Improving Patient Compliance with Biopharmaceuticals by Reducing Injection-Associated Pain

Biopharmaceuticals, with their ability to treat many unmet needs, are seen as promising medications in diabetes mellitus, growth hormone deficiency, chronic renal failure, cancer, and rheumatoid arthritis. However, almost all biopharmaceuticals should be administrated by injection; IV, IM, and SC. In addition, these treatments are long term, and patients should receive frequent injections for many years. Patient compliance is therefore of critical importance to ensure treatment benefits. Therefore, the goal of drug product development should be focused on improving patient compliance by reducing injection-associated pain as well as stable formulation development. This review will suggest the kinds of factors that should be considered to minimize injection pain with regard to formulation, device, and injection procedures focused on SC injections.