Latest news with #EpiPen®
Scoop
09-05-2025
- Health
- Scoop
Learn To Be An EpiPen® Lifesaver This Allergy Awareness Week
Press Release – Allergy New Zealand Allergy New Zealand is calling on Kiwis to learn how to use an EpiPen this Allergy Awareness Week (11-17 May). Allergy NZ Chief Executive Mark Dixon said; We want all Kiwis to feel confident to act in an allergy emergency, just as we would with … Would you know how to save a life if you needed to respond to someone having a serious allergic reaction (anaphylaxis)? Allergy New Zealand is calling on Kiwis to learn how to use an EpiPen® this Allergy Awareness Week (11-17 May). Allergy NZ Chief Executive Mark Dixon said; 'We want all Kiwis to feel confident to act in an allergy emergency, just as we would with basic CPR and accessing a defibrillator'. To help, Allergy New Zealand has launched a poster outlining the steps a person needs to take to administer an EpiPen® – and potentially save a life. The poster can be viewed HERE. Since Pharmac began fully funding EpiPens for people at risk of anaphylaxis in February 2023, more and more people in our communities are now able to carry them. 'With no cost barrier, New Zealanders of all ages and stages of life can now have a pen with them if they need it,' Mark said. 'Pharmac has recently renewed its funding commitment – a decision we applaud.' 'This Allergy Awareness Week, our focus is on educating people on how to use an EpiPen®. By following the actions in our poster, anyone should be able to step in and help someone if they are having a serious allergic reaction and are not able to help themselves. We encourage people to share the poster widely with family, friends, and community networks.' An EpiPen® is a medical device that contains a single, pre-measured dose of adrenaline that will alleviate symptoms for a person experiencing anaphylaxis (the most severe form of allergic reaction) until emergency services arrive. It is designed for quick and easy use by the person themselves, or if they are too unwell, family members, friends, teachers, colleagues, or members of the public. The steps in the poster outlining how to use an EpiPen® to save a life, include: How to identify if someone is experiencing symptoms of anaphylaxis How and where to administer the EpiPen® Actions to take – If possible, lie the person/child flat; administer the EpiPen®; call 111; say the word 'anaphylaxis' to the call taker; and follow their instructions until emergency services arrive. 'An EpiPen® is easily identifiable through its distinctive blue and orange colours at each end,' Mark said. 'A really easy way to remember how to administer an EpiPen® is: 'Blue to the sky, orange to the thigh'. If you remove the blue safety cap, put the orange end to the outer mid-thigh and push firmly against the leg for three seconds, the EpiPen® will be triggered and can deliver the dose of adrenaline without you seeing or needing to handle needles.' 'We hope we can encourage people to step in and act without fear if they know, or come across, someone who needs this urgent, lifesaving treatment. Knowing how to act, could literally make you a lifesaver. And it's not hard.' Allergy Awareness Week is also an important time for local groups and clubs to check how accessible EpiPens are in their communities. For instance, does your school, fire station, camping ground, Department of Conservation (DoC) hut have an EpiPen®, and are key people trained to use it?
Scoop
09-05-2025
- Health
- Scoop
Learn To Be An EpiPen® Lifesaver This Allergy Awareness Week
Would you know how to save a life if you needed to respond to someone having a serious allergic reaction (anaphylaxis)? Allergy New Zealand is calling on Kiwis to learn how to use an EpiPen® this Allergy Awareness Week (11-17 May). Allergy NZ Chief Executive Mark Dixon said; 'We want all Kiwis to feel confident to act in an allergy emergency, just as we would with basic CPR and accessing a defibrillator'. To help, Allergy New Zealand has launched a poster outlining the steps a person needs to take to administer an EpiPen® - and potentially save a life. The poster can be viewed HERE. Since Pharmac began fully funding EpiPens for people at risk of anaphylaxis in February 2023, more and more people in our communities are now able to carry them. 'With no cost barrier, New Zealanders of all ages and stages of life can now have a pen with them if they need it,' Mark said. 'Pharmac has recently renewed its funding commitment - a decision we applaud.' 'This Allergy Awareness Week, our focus is on educating people on how to use an EpiPen®. By following the actions in our poster, anyone should be able to step in and help someone if they are having a serious allergic reaction and are not able to help themselves. We encourage people to share the poster widely with family, friends, and community networks.' An EpiPen® is a medical device that contains a single, pre-measured dose of adrenaline that will alleviate symptoms for a person experiencing anaphylaxis (the most severe form of allergic reaction) until emergency services arrive. It is designed for quick and easy use by the person themselves, or if they are too unwell, family members, friends, teachers, colleagues, or members of the public. The steps in the poster outlining how to use an EpiPen® to save a life, include: How to identify if someone is experiencing symptoms of anaphylaxis How and where to administer the EpiPen® Actions to take - If possible, lie the person/child flat; administer the EpiPen®; call 111; say the word 'anaphylaxis' to the call taker; and follow their instructions until emergency services arrive. 'An EpiPen® is easily identifiable through its distinctive blue and orange colours at each end,' Mark said. 'A really easy way to remember how to administer an EpiPen® is: 'Blue to the sky, orange to the thigh'. If you remove the blue safety cap, put the orange end to the outer mid-thigh and push firmly against the leg for three seconds, the EpiPen® will be triggered and can deliver the dose of adrenaline without you seeing or needing to handle needles.' 'We hope we can encourage people to step in and act without fear if they know, or come across, someone who needs this urgent, lifesaving treatment. Knowing how to act, could literally make you a lifesaver. And it's not hard.' Allergy Awareness Week is also an important time for local groups and clubs to check how accessible EpiPens are in their communities. For instance, does your school, fire station, camping ground, Department of Conservation (DoC) hut have an EpiPen®, and are key people trained to use it?
