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Introducing the NEW button-free Metoject^® PEN

Offering the simplicity of a button-free autoinjector, purpose designed with patient-friendly features – Available from March 2024

Learn more about the new Metoject^® PEN

About Metoject^® PEN

Metoject^® PEN is a once a week pre-filled methotrexate auto-injector, indicated for treatment of rheumatoid arthritis, juvenile idiopathic arthritis, psoriatic arthritis, psoriasis and Crohn’s disease.¹

Metoject^® PEN is available in 10 colour coded doses

Metoject^® PEN Key Facts^1,5,6

Once weekly injection
5 second injection time
10 available colour-coded doses
50mg/ml concentration
Automatic needle shield protection

Fully compliant with EU directive
Single button activation
Preservative and latex free
Single use device

Administering Metoject^® PEN

The following video explains the Metoject^® PEN self injection process.

Metoject^® PEN requires you to be aware of the proper injection technique.

Patients must be educated and trained in the proper injection technique when self-administering methotrexate.

Benefits of Metoject^® PEN Compared to Oral Administration

Greater
Bioavailability

The bioavailability of subcutaneous methotrexate is higher compared to oral methotrexate.^1,3

In dosages between 7.5mg/m² and 80mg/m² body surface area, the bioavailability of subcutaneous methotrexate is nearly 100%, while the mean bioavailability of methotrexate absorbed from the gastrointestinal tract is approx. 70% with considerable inter- and intra-individual deviations.

Subcutaneous administration of methotrexate with Metoject^® PEN resulted in a higher relative bioavailability compared to oral administration of methotrexate after single doses of 7.5mg, 15mg, 22.5mg, and 30mg.

Improved
Efficacy

Subcutaneous administration is significantly more effective than oral administration.⁷

A study compared the efficacy of subcutaneous vs. oral methotrexate in patients with active rheumatoid arthritis. At week 24, significantly more patients treated with subcutaneous methotrexate than with oral methotrexate met the American College of Rheumatology (ACR) criteria for 20% improvement (78% versus 70%) and ACR criteria for 70% improvement (41% versus 33%).

Patients with a disease duration ≥ 12 months had even higher response rates for the ACR criteria for 20% improvement (89% versus 63%).

The rate of adverse events was similar in all groups.

Improved
GI Tolerability

Patients suffer less frequent and less intense GI discomfort with subcutaneous administration.⁴

A survey compared the frequency and intensity of nausea and frequency of gastrointestinal discomfort in rheumatoid arthritis patients treated with either oral or subcutaneous methotrexate. The results demonstrated that changing methotrexate dosing from oral to subcutaneous significantly reduced gastrointestinal adverse events.

Further Support Materials

Please use the following buttons to download Metoject^® PEN SPC, ordering information, and prescribing information.

Metoject^®
PEN SPC Ordering
Metoject^® PEN Metoject^® PEN
Prescribing Information

Treatment Categories

Please select the relevant link below for Metoject^® PEN usage information for dermatology or rheumatology.

Dermatology Rheumatology

Reporting Side Effects

Adverse events should be reported using the forms and information found at yellowcard.mhra.gov.uk

Please also report any adverse events by email to medac drug safety at drugsafety@medac.de

Further Information & Questions

Visit our contact page to submit an enquiry

References:

Metoject® Summary of Product Characteristics. [online] Available at: https://www.medicines.org.uk/emc/search?q=metoject#gref/. Last Accessed May 2023
Müller, R.B. et al. (2015). Effectiveness, tolerability, and safety of subcutaneous methotrexate in early rheumatoid arthritis: A retrospective analysis of real-world data from the St. Gallen cohort. Seminars in Arthritis and Rheumatism, 45(1), pp.28–34.
Pichlmeier, U., & Heuer, K. U. (2014). Subcutaneous administration of methotrexate with a prefilled autoinjector pen results in a higher relative bioavailability compared with oral administration of methotrexate. Clinical and experimental rheumatology, 32(4), 563–571.
Kromann, C.B. et al. (2014). Does switching from oral to subcutaneous administration of methotrexate influence on patient reported gastro-intestinal adverse effects? Journal of Dermatological Treatment, 26(2), pp.188–190.
EU Council Directive 2010/32/EU on the prevention of sharps injuries in the hospital and healthcare sector
Latex data on file
Braun, J. et al. (2008). Comparison of the clinical efficacy and safety of subcutaneous versus oral administration of methotrexate in patients with active rheumatoid arthritis: results of a six-month, multicenter, randomized, double-blind, controlled, phase IV trial. Arthritis and rheumatism, 58(1), 73–81.
Methotrexate and its use in rheumatoid arthritis (RA). [online] Available at: https://nras.org.uk/resource/methotrexate/. Last Accessed May 2023.
Johnson, T.M. et al. (2021). Investigating changes in disease activity as a mediator of cardiovascular risk reduction with methotrexate use in rheumatoid arthritis. Annals of the Rheumatic Diseases, [online] 80(11), pp.1385–1392.
O’Connor, A. et al. (2016). The rapid kinetics of optimal treatment with subcutaneous methotrexate in early inflammatory arthritis: an observational study. BMC Musculoskeletal Disorders, 17(1).
Kanwar, A., Yadav, S. and Dogra, S. (2010). Psoriasis: What is new in nonbiologic systemic therapy in the era of biologics? Indian Journal of Dermatology, Venereology, and Leprology, 76(6), p.622.
Warren, R.B. et al. (2017). An intensified dosing schedule of subcutaneous methotrexate in patients with moderate to severe plaque-type psoriasis (METOP): a 52 week, multicentre, randomised, double-blind, placebo-controlled, phase 3 trial. The Lancet, 389(10068), pp.528–537.
Reich, K. et al. (2020). The value of subcutaneous vs. oral methotrexate: real‐world data from the German psoriasis registry PsoBest. British Journal of Dermatology, 184(4), pp.765–767.
Generali, E. et al. (2021). Non-adherence and discontinuation rate for oral and parenteral methotrexate: A retrospective-cohort study in 8,952 patients with psoriatic arthritis. Journal of Translational Autoimmunity, 4, p.100113.

Contact Us

For more information, please contact medac Pharma:

Tel: +44 (0)1786 458086
Email: info@medacpharma.co.uk
Web: medacpharma.co.uk

medac Pharma LLP
Scion House
Stirling University Innovation Park
Stirling
FK9 4NF

medacuk014/03/2023

March 2023

About Metoject® PEN

Metoject® PEN Key Facts1,5,6

Administering Metoject® PEN

Benefits of Metoject® PEN Compared to Oral Administration