Published clinical literature (Igarashi et al., 1993) reporting on a cohort of hGH-deficient children
The study was used to support the safety and effectiveness of the Medi-Jector device by comparing growth outcomes (height increase and growth rate) in children receiving hGH via the device versus conventional syringe injection in a clinical setting.
hGH-deficient children; growth hormone therapy; clinical outcomes; literature review
Clinical Evidence
Study Design
Population
Comparator
Key Endpoints
Use of a jet valve type needle-less injector for growth hormone therapy (Igarashi et al., 1993); Observational/Clinical cohort study
hGH-deficient children
Conventional syringe injection
Height increase and improvement in growth rate
Indications for Use
The device is intended only for the long-term treatment of children who have growth failure due to an inadequate secretion of normal endogenous growth hormone. It is intended for the subcutaneous administration of the reconstituted drug by high-pressure injection either by health care practitioners or directly by patients.
Device Story
Needle-free, spring-powered drug delivery system for subcutaneous hGH administration; consists of power pack with spring, dosage display, and detachable stainless steel nozzle. User draws reconstituted hGH from vial using bottle adapter accessory; winding power pack draws dose into nozzle chamber. Upon pressing release button, spring-loaded plunger forces liquid through micro-orifice (0.0058"-0.0068"), creating high-pressure liquid column for skin penetration. Used by patients or clinicians in home/clinical settings. Benefits include needle-free administration; potential for improved drug absorption via increased surface area dispersion. Device requires user-performed cleaning and boiling sterilization every two weeks.
Clinical Evidence
Clinical study of 12 healthy males (age 20-33) compared Medi-Jector to conventional syringe/needle injection of 5 IU hGH. Primary endpoints: systemic hGH exposure (bioequivalence) and IGF-I serum concentration (bioequipotency). Results: systemic exposure similar; Medi-Jector showed higher/more rapid hGH peak concentration; no statistically significant difference in IGF-I levels between treatments. Adverse events: two mild skin lesions and one mild hematoma. Literature study (Igarashi et al., 1993) of hGH-deficient children showed comparable height increase and growth rate between Medi-Jector and syringe injection.
Technological Characteristics
Spring-powered, non-electrically powered fluid injector. Materials: stainless steel nozzle, plastic housing, rubber friction seals. Dimensions: approx. 0.2 in. larger diameter than predicates. Energy source: mechanical spring (80-110 lbs force). Orifice diameter: 0.0058" or 0.0068". Sterilization: user-performed boiling. Connectivity: none. No software/algorithm.
Indications for Use
Indicated for children with growth failure due to inadequate secretion of endogenous growth hormone requiring long-term subcutaneous human growth hormone (hGH) therapy.
Regulatory Classification
Identification
A nonelectrically powered fluid injector is a nonelectrically powered device used by a health care provider to give a hypodermic injection by means of a narrow, high velocity jet of fluid which can penetrate the surface of the skin and deliver the fluid to the body. It may be used for mass inoculations.
Biojector 2000 Needle-Free Injection Management System (K920631)
Submission Summary (Full Text)
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K960285
# 510 (k) Summary of Safety and Effectiveness for the Medi-Jector Needle-Free Bio-Tropin™ Drug Delivery System
Final Manufacturer/510(k) Submitter:
Medi-Ject Corporation
1840 Berkshire Lane
Minneapolis, MN 55441
Official correspondent/contact person:
Peter Sadowski, Ph.D.
