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, today announced their collaboration with dne pharma, a leader in addiction medicine in Northern Europe.

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 for a naloxone nasal drug product launch.

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. In their Opioid Task Force 2020 Progress Report, 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.

“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.