Stevanato Launches Vertiva On-Body Delivery System for Injectables

Stevanato Group, S.p.A., a global provider of drug containment and delivery solutions to the pharmaceutical, biotechnology and life sciences industries, introduced Vertiva, its On-Body Delivery System (OBDS) intended to be able to switch between basal and bolus injections and to be suitable for a wide range of subcutaneous therapies.

In a statement, the company said that Vertiva’s unique design consists of a single-use pod with a pre-filled and pre-loaded 3mL ISO cartridge, and a multi-use controller, offering potential sustainability and affordability benefits. These two parts communicate through a patented magnetically coupled drive mechanism. The device can adapt to different delivery profiles and can enable the administration of small-molecule drugs and biologics. Vertiva’s design is under development also to cover a broad range of volumes up to 10mL.

In the Vertiva device the cartridge is preloaded and sealed into the pod during factory assembly allowing the patient to benefit from simplified treatment initiation. Administrations can be conducted more comfortably at home, and the connectivity options of Vertiva can be ready for digital health applications. Upon treatment, the pod and controller can be more easily separated, and the controller can be reused, thereby reducing the environmental impact of electronic components.

Programmable to deliver micro-precision basal doses and full-content bolus injections, Vertiva is intended to be suitable for a wide range of therapies, such as cardiovascular and metabolic disorders, oncology, immunology, and pain diseases. Vertiva platform can also accommodate different customizations, including primary packaging format for larger injection volumes, delivery duration, and user interface.

Stevanato Group will leverage its collaboration with Thermo Fisher Scientific to bring Vertiva to market. The platform will be offered as an integrated device and fill-and-finish solution to streamline the management of the pharmaceutical supply chain. The combination of capabilities can support pharma companies from drug development through to the final packaged product.

Along with the device platform, Stevanato Group will offer its pre-sterilized EZ-fill cartridges as drug containment solutions and assembly equipment, while Thermo Fisher will provide fill-and-finish and final assembly services.

“The Vertiva on-body delivery system supports pharma companies in increasing the accessibility of in-home care and administered treatment options, which can ultimately lead to an improved patient experience,” said Steven Kaufman, vice president for drug delivery systems at Stevanato Group. “We are excited to be offering this device to the market, as it contributes to further strengthening our integrated capabilities in the drug delivery space. By utilizing a re-usable controller, we work towards greater sustainability and see cost benefits to our customers that use Vertiva.”