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Portal Instruments recently participated in Mediaplanet USA’s Autoimmune Diseases campaign, where we united with industry leaders to increase awareness about the over 100 autoimmune diseases that plague millions of Americans today.

Dr. Ian Hunter, Hatsopolous Professor of Mechanical Engineering at MIT, and inventor of the underlying Portal needle-free technology, describes his journey from inception of the technology through different iterations of prototypes that eventually evolve into the handheld prototype that we have today.

Needle-free drug delivery devices have been around since the 1960s. However, most of these devices could only deliver a limited volume of medication, had limited ability to control injection depth, and were known to be loud and painful. These factors created barriers to their widespread adoption.

The social stigma around needle use and inherent discomfort around needle handling can create barriers to adoption and sustained adherence to a prescribed treatment plan.

The reasons people may skip vaccines such as the flu shot are many. They can include apathy or being too busy. They can include people believing that they won’t get sick or fearing vaccines. But recent research suggests another reason some may skip shots: fear of needles. And it’s a fear that may be preventable.

Numerous patients around the world experience terrible anxiety when faced with the prospect of a needle-based injection. The distress can be so overwhelming that patients sometimes skip doses or simply choose to forego treatment entirely.

Medicine only works when taken consistently, making medication adherence essential to achieving positive treatment outcomes. It is estimated that 190 million Americans are affected by one or more chronic conditions, most of which can be managed via medication. Non-adherence is a loss for everyone.

Compared to conventional pharmaceutical drugs, biologics feature robust therapeutic efficacy, high selectivity, and limited side effects. However, there are marked limitations for the delivery of biologic drugs.

Portal’s Needle-Free Drug Delivery System is now available for clinical testing, human factor evaluation, and commercial planning.

Patients with chronic conditions who must receive frequent, sometimes even daily, injections are all too familiar with the sting and the inherent anxiety of handling needles. Portal’s innovative needle-free platform is changing the paradigm of care.