Twinject discontinued: new Auvi-Q injector in production

[twinturbo]

When I tried to refill my Twinject today the pharmacist informed me that it's been discontinued. I confirmed it at Twinject's website. Shionogi sold to another company, the purchasing company decided to discontinue manufacture of that injector. I am hoping they at least license the design to a reputable manufacturer to continue that design's availability on the market! For me I have to carry so many for the kids it's not only a space saver but makes for a huge difference during a stressful moment to differentiate my injector from the kids' EpiPen, Jr.

What would make me furious is if this acquisition was a cutthroat move to monopolize market share for the remaining product. I am now forced to get an EpiPen brand or Greenstone generic, assuming that is still in production.

[Janelle205]

For me I have to carry so many for the kids it's not only a space saver but makes for a huge difference during a stressful moment to differentiate my injector from the kids' EpiPen, Jr.

This doesn't help the space issue any, but when I was at summer camp I differentiated the ones that I kept in the health center by wrapping the outside tube for mine in obnoxiously patterned duct tape - I wanted to make sure that I got mine in an emergency - I don't know how any of the kid's parents store their meds, and one of the allergic staff (who thankfully has never had a severe reaction) had an old-style epi, so you know that person hadn't refilled theirs in FOREVER.

[SilverLining]

twinjects site doesn't say it's discontinued.  At the bottom it says "Amedra Pharmaceuticals".  When I checked that website, it lists adrenaclick as one of their products.  Couldn't find anything at all about twinject.

As for differentiating between YOUR epi and the jr epi....they are different colours.

[twinturbo]

Front page green box to the right on Twinject's site.

Notice About Continued Availability Of This Website For Twinject Training And Instructional Purpose

This website and its various pages and downloads originally were created by the company that previously marketed Twinject (Shionogi Inc. of Florham Park, NJ). Shionogi transferred ownership of this website to CorePharma, LLC in April 2012. Concurrently, Shionogi announced that it was discontinuing Twinject effective March 30, 2012 and no new orders would be accepted.
In acquiring ownership of this website, CorePharma, LLC, did not acquire Twinject inventory or supplies, and CorePharma has no plans to reintroduce the product at this time. Any remaining inventory of Twinject (previously dispensed to patients, in pharmacies, or in the supply chain) are Shionogi product that Shionogi marketed and distributed prior to Shionogi's discontinuation of Twinject, and any follow-up about that product should be directed to Amedra.

Because CorePharma recognizes the important educational function of this website in training Twinject users and providing instructions on the proper use of Twinject, CorePharma intends to maintain this website to enable continued availability of the training and instructional materials that Shionogi originally provided through this website.

From Adrenaclick

Notice About Continued Availability Of This Website

For Adrenaclick Training And Instructional Purpose

This website and its various pages and downloads originally were created by the company that previously marketed Adrenaclick (Shionogi Inc. of Florham Park, NJ). Shionogi transferred ownership of this website to CorePharma, LLC in April 2012. Concurrently, Shionogi announced that it was discontinuing Adrenaclick effective March 30, 2012 and no new orders would be accepted.

In acquiring ownership of this website, CorePharma, LLC, did not acquire Adrenaclick inventory or supplies, and CorePharma has not yet reintroduced the product. Any remaining inventory of Adrenaclick (previously dispensed to patients, in pharmacies, or in the supply chain) are Shionogi product that Shionogi marketed and distributed prior to Shionogi's discontinuation of Adrenaclick, and any follow-up about that product should be directed to Amedra Pharmaceuticals, whose contact information is provided on this website.

Because CorePharma recognizes the important educational function of this website in training Adrenaclick users and providing instructions on the proper use of Adrenaclick, CorePharma intends to maintain this website to enable continued availability of the training and instructional materials that Shionogi originally provided through this website.

I called 3 unrelated pharmacies to get my Twinject filled. They have none. CVS told me flat out it was discontinued. A good question at this point is Canada affected differently from USA? And if so, who is manufacturing it?

ETA: I've emailed Twinject Canada to see if the corporate announcement on the US website affects their supply as well. And if anyone can find any at their pharmacies please let me know!! My local privately owned pharmacy is willing to help me get one elsewhere.

[SilverLining]

When I tried to click on links within the twinject site I get errors.  I assumed it's blocked to Canada.  (Many US sites do that.)

twinject.ca still looks the same as it used to be.  I don't see any information about who manufactures it.  But, I'm sure it was being manufactured in the US.

[GoingNuts]

I am not at all surprised.

Many people, myself included, are willing to pay extra for the Epipen, because it is what people are most familiar with.  In an emergency away from home, I don't want to worry about school or emergency personnel not being familiar with an epi delivery system; I want the one that everyone knows how to use.