Vice-President of Product Development
Tel.: (612) 551-4177
Fax: (612) 553-1610
Date Summary Prepared: 17 January 1996
Device Trade/Proprietary Name: Medi-Ject Corporation Medi-Jector Needle-Free Bio-Tropin™ Drug Delivery System
Common/Usual Name: Fluid injector
Classification Name: Non-electrically powered fluid injector (21 CFR 880.5430)
This summary is provided to detail the safety and effectiveness information used to support a finding of substantial equivalence of the Medi-Jector Needle-Free Human Growth Hormone Injection System to the Medi-Ject Corporation Medi-Jector IV(EZ) and Medi-Jector V (TT) Needle-Free Insulin Injection Systems, the subjects of 510(k)s K864561 and K883847, respectively, and to the Bioject Inc., Biojector 2000 Needle-Free Injection Management System, described in 510(k) K920631.1
The Medi-Jector Needle-Free Human Growth Hormone Injection System is a needle-free, spring-powered human growth hormone (hGH) injection system. It is comprised of a "power pack" with a detachable nozzle. The power pack contains the spring and has a plastic housing, injection release button, safety latch, and dosage display window; it is wound to draw up the desired dose of reconstituted hGH (up to 0.5 ml of hGH in bacteriostatic saline). The reusable stainless steel nozzle is supplied non-sterile and requires cleaning and boiling sterilization by the user prior to first use and every two weeks thereafter. The device is intended only for the long-term treatment of children who have growth failure due to an inadequate secretion of normal endogenous growth hormone. It is intended for the subcutaneous administration of the reconstituted drug by high-pressure injection either by health care practitioners or directly by patients. The device is not supplied pre-loaded with hGH; rather, it utilizes a supplied sterile "bottle adapter" accessory, with an integral spike, to aseptically penetrate the rubber seal of a standard vial of reconstituted hGH, accept the Medi-Jector's nozzle end, and thus draw a calibrated dose of reconstituted hGH into the chamber of the opaque nozzle assembly by way of winding motion of the power pack.
1. The Biojector 2000 with CO₂ cartridge power source entered commercial distribution without the filing of a premarket notification or finding of substantial equivalence. It was initially described to FDA in subsequent K920631 seeking addition of an adapter to allow connection to a CO₂ tank.
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Upon deactivation of the safety (latch) switch, and pressing of the proximal injection release button, pressure from the power pack's spring is exerted on a plunger within the nozzle, forcing the liquid reconstituted hGH through a small orifice (0.0058" or 0.0068" diameter) in the distal part of the nozzle and simultaneously transforming it into a liquid column. An intense and almost instantaneous pressure pulse allows the drug to penetrate the patient's skin, where it is disbursed within the subcutaneous tissue. The depth of penetration is determined by the power of the spring, the nozzle orifice diameter, and a winding adjustment of the power pack executed between the times of drawing the drug dose and injection.
The Medi-Jector Needle-Free Bio-Tropin™ Drug Delivery System is identical to the predicate Medi-Jector IV (EZ) and V (TT) Needle-Free Insulin Injection Systems with the exception of outer power pack plastic housing and button/switch materials, power pack diameter (approx. 0.2 in. larger), power pack spring force at full compression (80-85 lbs. vs. 105-110 lbs or 80-90 lbs, respectively), dosage display (ml hGH vs. units of U-100 insulin) and intended use (injection of reconstituted hGH instead of U-100 insulin). The Medi-Jector differs from the Biojector 2000 mainly in the energy source used to propel a plunger to expel the medication out a micro-orifice at high velocity (spring vs. $\mathrm{CO}_{2}$ cartridge), method of drawing drug (bottle adaptor vs. detachable syringe and fill needle), use of a reusable stainless steel nozzle/plunger and injectate capacity (0.5 ml vs. 1.0 ml). As demonstrated by in vitro performance testing (see below), there are no differences in technological characteristics affecting safety or effectiveness. The Medi-Jector's intended use for subcutaneous hGH injection is a subset of the Biojector's use in injecting vaccines and other injectable drugs intramuscularly or subcutaneously.
Safety and effectiveness information supporting a claim of substantial equivalence included sterility, biocompatibility, performance data, and clinical testing.
Sterility data was based on validation of the methods utilized to assure the sterility of the Medi-Jector's bottle adapter and the Biojector's syringe and fill needle which contact medication in its sterile vial. The Medi-Jector bottle adaptor was validated to a sterility assurance level of $10^{-6}$.
Biocompatibility was evaluated on all Medi-Jector materials contacting the medication; this testing included a study comparing the acute subcutaneous tolerance of pigs to Medi-Jector versus standard syringe/needle injection. In the case of the Biojector, patient and/or medication-contacting components had been tested per Tripartite Biocompatibility Guidelines. The biocompatibility of the Medi-Jector's drug-contacting materials was verified and it was concluded that there were no differences in macroscopic or microscopic porcine dermal alterations over 72 hours after the Medi-Jector or standard needle injection.
