title: The redesigned follitropin α pen injector for infertility treatment.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Treatment for infertility may require multiple drugs and complex dosing schedules. Available injection devices for patients who require regular injections during treatment are reviewed in this article, focusing on pen injectors used to self-administer recombinant human follicle-stimulating hormone (follitropin α). Following the introduction of the first and second follitropin α pen injectors in the last decade, a third pen injector with improved design for the administration of follitropin α has been developed for use in fertility treatment cycles.
  
  
  METHODS
  This paper presents the results of the dose accuracy testing with this pen injector that was performed in accordance with international standards (EN ISO 11608-1:2000). This overview also provides an understanding of the key features of the redesigned pen injector that are of interest to healthcare professionals.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The availability of an improved injection device for the delivery of follitropin α used during infertility treatment cycles of ovulation induction and assisted reproductive technology offers patients and healthcare professionals new treatment administration options. As fertility treatment cycles involve the use of several injectable gonadotropins, a standard device that could be used for all such treatments would simplify both the administration and the teaching of administration considerably.
authors.affiliation: Merck Serono S.A., Geneva, Switzerland.
authors.forename: Michel
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Christen
authors.forename: Joan C
authors.initials: JC
authors.lastname: Schertz
authors.forename: Pablo
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Arriagada
authors.forename: Joachim
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Keitel
authors.forename: Heiko
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Müller
mesh_terms: D016503:Drug Delivery Systems / Q000295:instrumentation*; D004867:Equipment Design; D005260:Female; D005300:Fertility Agents, Female / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D015292:Glycoprotein Hormones, alpha Subunit / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D006801:Humans; D007247:Infertility, Female / Q000188:drug therapy*; D010062:Ovulation Induction / Q000295:instrumentation; D012646:Self Administration
chemical_list: D005300:Fertility Agents, Female; D015292:Glycoprotein Hormones, alpha Subunit