Needle-free tech enters Japanese growth hormone market:
This article was originally published in Clinica
Executive Summary
Antares Pharma has reported that its needle-free injection technology has become the first such product to enter the Japanese human growth hormone market. The firm's Japanese licensee, JCR Pharmaceuticals Co, of Ashiya, this month launched the Twin-Jector EZ II, a product that combines Antares' Vision needle-free technology with JCR's growth hormone. Japan represents the highest value market for human growth hormone products, said Antares CEO Roger Harrison. Antares' needle-free technology was launched in the European human growth hormone market in 1997. "For the year ended December 31 2003, the majority of our reported product revenues was derived from this sector of our business," Mr Harrison said. Under the deal with JCR, Antares will receive manufacturing margins on sales of devices as well as royalties on the end sales of human growth hormone used with the needle-free technology.