Combination Device Manufacturers to Collaborate with Healthcare Companies to Commercialize Products

Nov. 3, 2011 - PRLog -- Frost & Sullivan: Combination Device Manufacturers to Collaborate with Large Healthcare Companies to Commercialize Their Products

Medical device application landscape influenced by the adoption of emerging drug-device combinations

MOUNTAIN VIEW, Calif. – Nov. 3, 2011 – Minimally invasive combination drug-device approaches are emerging as viable treatment options that can extend survival, decrease organ toxicity, and improve the quality of life of patients with severe indications. Novel developments in technology and supporting clinical data have made a strong case for the adoption of the combination drug-device approach for pathology research.

New analysis from Frost & Sullivan’s (http://www.frost.com) Combination Devices – Application Landscape research finds that the rapid advances in image-guidance technologies have also made precise and effective application of combination drug-device approaches a clinically feasible option.

If you are interested in more information on this research, please send an email to Britni Myers, Corporate Communications, at britni.myers@frost.com, with your full name, company name, title, telephone number, company email address, company Web site, city, state and country.

Drug delivery systems have always comprised a vast segment of biomaterials R&D, and this branch of technology development has gotten a boost from the demand for smart and biocompatible drug delivery devices. Despite its nascence, drug-device combination is demonstrating its efficiency in targeted drug delivery through the adoption of popular approaches involving nanotechnology, photodynamic therapy, and antimicrobial implants, apart from tablets and pills.

Combination devices, with their unique construction and drug release profiles, have changed the way drugs are administered. A targeted approach enables the delivery of higher therapeutic dosages while minimizing adverse side effects. It offers greater control over toxicity and bioavailability of dose, in addition to continuous therapeutic drug release over prolonged periods.

Through combination techniques, silica nanorattles as drug carriers of anti-tumor drug docetaxel can now be used for sustained and pH-sensitive drug release. Similarly, conventional polymers can be incorporated with nanoparticles to form nano composites for achieving targeted drug delivery. Among the diverse existing platforms, nano-biomaterials under investigation for cancer treatment have garnered significant attention due to their unique features.

“Drug delivery devices are inherently complex systems that require the integration of the drug substance, formulation, container closure, and the device for optimum product functionality,” said Technical Insights Senior Research Analyst Prasanna Vadhana Kannan. “Nowadays, patient-driven delivery devices incorporating a biologics portfolio are emerging as better alternatives to single-entity devices for providing enhanced therapeutic advantages.”

The detection of cancer indications is one of the most important areas of pathology influenced by the integration of a combination device. Cancer treatment needs to address the two formidable challenges of tumor heterogeneity and adaptive resistance. As a platform technology, the combination of multiple parameters has the remarkable ability to target tumor markers and deliver agents simultaneously for synergy in addressing the dual challenges of cancer heterogeneity and adaptive resistance.

Customer preference for miniaturized platforms is compelling combination device manufacturers to create implantable devices for diagnostic and therapeutic delivery at the micro to nano levels. As more companies begin to adopt the open innovation model for developing products, inventions will pick up pace steadily across combining drugs, devices and biologics.

To ensure the speed does not slacken, manufacturers have to guard against suboptimal drug products as the wrong drug mixture can lead to harmful side effects. A poor choice of biomaterials can cause the coating to flake off or too much drug being deposited in the body. Technology developers are still unable to achieve the desired efficacy levels for the therapy sought.

Further, companies often lack the funds to take the product to the commercialization phase. Therefore, companies often license their products to a large device manufacturer or collaborate with a pharmaceutical company to get the product to the market.

“As combination devices is a relatively new concept within the medical devices sector, technology licensing, spin-off companies, and research groups are normally the prevailing model for commercialization,” said Technical Insights Industry Analyst Saju John Mathew.  “This is for both emerging companies as well as for major participants.”

Combination Devices – Application Landscape, a part of the Technical Insights subscription, provides a snapshot of the global corporate and academic initiatives; a dynamic strength, weakness, opportunity, threat (SWOT) analysis of key growth strategies; a technology-specific application analysis; technology roadmap analysis; and scenario modeling with emerging opportunities listed. Further, this research service includes detailed technology analysis and industry trends evaluated following extensive interviews with market participants.

Technical Insights is an international technology analysis business that produces a variety of technical news alerts, newsletters and research services.

About Frost & Sullivan
Frost & Sullivan, the Growth Partnership Company, enables clients to accelerate growth and achieve best-in-class positions in growth, innovation and leadership. The company's Growth Partnership Service provides the CEO and the CEO's Growth Team with disciplined research and best-practice models to drive the generation, evaluation, and implementation of powerful growth strategies. Frost & Sullivan leverages 50 years of experience in partnering with Global 1000 companies, emerging businesses and the investment community from more than 40 offices on six continents. To join our Growth Partnership, please visit http://www.frost.com.

Combination Devices-Application Landscape
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Contact:
Britni Myers
Corporate Communications – North America
P: 210.477.8481
F: 210.348.1003
E: britni.myers@frost.com

http://www.frost.com
http://www.technicalinsights.frost.com

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Frost & Sullivan, the Growth Partnership Company, enables clients to accelerate growth and achieve best-in-class positions in growth, innovation and leadership. The company's Growth Partnership Service provides the CEO and the CEO's Growth Team with disciplined research and best-practice models to drive the generation, evaluation, and implementation of powerful growth strategies. Frost & Sullivan leverages 50 years of experience in partnering with Global 1000 companies, emerging businesses and the investment community from more than 40 offices on six continents. To join our Growth Partnership, please visit http://www.frost.com.