Associated Press
15-04-2025
- Health
- Associated Press
Belhaven Biopharma Announces Positive Data From Their Nasdepi(R) Dose Confirmation Study in Patients With and Without Allergic Rhinitis
Study Confirms Nasdepi® Dose Enabling Pivotal Biocomparability Study and Commercial Manufacturing RALEIGH, NORTH CAROLINA / ACCESS Newswire / April 15, 2025 / Belhaven Biopharma, a leader in innovative treatments for severe allergic reactions, is pleased to share promising results from its dose confirmational clinical trial of Nasdepi ®. The study substantiates a dose that is comparable to approved intramuscular injections by evaluating the pharmacokinetic and pharmacodynamic effects in subjects with and without induced allergic rhinitis. Key Takeaways: Nasdepi® is a dry powder formulation of epinephrine being developed for intranasal administration to treat Type 1 allergic reactions including anaphylaxis. Nasdepi® remains to have the potential to revolutionize and expand patient access and usability of a life-saving treatment for severe allergic reactions by offering a needle-free alternative that is environmentally robust, user-friendly, and cost-effective. Additionally, Nasdepi® promises to be a more reliable option than approved liquid treatments due to its greatly reduced susceptibility to degradation from prolonged exposure to high temperatures and its invulnerability to freezing. It can also be easily and painlessly administered to conscious or unconscious patients, regardless of their position. These advantages enable a simplified distribution network with the potential for increasing drug availability and breaking down barriers to epinephrine access, resulting in an expanded landscape of emergency anaphylaxis treatment on a global scale. Scott Lyman, CEO of Belhaven Biopharma, expressed enthusiasm about the results, stating, 'The successful outcomes of this dose confirmation and allergic rhinitis study clears the way for our pivotal biocomparibility study to support initial approval in the US. These results further support our objective for Nasdepi® to augment and offer an alternative to approved liquid formulations making this life-saving treatment easier to administer, more accessible, and less intimidating for patients worldwide.' The study was a 4-way cross-over study in 12 subjects with seasonal allergic rhinitis assessing two different Nasdepi® dose levels and the 0.3 mg EpiPen®. The targeted Nasdepi® dose was studied in subjects with and without induced rhinitis. Both dose levels of Nasdepi® were rapidly absorbed and achieved clinically relevant epinephrine levels in 5 minutes or less. In addition, both doses showed a desirable pharmacodynamic response relevant for the treatment of anaphylaxis which is also the expected biologic response to epinephrine. Peak heart rates and blood pressures were achieved more rapidly with Nasdepi® when compared to the EpiPen® indicating a shortened duration from drug administration to desired physiologic response to reverse anaphylaxis symptoms. There were no severe adverse events (SAEs), and safety findings were generally consistent with known effects of epinephrine and nasal administration. For more information, please visit About BBP01-CLN-102 BBP01-CLN-102 is an Open Label, Single Sequence, Dose Confirmation Biocomparability Study to Evaluate the Pharmacokinetics, Absorption, and Pharmacodynamic effects of two different Doses of BBP01 (Epinephrine) Intranasal Powder with and without Nasal Allergen Challenge versus Intramuscular Auto Injector Epinephrine in Subjects with Allergic Rhinitis About Belhaven Biopharma Belhaven Biopharma is a pharmaceutical development company specializing in developing life-saving medications delivered quickly, effectively, and painlessly with a simple, dry powder, single-use nasal device. They are at the forefront of developing nasal dry powder epinephrine, which is revolutionizing emergency-use epinephrine delivery and expanding global access. Nasdepi is Belhaven's lead program being developed to treat life-threatening allergic reactions. Contact InformationJanie Mackenzie Vice President of Public Relations 267.969.4992 SOURCE: Belhaven Biopharma press release
