Medical Products > Jet Injectors > Human Use
Please Note: The systems
shown and described below are not for sale. They
are prototypes only and are not intended for human clinical
use.
LectraJet® HS
high speed jet injection system for mass immunization
campaigns
Client: Centers for Disease
Control and Prevention, Atlanta, Georgia
(SBIR Phase I Contract #200-98-0417;
Oct. 1998 - March 1999)
(SBIR Phase II Contract #200-2000-10049; Oct. 2000-Present)  The
Problem:
The
US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and the
World Health Organization (WHO) have identified the need
for an easy-to-use, reliable, rapidly deployable needle-free
injector that provides protection against pre-injection vaccine
contamination and that eliminates the risk of cross-infection
for the billions of vaccinations administered annually throughout
the world. This safe and effective way to rapidly vaccinate
large numbers of people is needed, not only for mass immunization
campaigns in developing countries, but also to prepare for
the possibility of bioterror attacks and disease pandemics
world-wide. The reason for this need is that injections often
come with the risk of cross-infection and other types of
infection due to:
- Reuse of disposable needles and syringes
- Reuse of sterilizable needles and syringes without proper
sterilization
- Improper disposal of contaminated sharps
- Accidental needlesticks
- Advance filling of multiple syringes (often done with
the intent to increase efficiency and speed, because syringe
filling is a very slow process).
Unsafe injection and disposal practices put the patient,
the healthcare worker and the community at risk.
The Solution:
The LectraJet® HS is
a high speed needle-free jet injection system for both routine
and mass immunization programs using standard vaccines as
well as new vaccines to protect against bioterror agents.
Because the device is needle-free, it eliminates the problems
of needle reuse, needlestick injuries and sharps disposal,
and it reduces the pain and fear associated with needle injections.
The system is low cost and reliable, requiring very little
maintenance, and it is hand-held and lightweight, which reduces
the likelihood of user fatigue. Both manual and battery power
options are available, with the battery pack providing several
thousand injections per charge.
The LectraJet® Cartridges:
The LectraJet® HS
uses autodisabling, single-shot, low cost disposable cartridges
that eliminate the risk of pre-injection contamination and
post-injection cross-infection associated with the older
style multi-use nozzle jet injectors and with needle and
syringe reuse.
Filling LectraJet® Cartridges:
LectraJet® cartridges
are filled on-site directly from the vaccine vial, or alternatively,
directly from a reconstitution syringe. The filling
process is extremely rapid (cartridges are filled twice
as fast as a vaccinator can deliver injections). This high
speed filling process removes the incentive to fill in
advance. In addition, all fluid path components are disposable,
single-use and inexpensive so that no sterilization is
required.
Managing LectraJet® Cartridges:
LectraJet® cartridges
are packaged sterile and housed in a "magazine" to maintain
cleanliness and minimize cartridge handling before, during
and after the on-site filling process and to provide for
efficient, rapid vaccination with no cartridge handling
by the vaccinator. Alternatively, cartridges can be packaged
individually for slower speed applications.
Low Workload Jet Injector for Routine Immunizations
Client: Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Atlanta,
Georgia
(Contract #200-98-0419; October 1998 - March 1999)
 Objective:
Routine
Immunization Clinics around the world deliver vaccines
to children using needles and syringes: a simple, effective,
and inexpensive method for parenteral delivery of drugs
and vaccines. However, because of improper sterilization
and possible reuse of the needle and syringe, the danger
of transmission of blood-borne disease is very high, especially
in resource-poor settings.
In an attempt to eliminate the problems associated with
needles and syringes, multi-use nozzle jet injectors, were
once used for immunizations until they were found to transmit
blood borne pathogens between patients. Their use was stopped
and the world was left with no alternative to needles for
immunization.
The objective of this contract was to develop a new, safer,
needle-free jet injector suitable for use in routine immunization
clinics in both developed and developing countries.
Solution:
DCI designed a manually armed needle-free
jet injection system that uses auto-disabling single shot
disposable cartridges to eliminate the possibility of both
pre-injection contamination and post-injection cross-infection.
The system is quickly and easily manually prepared for the
next injection, which allows for use anywhere in the world
regardless of available power supplies.
Results:
DCI designed and fabricated a prototype model,
which has been used for animal testing. Fabrication of a
next phase manual prototype is currently in process.
Multi-Channel
Jet Injector for Simultaneous Vaccine Delivery
Client: Centers
for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), Atlanta,
Georgia
(Contract #200-97-0641; August 1997 - January 1998)
Objective:
 New
childhood vaccines are being developed rapidly, but children,
parents, and providers are less willing to accept the increased
numbers of separate injections required at a single doctor
visit. Missed immunizations can result in increased disease
occurrence among unprotected children. Combination vaccines
are an alternative, but potential chemical incompatibilities
require years of expensive research and regulatory approval
to ensure that vaccine efficacy and safety are not compromised.
The objective of this project was to determine the scientific,
technical and commercial merit and feasibility of a multi-channel
jet injector to deliver multiple vaccines simultaneously.
Solution:
The multi-channel jet injector
must deliver several injections to the appropriate depth,
and within the space available on the thigh of a small child.
DCI carried out extensive analyses to determine the appropriate
system parameters, and these were followed by laboratory
testing and system design.
Results:
A paper design was required
to satisfy the contract, but DCI provided analyses of several
potential techniques, paper designs for two of the most promising
approaches, and a working prototype for the selected design.
This prototype was successfully demonstrated for the CDC
Measles Eradication Committee.
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