A novel electromechanical autoinjector, AutoTouch™, for self-injection of etanercept: real-world use and benefits.
OBJECTIVE
We assessed the ability of patients with autoimmune inflammatory diseases to successfully use the investigational AutoTouch™ reusable autoinjector as well as patient preference for AutoTouch™ versus the currently marketed single-use prefilled etanercept SureClick® autoinjector.


METHODS
Two multicenter studies were performed: a Home Use Study and a Patient Preference Study. In the Home Use Study, 77 patients with rheumatoid arthritis (RA) or psoriatic arthritis self-administered etanercept once weekly for 5 weeks. The primary end point was successful self-injection of etanercept via AutoTouch™. The Patient Preference Study was an open-label, randomized, 8-week crossover trial (4 weeks for each device) in 216 patients with RA or psoriasis (PsO). The primary end point was preference for AutoTouch™ versus SureClick®.


RESULTS
In the Home Use Study, the proportion of successful self-injections with AutoTouch™ during weeks 1 through 5 was 97.8% (95% CI, 96.3‒99.3). In the Patient Preference Study, patients had a preference rate for AutoTouch™ of 41.7% (95% CI, 34.9-48.4) overall, 43.5% (95% CI, 35.5‒51.6) for patients with RA, and 36.8% (95% CI, 24.3‒49.4) for patients with PsO. Needle apprehension was not different at initiation of the autoinjectors, nor was there a difference between the injectors after 4 weeks. Overall, patients preferred AutoTouch™ for ease of self-injecting, ease of pressing the start button, ease of following injection progress, and certainty of knowing when the injection was completed. SureClick® was preferred for fewer steps and experiencing less injection site discomfort or pain.


CONCLUSIONS
The introduction of the AutoTouch™ will give patients a choice between two different autoinjectors for self-administration of etanercept.
a Inflammation Therapeutic Area , Amgen Inc ., Thousand Oaks , CA , USA.
David H
DH
Collier
a Inflammation Therapeutic Area , Amgen Inc ., Thousand Oaks , CA , USA.
Bojena
B
Bitman
a Inflammation Therapeutic Area , Amgen Inc ., Thousand Oaks , CA , USA.
Andrew
A
Coles
a Inflammation Therapeutic Area , Amgen Inc ., Thousand Oaks , CA , USA.
Lyrica
L
Liu
a Inflammation Therapeutic Area , Amgen Inc ., Thousand Oaks , CA , USA.
Sandeep
S
Kumar
a Inflammation Therapeutic Area , Amgen Inc ., Thousand Oaks , CA , USA.
Clinton
C
Judd
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D015535:Arthritis, Psoriatic / Q000188:drug therapy*; D001172:Arthritis, Rheumatoid / Q000188:drug therapy*; D000068800:Etanercept / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007267:Injections; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009339:Needles; D057240:Patient Preference; D012646:Self Administration / Q000295:instrumentation*
D000068800:Etanercept
Etanercept; injector; psoriasis; psoriatic arthritis; rheumatoid arthritis; self-administration