Aptar Pharma, a global leader in drug delivery systems, services and active packaging solutions and Noble, an Aptar Pharma company, world leader in drug delivery training device programs, announced their collaboration with dne pharma, a leader in addiction medicine in Northern Europe. Both companies are providing their nasal drug delivery expertise and training solutions for dne pharma’s Ventizolve® nasal naloxone for the treatment of an opioid overdose. Ventizolve® is currently approved in 12 countries across Europe, with commercial launches so far in Norway, Sweden, Denmark and Finland.
Using Aptar Pharma’s patented Unidose Liquid System, Ventizolve® is a ready-to-use rescue treatment that can quickly reverse the life-threatening effects of an opioid overdose. Noble’s Unidose trainer kit, which replicates Aptar’s Unidose device, will be used by dne pharma as part of a broad patient onboarding and awareness program for Ventizolve® in outreach and drug treatment centers across the Nordics – the first trainer kit of its kind used for a naloxone nasal drug product launch.
Increasing patient access to address the opioid epidemic
According to The World Health Organization (WHO), opioids and opioid overdose account for more than 70% of the half a million drug-use related deaths that are reported annually worldwide[1]. In their Opioid Task Force 2020 Progress Report[2], the American Medical Association (AMA) states that a “continuing increase in drug overdoses is fueling the evolution of a more dangerous and complicated epidemic”, and urges stakeholders to come together to work collaboratively on meaningful action to remove barriers and increase patient access to evidence-based care, both to save lives and help end the epidemic.
Dne pharma’s focus is on improving existing treatments within addiction therapy. Nina Måsvær, Marketing Manager at dne pharma explains, “With the growing opioid overdose epidemic, we were fortunate to collaborate with Professor Ola Dale at the Norwegian University of Science and Technology in Trondheim on the development of a nasal naloxone sprayer for pre-hospital and take-home use and were able to secure final use approval for Ventizolve® in 12 European countries in 2018.”
Nasally Administered Opioid Overdose Rescue Treatment
Aptar Pharma’s Unidose Liquid System is the drug delivery device used to administer Ventizolve® and is a ready-to-use, one-step nasal device designed to enable the delivery of a precise, single dose quickly, easily and reliably, and without the need for administration by a trained professional.
“With over 100 million devices sold worldwide, our patented Unidose Technology Platforms are approved by the U.S. FDA and European regulatory authorities for a wide range of treatments from chronic conditions such as migraine and vitamin B12 deficiency to life-saving drugs that counter an opioid overdose,” commented Isabelle Menard, Director of Strategy and Business Integration at Aptar Pharma.
Noble is providing the training and onboarding component with its Unidose training device that replicates the form and function of Aptar Pharma’s Unidose drug delivery device. The Unidose training device features a novel twist reset function, making it easier for users and caregivers to practice administering a dose quickly and effectively so that they are ready when confronted with an emergency situation.
“Noble’s Unidose trainer kits are an essential part of our commercial launch and will be distributed to health centers across the Nordics as part of our onboarding program,” said Nina Måsvær, dne pharma.
“We’re honored to provide the training support for this important initiative to combat the growing opioid overdose epidemic,” added Joe Masci, Noble’s Executive Director of Business Development. “The levels of anxiety that come with using a drug delivery device can be high under normal circumstances, let alone under stress and using a product you are not familiar with. When faced with an emergency situation, users need to have the confidence to come to someone’s aid.”
Drug Repurposing to Nasal Drug Delivery
Dne pharma is among a new generation of industry disruptors who are making their mark by repurposing existing therapies for nasal drug delivery, with benefits such as better patient convenience, greater personal empowerment, improved user compliance, and in some cases, overcoming objections to more invasive delivery routes. More importantly, in the case of a rescue treatment, the recipient does not need a healthcare professional (HCP) to administer the drug, which could be life-critical in an emergency situation where, for example, the patient is unconscious.
“Aptar Pharma’s expertise in drug repurposing using nasal delivery solutions, combined with Noble’s innovative training and onboarding platform, make them the perfect partners to support us in bringing this life-saving drug product to market,” concluded Nina Måsvær, dne pharma.
About dne pharma
dne pharma has a history stretching back to 1900 and today we are one of the Nordic leaders in addiction medicine. We have extensive experience and expertise in this type of therapy and have exciting new products in the pipeline.
About Noble
Noble develops robust training devices and onboarding solutions for the world’s top pharma brands and biotech companies and is focused on fostering healthy patient outcomes for those who self-administer drug therapies. Noble manufactures and commercializes training devices that mimic the exact feel, force and function of drug delivery devices such as autoinjectors, prefilled syringes, onbody, nasal and pulmonary devices in order to increase patient adherence and confidence and decrease usage errors. Noble was founded in 1994 and is based in Orlando, Florida. Noble is an Aptar Pharma company.
About Aptar Pharma
Aptar Pharma is part of AptarGroup, Inc., a global leader in the design and manufacturing of a broad range of drug delivery, consumer product dispensing and active material solutions. Aptar’s innovative solutions and services serve a variety of end markets including pharmaceutical, beauty, personal care, home, food and beverage. Using insights, proprietary design, engineering and science to create dispensing, dosing and protective packaging technologies for many of the world’s leading brands, Aptar in turn makes a meaningful difference in the lives, looks, health and homes of millions of patients and consumers around the world. Aptar is headquartered in Crystal Lake, Illinois and has 13,000 dedicated employees in 20 countries.
