Bayer HealthCare has received approval from the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) for its Betaconnect, an electronic autoinjector developed to treat relapsing-remitting multiple sclerosis (RRMS).
From early 2016, the company will exclusively provide Betaconnect to Betaseron (interferon beta-1b) patients, which is a prescription medicine used to reduce the number of relapses in people with relapsing forms of multiple sclerosis.
Bayer neurology general manager and vice-president Klaus Marten said: "Bayer has a long legacy of supporting and providing services for the RRMS community.
"Betaseron was the first disease-modifying therapy approved by the FDA to treat RRMS patients, and today we are pleased to offer the first and only electronic auto injector for those living with the disease."
Betaconnect provides customizable injection speed and depth settings, which enable patients to inject softly with precision at the touch of a button.
The new electronic autoinjector has an optional back-up reminder function, which helps patients to know about the time of their next injection.
In addition, the automatic needle insertion and retraction with a visual and audio end-of-dose indication will enable patients to know when the injection is being completed.
According to the firm, around 400,000 people are suffering with RRMS in the US and injectable beta-interferons are a prescribed class of immunomodulatory drugs for the disease.
Image: Bayer has received FDA approval for Betaconnect to treat RRMS. Photo: courtesy of PRNewswire/ Bayer HealthCare.