use than anything that’s come before it.
The key to Abiliject, Stepanian explains, is its extended shelf life. Over the last four years, Windgap has developed a proprietary method to store epinephrine in a dried or powdered form and reconstitute it seconds before injection. The dry formulation is good for several years, and won’t degrade when exposed to light or extreme temperatures. For comparison: In perfect conditions, an EpiPen will expire in 18 months, and, when exposed to heat over 86 degrees, can degrade even faster.
Side note: Here’s a video I shot of another autoinjector, called the Auvi-Q. It talks you through the process of giving yourself an injection. Like the EpiPen, it has a short shelf life. Also like the EpiPen, they are expensive and my insurance doesn’t cover it.