In vitro testing included evaluation of the effect of Medi-Jector injection and bottle adaptor contact on the biochemical integrity of the hGH molecule, evaluation of the compatibility of hGH with the Medi-Jector injection nozzle friction seals, and power pack ink printing rub resistance testing. There was no evidence that Medi-Jector injection changes the chemical integrity of the injected hGH molecule; at a power/penetration setting of "8" or at maximum power, there was no effect on the levels of dimers, oxidized forms, or deamidated forms of hGH, and no molecular differences between jet-injected and standard syringe/needle-injected hGH. An apparent hGH loss of 81.1-93.9% from Medi-Jector injection was believed to be an artifact of the experimental method. Spectrophotometric analysis did not reveal significant amounts of cadmium or lead leaching from adapter materials submerged in reconstituted hGH for up to 21 days at $5^{\circ}\mathrm{C}$ or $37^{\circ}\mathrm{C}$; concentrations of these heavy metals were generally within the range of blank reference controls (isotonic saline). Chromatographic analysis of the adapter/hGH solution did not reveal any peaks different from the control hGH solution, even after 6 days of incubation at $4^{\circ}\mathrm{C}$. Analysis of adapter parts incubated in reconstitute hGH at $5^{\circ}\mathrm{C}$ for up to 21 days did not demonstrate a progressive increase in the polymeric, deamidated, oxidized, or unknown forms of hGH or a difference from controls; at $37^{\circ}\mathrm{C}$ incubation, the deamidated, oxidized, and unknown forms of hGH increased over 21 days for both
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test samples and controls, but sample levels remained equivalent to controls at all time points. Repeated fillings of the Medi-Jector with various dyes in bacteriostatic saline did not demonstrate moistening of the plastic and rubber friction seals in the Medi-Jector nozzle. There was no change in dimensional conformance, tear strength, or surface quality of the nozzle seals after exposure to hGH in bacteriostatic saline for up to 5 weeks at room temperature, or after 5 cycles of boiling in distilled water (the recommended cleaning method for the injection nozzle). The ink printing on the Medi-Jector power pack withstood 25 double rub cycles with a solvent challenged rubbing cloth applied with at least 2 lbs of force; the solvent challenges involved moistening the rubbing cloth with recommended cleaning solutions.
Performance testing of the Medi-Jector Needle-Free Bio-Tropin™ Drug Delivery System included pressure curve testing, comparison of penetration depth and dispersion in an artificial matrix to the Biojector 2000, delivery accuracy, and reuse durability. Pressure curve experiments confirmed the identity of this device with the proposed predicate devices. Penetration studies confirm similar penetration of injectate between the Medi-Jector and Biojector 2000. Firing bidistilled water at room temperature demonstrated a mean Medi-Jector error of 1.4% at a target dose of 0.125 ml and 0.37% at a target dose of 0.5 ml. The reuse durability testing supported the notion that extensive use of the devices does not significantly impact the volume delivery.
Because the bottle adapter accessory remains mounted on the hGH vial until it is empty, and because of the recommended Medi-Jector nozzle 2 week user disinfection interval, cleanliness issues were addressed by testing the potential of an attached sterile Medi-Jector bottle adapter to contaminate the vial of sterile reconstituted hGH and by evaluating the sterility of the Medi-Jector injection nozzle hGH-contacting parts between routine user boiling sterilizations. Vials of reconstituted hGH with mounted bottle adapters and attached adaptor caps were soaked for 5 days at 5°C in 0.9% saline spiked with 1.85 x 10⁶ organisms/ml of Pseudomonas putida, and the vial contents then incubated; the demonstrated absence of bacterial contamination showed that penetration of a vial of reconstituted hGH by the adaptor spike does not contaminate the drug, and validates the integrity of closure of the adaptor/vial combination closed with the supplied adaptor cap, preventing bacteria from entering the vial of hGH solution. After up to 28 days of simulated uses, including once-daily filling and discharge of the Medi-Jector with hGH and placing the nozzle against the patient's skin, it was concluded that once-daily use of the disinfected (steam-sterilized) Medi-Jector for hGH injection, with or without using the protective nozzle cap during device storage at room temperature (21°C), still ensures the hygienic status of the device's hGH-contacting nozzle components for at least 28 days, regardless of whether the skin is pre-wiped with isopropanol prior to Medi-Jector contact.
