The redesigned follitropin α pen injector for infertility treatment

Abstract

Introduction: Treatment for infertility may require multiple drugs and complex dosing schedules. Available injection devices for patients who require regular injections during treatment are reviewed in this article, focusing on pen injectors used to self-administer recombinant human follicle-stimulating hormone (follitropin α). Following the introduction of the first and second follitropin α pen injectors in the last decade, a third pen injector with improved design for the administration of follitropin α has been developed for use in fertility treatment cycles.

Areas covered: This paper presents the results of the dose accuracy testing with this pen injector that was performed in accordance with international standards (EN ISO 11608-1:2000). This overview also provides an understanding of the key features of the redesigned pen injector that are of interest to healthcare professionals.

Expert opinion: The availability of an improved injection device for the delivery of follitropin α used during infertility treatment cycles of ovulation induction and assisted reproductive technology offers patients and healthcare professionals new treatment administration options. As fertility treatment cycles involve the use of several injectable gonadotropins, a standard device that could be used for all such treatments would simplify both the administration and the teaching of administration considerably.

Keywords::

• dose accuracy
• follitropin α
• in vitro fertilization
• infertility
• injection device
• ovulation induction
• pen injector
• recombinant human follicle-stimulating hormone

Acknowledgements

The authors would like to thank Celine Audibert-Gros, PhD, for management of the market research. They also thank MaiLee Wong, Jane Davies and Carol Cooper of Caudex Medical (supported by Merck Serono S.A. – Geneva, Switzerland, an affiliate of Merck KGaA, Darmstadt, Germany) for their assistance in the preparation of this manuscript.

Notes

This box summarizes key points contained in the article.