Table 1.
How Norditropin® Flexpro® compares with other devices for injecting recombinant growth hormone
| Device type | Device | Recombinant GH manufacturer | Device features | Reconstitution | Storage |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Syringe and needle | Miniquick® | Genotropin® (Pfizer) | Single-use, disposable syringe; available in dose 0.2–2.0 mg in 0.2 mg steps | Syringes are prefilled with lyophilized r-GH and diluents in a two-chamber cartridge | Can be kept nonrefrigerated for 3 months |
| Injector pen | Genotropin® pen | Genotrin® (Pfizer) | Multiuse pen in two sizes; needle guard; dose dialed before each injection; digital dose-display window | Lyophilized r-GH is mixed internally through the use of a two-chamber cartridge | Cartridge is stored in the pen; the pen is refrigerated |
| HumatroPen™ | Humatrope® (Lilly) | Multiuse pen; dose dialed; digital display of dose selected | Lyophilized r-GH is reconstituted before use using a prefilled syringe of diluents | The cartridge is stored in the device between in injections; the device is refrigerated | |
| NordiPen® | Norditropin® (Novo Nordisk) | Multiuse pen; dose dialed before each injection; can be used with an optional guard to hide the needle and autoinserter mechanism (NordiPen Mate®) | Prefilled cartridge contains premixed liquid r-GH | Can be stored at room temperature for 3 weeks | |
| NordiFlex® | Norditropin® (Novo Nordisk) | Disposable pen in 5, 10 and 15 mg sizes; dose dialed before each injection; can be used with a retractable needle cover (NovoFine® Autocover® needle); no longer available in the US after May 31, 2011 | Prefilled, multidose cartridge contains premixed liquid r-GH | Can be stored at room temperature for 3 weeks | |
| Flexpro® | Norditropin® (Novo Nordisk) | Disposable pen in 5, 10, and 15 mg sizes and shorter by 11 mm than the Nordiflex®; dose dialed before each injection; smallest dose increment 0.025 mg; a click confirms dose delivery; can be used with a retractable needle cover (NovoFine® Autocover® needle) | Prefilled, multidose cartridge contains premixed liquid r-GH | Can be stored at room temperature for 3 weeks | |
| Nutropin AQ Pen® | Nutropin AQ® (Ipsen/Genentech) | Multiuse pen; dose dialed before each injection or dose recall function used; digital dose display; optional needle shield | Premixed, cartridge prefilled with liquid r-GH | Cartridge, stored within device; the device is refrigerated | |
| Autoinjector pen | one.click™ | Saizen® (Merck Serono International SA) | Multiuse autoinjector pen; dose dialed; adjustable injection depth; hidden needle | Lyophilized GH is reconstituted using click.easy device | Cartridge stored within the device; the device is refrigerated |
| Needle-free injector | cool.click™ | Saizen® (Merck Serono International SA) | Needle-free device; dose dialed before each use | Lyophilized r-hGH is reconstituted using click.easy device; cartridge is inserted at each use | The cartridge is stored outside the device and is refrigerated |
| Zomajet® 2 vision* | Zomacton® (Ferring) | Needle-free device; dose dialed before each use | Lyophilized r-GH is reconstituted before use | The vial is kept outside the device and is refrigerated | |
| Electronic injector | easypod™ | Saizen® (Merck Serono) | Electronic autoinjector; dose programmed; adjustable injection depth; hidden needle | Lyophilized r-GH is reconstituted using click.easy device | Cartridge stored within the device; the device is refrigerated |
Note:
*
Not available in the US.
Abbreviations: GH, growth hormone; r-GH, recombinant growth hormone.