Developments in administration of growth hormone treatment: focus on Norditropin^® Flexpro^®

Figures & data

Table 1 How Norditropin^® Flexpro^® compares with other devices for injecting recombinant growth hormone

Device type	Device	Recombinant GH manufacturer	Device features	Reconstitution	Storage
Syringe and needle	Miniquick^®	Genotropin^® (Pfizer)	Single-use, disposable syringe; available in dose 0.2–2.0 mg in 0.2 mg steps	Syringes are prefilled with lyophilized r-GH and diluents in a two-chamber cartridge	Can be kept nonrefrigerated for 3 months
Injector pen	Genotropin^® pen	Genotrin^® (Pfizer)	Multiuse pen in two sizes; needle guard; dose dialed before each injection; digital dose-display window	Lyophilized r-GH is mixed internally through the use of a two-chamber cartridge	Cartridge is stored in the pen; the pen is refrigerated
	HumatroPen™	Humatrope^® (Lilly)	Multiuse pen; dose dialed; digital display of dose selected	Lyophilized r-GH is reconstituted before use using a prefilled syringe of diluents	The cartridge is stored in the device between in injections; the device is refrigerated
	NordiPen^®	Norditropin^® (Novo Nordisk)	Multiuse pen; dose dialed before each injection; can be used with an optional guard to hide the needle and autoinserter mechanism (NordiPen Mate^®)	Prefilled cartridge contains premixed liquid r-GH	Can be stored at room temperature for 3 weeks
	NordiFlex^®	Norditropin^® (Novo Nordisk)	Disposable pen in 5, 10 and 15 mg sizes; dose dialed before each injection; can be used with a retractable needle cover (NovoFine^® Autocover^® needle); no longer available in the US after May 31, 2011	Prefilled, multidose cartridge contains premixed liquid r-GH	Can be stored at room temperature for 3 weeks
	Flexpro^®	Norditropin^® (Novo Nordisk)	Disposable pen in 5, 10, and 15 mg sizes and shorter by 11 mm than the Nordiflex^®; dose dialed before each injection; smallest dose increment 0.025 mg; a click confirms dose delivery; can be used with a retractable needle cover (NovoFine^® Autocover^® needle)	Prefilled, multidose cartridge contains premixed liquid r-GH	Can be stored at room temperature for 3 weeks
	Nutropin AQ Pen^®	Nutropin AQ^® (Ipsen/Genentech)	Multiuse pen; dose dialed before each injection or dose recall function used; digital dose display; optional needle shield	Premixed, cartridge prefilled with liquid r-GH	Cartridge, stored within device; the device is refrigerated
Autoinjector pen	one.click™	Saizen^® (Merck Serono International SA)	Multiuse autoinjector pen; dose dialed; adjustable injection depth; hidden needle	Lyophilized GH is reconstituted using click.easy device	Cartridge stored within the device; the device is refrigerated
Needle-free injector	cool.click™	Saizen^® (Merck Serono International SA)	Needle-free device; dose dialed before each use	Lyophilized r-hGH is reconstituted using click.easy device; cartridge is inserted at each use	The cartridge is stored outside the device and is refrigerated
	Zomajet^® 2 vision*	Zomacton^® (Ferring)	Needle-free device; dose dialed before each use	Lyophilized r-GH is reconstituted before use	The vial is kept outside the device and is refrigerated
Electronic injector	easypod™	Saizen^® (Merck Serono)	Electronic autoinjector; dose programmed; adjustable injection depth; hidden needle	Lyophilized r-GH is reconstituted using click.easy device	Cartridge stored within the device; the device is refrigerated

Note:

* Not available in the US.

Abbreviations: GH, growth hormone; r-GH, recombinant growth hormone.

Figure 1 Norditropin^® Flexpro^® pen. The yellow pen is a 5 mg/1.5 mL pen with 0.025 mg increments, the blue pen is a 10 mg/1.5 mL pen with 0.05 mg increments, and the green pen is a 15 mg/1.5 mL pen with 0.1 mg increments. Photo courtesy of Novo Nordisk A/S.

Figure 2 Norditropin^® Flexpro^® and Norditropin Nordiflex^® pen. The Norditropin Flexpro pen is 11 mm shorter than the Norditropin Nordiflex pen. Photo courtesy of Novo Nordisk A/S.