Origin to develop new injection device to improve animal welfare in research

19 March 2013

Origin, a medical and consumer product design consultancy, has been selected to deliver a new project for a Government-funded scheme seeking to improve the accuracy of injections given to rabbits used in research.

The project RETINAS — Refinement of techniques for intravitreal injection to avoid side effects in rabbits — is sponsored by GlaxoSmithKline and led by the National Centre for the Replacement, Refinement and Reduction of Animals in Research (NC3Rs). It forms part of the NC3Rs CRACK IT open-innovation platform, which links and funds scientists from universities and industry to tackle 3Rs challenges.

The aim is to develop a device that will give researchers pinpoint accuracy when testing treatments for degenerative eye disease. Testing often takes place on rabbits owing to the broad similarities of the size and anatomy of their eyes to humans. The injection site is very small and a specific device needs to be designed to prevent incorrect positioning that could cause damage to the lens and retina.

Origin will develop a new product that will remove variation in the injection position, ensuring that it is made at exactly the right angle and depth. This will minimise the risk of adverse side effects in the animals during experiments while also improving the quality of the data produced by research teams.

Allen Pearson, Managing Director at Origin said: “This is a fantastic project to be working on and we’re really excited to have been selected. We’re a relatively small team but with high quality testing facilities on site and huge experience in successfully delivering a wide range of medical devices, including injection devices, auto injectors and infusion set development.”

 

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