Pens with NFC-Labels

Interactive Assistance with Multi-Dose Therapies

Diabetes is one of the fastest growing common illnesses of the 21st century. Many diabetes patients require lifelong treatment with insulin, which they have to administer themselves using insulin pumps, syringes or pens. For insulin and other multi-dose therapies, Ypsomed offers UnoPen™, a disposable pen with variable dose setting. Schreiner MediPharm developed an NFC-Label for this injection aid. It serves as a communication interface between the injector and the SmartPilot™, an electronic add-on for the pen. This results in a smart device that interactively assists patients in administering their medication and adhering to their therapy plan.

The label with an integrated NFC chip was designed by Schreiner MediPharm to precisely fit the combination of the UnoPen™ and the new SmartPilot™. The NFC-Label can automatically identify and authenticate the medication, and check its expiration date. The injection date and time as well as the delivered dose are tracked and transmitted to the patient’s smartphone app via Bluetooth. Thus, the patient is interactively guided through the injection process, assisted in correctly using the pen in real time or informed about inconsistencies—for instance in the event of deviations from the therapy plan or an accidental attempt of adouble injection.

Also integrated is a temperature monitoring feature that issues a warning if the pen was exposed to critical temperatures while being used or stored. This feature is enabled by sensor technology installed in the SmartPilot™ that digitally connects the UnoPen™. The smart device is attached to the pen without covering the cap, the dose scaling mechanism and the button that triggers the injection. It remains on the pen during the entire injection process.

Schreiner MediPharm was Ypsomed’s development partner also in a previous project for the SmartPilot™ application of the YpsoMate® autoinjector. “We selected Schreiner MediPharm again because this is where we’ve seen the highest expertise in adapting sophisticated NFC-Labels to injection systems,” says Andreas Schneider, Innovation & Business Development Director at Ypsomed. The narrow radius of the pen and the small tolerances of the attached device posed particular challenges. A major focus was put on automated processing because the label-integrated NFC chip has to deliver reliable performance from production to final use. Schreiner MediPharm utilizes a special design ensuring end-to-end functionality.

Schreiner MediPharm was Ypsomed’s development partner also in a previous project for the SmartPilot™ application of the YpsoMate® autoinjector. “We selected Schreiner MediPharm again because this is where we’ve seen the highest expertise in adapting sophisticated NFC-Labels to injection systems,” says Andreas Schneider, Innovation & Business Development Director at Ypsomed. The narrow radius of the pen and the small tolerances of the attached device posed particular challenges. A major focus was put on automated processing because the label-integrated NFC chip has to deliver reliable performance from production to final use. Schreiner MediPharm utilizes a special design ensuring end-to-end functionality.

The label with an integrated NFC chip was designed by Schreiner MediPharm to precisely fit the combination of the UnoPen™ and the new SmartPilot™. The NFC-Label can automatically identify and authenticate the medication, and check its expiration date. The injection date and time as well as the delivered dose are tracked and transmitted to the patient’s smartphone app via Bluetooth. Thus, the patient is interactively guided through the injection process, assisted in correctly using the pen in real time or informed about inconsistencies—for instance in the event of deviations from the therapy plan or an accidental attempt of adouble injection.

Also integrated is a temperature monitoring feature that issues a warning if the pen was exposed to critical temperatures while being used or stored. This feature is enabled by sensor technology installed in the SmartPilot™ that digitally connects the UnoPen™. The smart device is attached to the pen without covering the cap, the dose scaling mechanism and the button that triggers the injection. It remains on the pen during the entire injection process.

Schreiner MediPharm was Ypsomed’s development partner also in a previous project for the SmartPilot™ application of the YpsoMate® autoinjector. “We selected Schreiner MediPharm again because this is where we’ve seen the highest expertise in adapting sophisticated NFC-Labels to injection systems,” says Andreas Schneider, Innovation & Business Development Director at Ypsomed. The narrow radius of the pen and the small tolerances of the attached device posed particular challenges. A major focus was put on automated processing because the label-integrated NFC chip has to deliver reliable performance from production to final use. Schreiner MediPharm utilizes a special design ensuring end-to-end functionality.

About Ypsomed

Ypsomed headquartered in Burgdorf (Switzerland) is a leading developer and manufacturer of injection and infusion systems for self-medication and a specialist in diabetes care. The company is a partner of pharmaceutical and biotech companies for pens, autoinjectors and pump systems for the delivery of liquid medications. Ypsomed has around 1,700 employees worldwide.