Now the new sound activated one?  That might be worth switching to from my perspective.  As my DS is rarely with me anymore, I want to be sure that if he needs his epi it is in the most foolproof apparatus possible!

[Mfamom]

I switched to the TwinJect a few years ago when epi pen redesigned
I did it mostly because the new epi pen was so bulky and didn't fit in the epi belt that I spent well over $100 on. 
I was pretty peeved that dey just rolled out this new device with no warning, no input from allergy community and with no care on how to improve their product besides making it flat so it can't roll away.
I am definitely going to give the auvi one a try when its released.
I don't see why so many people find the twin ject confusing. 

[CMdeux]

Me, either, Mfamom.  Personally, I also LOVE the second dose, because we try to carry so many doses with us for particular situations.  (Air travel, remote areas during car travel-- basically anywhere that is going to put us an hour or more from emergency medical care, we carry multiple doses.)

I was really hoping that DD and I would be able to carry 8-12 doses with us to Europe this spring.  I guess not.   Er-- well, I guess that part we really don't have a LOT of choice about, actually... but it will certainly limit what ELSE we can carry on an airplane... including food.

   

[twinturbo]

No word from Twinject Canada yet. I'm going to ask at the national chain pharmacies to scour for any Twinjects left on the market. Will definitely post here if I find a small storage, heck, if they're still some supply in Canada I'll put it here.

In the meantime Auvi-Q looks as if it's about to hit the market. I know the agreement Sanofi signed off on with Pfizer and Mylan was no release until November 15, 2012 but that date is coming up soon. Auvi-Q has a nice professional looking website put up with pictures, prescribing information, demo video and a sign-up for release available. I signed up it's so dang hard to carry six EpiPens plus liquid antihistamine plus syringes and keep it all temperature steady throughout the Northeast winter. Unless I start wearing a bandolier the best I can do is 4 mixed lot EpiPens for the kids and one for myself since I'm the lowest risk. And no, I can't do fast melts for the kids it has to be liquid and the spoons underdose DS2. DS2 also can't self carry all the time reliably.

Auvi-Q



From Sanofi's press release on Auvi-Q the important stuff

Clinical Study Background

A bioequivalence clinical study was conducted using Auvi-Q (epinephrine injection, USP) and EpiPen®. Both auto-injectors delivered 0.3mg of epinephrine. Injections with epinephrine using Auvi-Q were well-tolerated and resulted in epinephrine plasma concentration levels that were found to be bioequivalent to EpiPen®.

adding link to Sanofi page with video on production you can actually see the injectors being made (it's the second video)

http://www.multivu.com/mnr/57459-sanofi-receives-fda-approval-for-auvi-q-epinephrine-auto-injector

[GoingNuts]

It's not that I find Twinject itself confusing, it's just that I don't want a school nurse to have to think too much.  They Re very familiar with the epipen design already, so that's what I want them to have available.  I want it to be as close to automatic as possible.

Just curious, are all defibrillators the same, or do they have different designs? 

[candyguru]

In Canada, twinject is manufactured by Paladin Labs
http://www.paladin-labs.com/our_products/ourproducts.html

In the USA, it appears twinject was manufactured by Shioogi Pharma
http://www.twinject.com/allergy-treatment-resources/notice-about-continued-availability.html


So perhaps the twinject is still available in Canada since it is manufactured by a different company than in the USA?

[Macabre]

It's not that I find Twinject itself confusing, it's just that I don't want a school nurse to have to think too much.  They Re very familiar with the epipen design already, so that's what I want them to have available.  I want it to be as close to automatic as possible.

Just curious, are all defibrillators the same, or do they have different designs? 

Exactly GN. We haven't used the twinject, but if we did, I'd still have regular epis for school and anyone but our family.  Just like when we move the Auvi, we'll have one (or two?) for DS--maybe one for DH.  But I'll still carry regular epis in my purse, and we'll keep regular epis everywhere else. 

I am assuming this will make the most sense expense-wise, but also everyone is already trained with teh regular epi. 

I had a school nurse mess up during an anaphylactic reaction with a regular epipen--the new one, which has a bit of resistance to it.  No way would I give the twinject to her (this was in middle school). 

BUT--I am upset that twinject is being discontinued, because many families really count on this option. :/

[Mfamom]

The twinject works same except there is a cap on both ends.  They are numbered 1 and 2.
For dose 2, you unscrew the pen sort of like taking a retractable ball point pen apart and you manually plunge.   

[YouKnowWho]

The horrible thought rolling through my head?  What if Epi's are recalled (and we have heard of several cases here of misfiring, one even causing death)?  What do we do then if we have no back up?  What if the Auvi Q is not all that and a bag of chips?

I hate the cost of the meds but pay because we need it.  What happens if it's not available?

[Mfamom]

What do you mean causing death.  Death due to misfire?