An auto-injector includes a drive assembly within a housing carrying a syringe including a needle adjacent an activation cap within the housing's distal end. The drive assembly includes a first chamber carrying a gas canister, a plunger within a second chamber coupled to the syringe, and proximal and distal chambers. The activation cap is pressed against a subject's skin to direct the drive assembly proximally to open an outlet of the canister to release pressurized gas into the first chamber, whereupon the gas enters the proximal chamber to generate a distal force to advance the drive assembly to direct the needle into the subject and enters the second chamber to advance the plunger to deliver agents from the syringe into the subject. After the plunger advances, the gas enters the distal chamber to generate a proximal force to retract the drive assembly to direct the needle back into the housing.

A vaccination device can be used to vaccinate day-old chicks. To vaccinate the day-old chicks safely while ensuring vaccination efficacy, the vaccination device can include a vaccination needle configured to extend from the vaccination device at a vaccination delivery location and an action plate. The action plate can be coupled to the vaccination device such that the action plate is positioned next to the vaccination delivery location. The action plate can include an action button, wherein the action button is configured to receive a day-old chick presented to the action plate in a predetermined loading position, receive a press of the action button, and in response to pressing the action button, cause the vaccination needle to extend from the vaccination device at the vaccination delivery location to deliver a subcutaneous injection to the day-old chick.

A skin sensing system for a drug delivery device includes a control unit and a skin sensor comprising one or more electrodes. The skin sensor may be configured to store a threshold value associated with skin sensing, receive one or more sensed signal values .sup..from the one or more electrodes, compare the one or more sensed signal values with the threshold value, and based on the comparison, transmit a resultant signal to the control unit, The resultant signal is used by the control unit to determine whether a skin surface of a user is substantially proximate to the skin sensor upon receiving the resultant signal. A drug delivery device for sensing contact with the skin includes the skin sensing system. When the skin sensor senses that the drug delivery device is in contact with a patient's skin surface, drug delivery from the device may he permitted.

A plunger configured as described herein provides geometry optimizations to minimize friction magnitude and variability during use by maintaining low deformation under large extrusion forces. More specifically, plunger embodiments described herein minimize a contact area between the plunger and a syringe or chamber, while also maintaining high contract pressures to maintain container closure integrity. Moreover, the plunger embodiments are configured to have minimal or no increase in the contact area under high loads associated with the delivery of viscous products.

There is provided an applicator including: a first liquid flow path through which a first liquid containing fibrinogen passes; a second liquid flow path through which a second liquid containing thrombin passes; a confluence section in which the first liquid and the second liquid merge with each other to form a mixed liquid; and a gas flow path through which a gas for jetting the mixed liquid passes. At least part of a wall portion defining the confluence section is composed of a gas-permeable membrane that is impermeable to the mixed liquid and permeable to the gas.

An auto-injector operable in a single activation step. The auto-injector is automatically armed when removed from its carrying receptacle. The auto-injector may be prefilled with more than one constituent of a beneficial agent, stored in separated compartments, in such an arrangement that the compartments will automatically merge when the auto-injector is removed from its carrying receptacle.

An automated wearable device measure physiological signals, and when parameters which cause the wearer to be at risk are measured, the device delivers an antidote for a given medical condition. This prevents overdose or medical conditions from occuring.

A method is disclosed for state sensing and controlling of a multi-state drug delivery device. In some embodiments a power switch is reused as a state sensor. Optionally the state sensor may be toggled by user actions and/or the movements of parts of the device, for example needle and/or a protective element. Optionally, drug discharge and/or status indication is controlled in accordance with sensor output. In some embodiments control is by means of a processor. Alternatively or additionally, control is by means of simple physical circuits.

For use in an injection device, e.g., an auto-injector of any type, a sleeve which holds the medicament chamber is sufficiently deformable that it functions as a shock absorbing member to distribute the force exerted on the medicament chamber during use of the injection device.

A physiologic sensor module includes at least one wearable sensor that is configured for wearing on a human body part and for measuring at least one biological signal. The module further includes at least one controller communicatively coupled to the wearable sensor and configured to receive the biological signal from the wearable sensor. The controller is further configured to process the biological signal in real-time, extract one or more clinical features from the biological signal, and based on the clinical features, determine detection of anaphylaxis.