Sustainable Auto Injector Trainer Pen

Creating a sustainable solution for onboarding patients

AstraZeneca UK Ltd came to Team Consulting with an existing auto-injector trainer pen. Their goal was to improve its usability, ensuring patients had the best possible training experience, while simplifying the mechanics to create a sustainable yet robust device.

We helped them develop a patient-centric training coach. The device’s clear instruction labels promote an easy and consistent training experience for both patients and HCPs. With only four use steps, a simple design and low component count, the result was a robust demonstrator engineered with sustainability in mind.

Drug delivery | Mechanical engineering | Instructions for use | Human factors | Industrial design

Patient-centric instructions for use

We decided to focus on the key steps from the trainer pen’s instructions for use:

1 – Mix
2 – Unlock
3 – Unscrew
4 – Inject

We took advantage of the pen’s four-side geometry to add these key steps directly onto the device. The result is a trainer pen with clear and concise sequential labelling, making it easy for users to follow instructions. The new labelling promotes correct use of the device, including turning the pen upside down before injection.

We had to create a seamless experience to reduce user error and ensure that the trainer provided patients with the confidence needed to use the ‘real’ injector correctly. The device’s instructions were greatly improved to facilitate user onboarding, allowing them to replicate the mechanism of the actual auto-injector while ensuring an easy re-set by following the four set-up steps in reverse, ready for the next patient to be trained.
Tom Etheridge, Senior Industrial Design Consultant, Team Consulting

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Designing a trainer auto-injector pen with sustainability in mind

The training coach was built using the minimum possible component parts, all made from the same material. This saved 24 components per device and, based on producing roughly 10,000 devices per year, a total yearly reduction of 240,000 components. This considerably reduced the quantity of material used and helped to meet AstraZeneca’s sustainability goals.

In reducing the number of parts and limiting the materials for all of the internal mechanism, we had to ensure that the trainer pen remained robust. This was especially needed due to the nature of the device, which can be used multiple times to train patients until they feel confident with the injection process.
Georgia Halstead, Consultant Mechanical Engineer, Team Consulting

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Collaborative development

Team Consulting was brought in early in the project. which allowed the trainer pen to be designed in an agile manner. We worked seamlessly with the team at AstraZeneca UK Ltd by developing a deep understanding of their requirements and challenges. Collaborating closely together meant that the multi-disciplinary project team took ownership of the work, ensuring the delivery of a fast, high-quality product through a fully remote, but harmonious collaboration.

Outcome

This patient-centric trainer pen effectively onboards and trains users, while its simple, cost-efficient and robust mechanics are designed for repeated use. The training coach is now being used on the market, providing active support to HCPs in training patients.

The trainer has since won a Good Design award in recognition of its innovative design and ability to train patients effectively.