I don’t know if discovery is the right word, but to me this feels like a possible breakthrough that could positively rock our allergy and anaphylaxis world. Yesterday, two pharmaceuticals (Shin Nippon Biomedical Laboratories, Japan and G2B Pharma, San Fransisco, CA) announced in a press release, Novel Nasal Epinephrine Shows Comparable Absorption to EpiPen® in a Feasibility Study, their work on a nasal epinephrine product. The successful study demonstrated how their nasal and NON-needle epinephrine formulation was absorbed through the nasal passages at the same rate as an EpiPen®!? Yup, we are talking a possible new first line of action drug for a life threatening allergic reaction that does not require a needle or auto-injectable. Clinical trials will begin in 2014 and this news is pretty exciting given how many parents I personally know who have constantly asked for an epinephrine product that does not involve needles.
special note: Upper image of woman’s profile is courtesy of Luigi Diamanti via freedigitalphotos.net. The red bad featured above is what my son is carrying on his camping trip this week!
Can a fear of needles hinder emergency response to a life threatening allergic reaction?
Ironically, yesterday I heard a story of a parent whose child was having an allergic reaction who was unable to administer the EpiPen® out of fear. Apparently, the child ate a cookie that contained tree nuts, full body hives and itchy throat symptoms were growing. The parent called 911 and was instructed to use the EpiPen®, the parent was too afraid to use it. Emergency responders arrived and instructed the parent to use the EpiPen®, who again refused. This part of the story gets fuzzy, I’m assuming the emergency responders were basic EMTs and in Nevada, basics are not allowed to administer epinephrine (that’s another whole conversation for another day), hence why they instructed the parent to administer. A neighbor heard the sirens and ran over to see what was going on. Luckily, this person was a physician and immediately administered two doses of the EpiPen® and saved the child’s life.
Clearly, this possible new nasal delivery system might be of great value! It will be years until we see the product in our hands, but it feels like there are more emergency life threatening response solutions coming our way. Personally, I would love to see a cure and no need for a new drug discovery. But….until then, let’s bring on new drug discoveries!
One of the hardest things I find about managing both life threatening food allergies and asthma is talking to others. I hate to be the one that might be perceived as demanding, pushing or for asking too much. What I now know, fourteen years later, is that honest, clear information presented with kindness works!..
I’m very curious about the mechanism of delivery. I wonder if it has to be inhaled in a certain manner? We were unable to get my daughter to use nasal saline properly, so I’m a little concerned about the full dose being delivered, if it has to be “sniffed up”. If it only needs to touch the nasal passages, that might work better. Also, I wonder what happens if their nose is stuffed up during the reaction? My daughter’s nose was pouring with mucus and I don’t know how I’d get anything sprayed up there.
Either way, I totally agree that it’s great to have more options!
Hi Caroline! I am looking for bags like the one C took on his trip. Where can I get them and does an inhaler also fit in there?
Kelly, Tuff Bags also sells the Epi Pen Carriers on Etsy, here is the link I used: http://etsy.me/ZJpU8K
I am excited but (as always) will wait to see what the first few results are. I do love the idea of no needle!
Nutrimom, I hear ya! New options are always good!
I was hoping for sub-lingual epi, but nasal would be fine. This is great news!!!
Question… Why do all these recent stories report using two doses of Epi? Is that becoming the new standard? We always carry two doses, but I always considered the second dose as a backup, not an absolute. Is the second does become a standard?
Luann,
I think folks are learning that epinephrine can be given within closer times frames that what we were taught a decade ago. Of course, speak to your physician first before changing your protocol on administration of epinephrine.
Have you seen the Anaphylaxis training video from Canada from Epi Center Medical. They reference the World Allergy Organization and I believe it is single digit time between dose (3 or 5 minutes, I can’t remember, so don’t take that for the truth, but I believe it was a very small number).
I”m just glad to hear the neighbor dove in before it was too late.
Selena,
Yes! I wondered about that too. Having to blow your nose first? Our noses in my family are constantly stuffed! Especially right now with the sagebrush blooming, we’re a wreck.
I am really curious to see if the pricing would drop down too.
Yes, anything to bring costs down would be surely welcomed!