Smaller 8mm needles with thinner wall technology reduce patient anxiety and injection force in biologic self-injection compared to standard 12mm needles, while maintaining full drug delivery and lowering intramuscular injection risks.
- An 8mm needle reduces patient anxiety by 23 percentage points compared to standard 12mm needles (53% vs 76% anxiety levels)
- The smaller needle length decreases intramuscular injection risk by 2.5 to 8 times versus 12.7mm needles without increasing intradermal injection risk
- Patients experience reduced injection force with 8mm needle technology, requiring less pressure while ensuring full drug delivery
- 87% of experienced self-injectors (20 of 23) reported advantages with 8mm needles, citing improved safety, comfort, and reduced intimidation
- Thinner wall syringe technology enables consistent subcutaneous administration for biologic therapies like monoclonal antibodies
Key Takeaways:
· While self-injection is growing for many types of biologics, there are challenges surrounding this delivery method.
· The 8mm needle and thinner wall technology of the Neopak™ XtraFlow™ syringe help lower patient anxiety and discomfort.
· There is a reduced injection force with the new syringe, so patients didn’t have to push as hard but still got the full delivery of the drug.
In a webinar last week, Claire Lageat, BD Clinical and Human Factors Specialist shared expert insights into how needle choice can impact the self-injection experience.
In a world where chronic disease is more prevalent than ever, the world of biologics is growing, specifically monoclonal antibodies (mAbs). In Lageat’s presentation, she stated that subcutaneous administration is one of the primary pathway routes of administration of biologics. And this administration may enable self-administration, which is generally preferred by patients and healthcare providers, resulting in reduced drug-delivery related costs and resource use.
While self-injection is growing for many types of biologics as of late, there are challenges surrounding this delivery method. The main one being able to perform consistent and successful self-injection, then there is potential dexterity challenges in patients, and the ability to inject in the targeted (correct) tissue.
The other challenges in self-injection lies in patient experience in things like post-injection pain, needle-related fear, and anxiety. To address these issues, BD recently introduced the Neopak™ XtraFlow™ Glass Prefillable Syringe, which features an 8mm needle and thinner wall technology to enhance patient self-injection experience.
But the company doesn’t just claim that, Lageat says that her and her team conducted several human factors studies where patients simulated subcutaneous self-injection to determine if the smaller needle length and gauge eased patients fears.
Lageat and her team conducted several human factors studies where patients simulated subcutaneous self-injection to determine if the smaller needle length and gauge eased patients fears.BD Webinar, June 26, 2025
Then the study gauged anxiety levels in naïve patients looking at the 8mm syringe vs. a standard 12mm syringe, and 76% had anxiety looking at the 12 mm needle vs 53% looking at the 8mm syringe. The reduced needle length helps to decrease patient anxiety levels even before injection. The reduced needle length also reduces risk of the patient hitting muscle. In BD’s study, the company determined that an 8mm needle length reduces intramuscular injection risk by 2.5 to 8 times vs. 12.7 mm needles without intradermal injection risk.
What's more is the study showed that there is a reduced injection force with the new syringe, so patients didn’t have to push as hard but still got the full delivery of the drug.
