The FDA has approved the first and only epinephrine auto-injector (EAI) with a needle length and dose specifically designed for infants and small children, according to a press release from manufacturer Kaléo.
The Auvi-Q 0.1 mg is specifically designed for the treatment of life-threatening allergic reactions, including anaphylaxis, in infants and small children weighing 16.5 to 33 pounds who are at risk for or have a history of serious allergic reactions.
The new 0.1 mg-dose epinephrine auto-injector has a shorter needle length and lower dose of epinephrine than current FDA approved 0.15 mg and 0.3 mg epinephrine auto-injectors. It is a compact epinephrine auto-injector with industry-first features, including a voice prompt system that guides a user with step-by-step instructions through the delivery process, and a needle that automatically retracts following administration.
“The approval of an epinephrine auto-injector specifically designed for infants and small children is timely, especially given the recent changes to guidelines recommending that certain high-risk infants, as young as four to six months old, be introduced to peanut-containing foods,” said Eleanor Garrow-Holdingiii, President and CEO of the Food Allergy & Anaphylaxis Connection Team (FAACT). “We are pleased that the pediatric allergy healthcare community and parents of infants and small children with life-threatening allergies will have the ability to obtain an FDA-approved epinephrine auto-injector in the event of an allergic emergency. We look forward to the availability of Auvi-Q 0.1 mg.”
The device is projected to be available for patients in the first half of 2018.