Clinical studies were conducted on 12 healthy young male volunteers, age 20-33, each of whom received two injections of reconstituted hGH (5 IU in 0.5 ml subcutaneously), once each with the Medi-Jector and by conventional syringe/needle, with treatment sequence in random order and at least a 7-day washout between drug administrations. The Medi-Jector was set at a penetration setting of "6" for each patient, although in normal clinical practice penetration would be set by the individual to obtain subcutaneous drug administration. Blood samples were obtained from each subject immediately pre-injection and on multiple occasions through 24 hours post-injection and analyzed for levels of hGH (somatotropin), IGF-I (somatomedin C) and free fatty acids. Over the 24 hour post injection observation periods for each of the two administration methods it was demonstrated that the systemic exposure to hGH, in terms of the amount of drug absorbed into the circulation, was similar (bioequivalent) for Medi-Jector and conventional syringe administration. A higher and more rapid onset of the hGH peak concentration was found after Medi-Jector administration, presumably due to a maximal spreading of the injection fluid with resultant enlarged surface area favoring drug absorption. A marked increase in IGF-I serum concentration (37.9% mean increase for Medi-Jector, 41.3% mean increase for syringe injection from injection time to 24 hours thereafter) was observed after hGH administration by the two treatments; no statistically significant difference in IGF-I between treatments was found at any time point measured during the 24-hour post-injection observation period (bioequipotency). Although the
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same rhythmic variations in free fatty acids were observed after each treatment, the known stimulating effect of hGH on lipolysis was not demonstrated. Other than two mild skin lesions after incomplete Medi-Jector injection and one mild hematoma 24 hours after Medi-Jector use, there were no problems in the post-study evaluations and no serious adverse reactions. Because the incomplete Medi-Jector injections were probably due to the penetration setting ("6") set for all subjects, it was recommended that the device should be set individually for actual clinical use.
Another clinical study was cited in an included published report on use of the Medi-Jector for injecting growth hormone in hGH-deficient children (Igarashi Y, Okuno A, Sto Y, et al: "Use of a jet valve type needle-less injector for growth hormone therapy", Clin. Rep. 27:5951-5961, 1993). This study concluded that height increase and improvement in growth rate were comparable among hGH-deficient children receiving hGH by Medi-Jector or syringe injection. (Note any complications)
The above non-clinical and clinical testing demonstrates that the Medi-Jector Needle-Free Human Growth Hormone Injection System is as safe and effective, and performs at least as well as the noted predicate devices, and thus justifies a determination of substantial equivalence.
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Part 1 — Search, results, and everyday workflows 16 min
Part 2 — Embeddings: the galaxy map 3 min
1. Search: exact and fuzzy
Type a phrase like "coronary artery calcification" into the search box. You get two kinds of results. Exact results match the literal phrase — prefix searches work ("coronary artery calcificati") but suffix searches do not. Fuzzy results match on the meaning and intent of your phrase rather than the exact words, and are sorted by relevance score. Hover over the Exact or Fuzzy badge on any row to see exactly why it matched.
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Exact vs. fuzzy search: what's the difference?
Exact matches on the literal phrase (prefix search works, suffix does not). Fuzzy matches on the meaning and intent of the phrase rather than the exact words. Hover over the badge on any row to see why it matched.
You search "coronary artery calcification" and want only software devices with AI. What two filters do you apply?
Narrow by SaMD (software-only devices), then narrow by AI/ML (devices with AI).
2. The results table
Scroll right in the results table. The intended use is extracted for you — no need to open the PDF. The device story gives a high-level snapshot of what the device does and how it's used. The AI Performance sub-table shows each output name, acceptance criteria, observed values, and development/test dataset descriptions — the same format Innolitics uses for regulatory strategy outputs, and the fastest high-level fingerprint of an AI device. It is AI-generated but has been very reliable in practice.
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Scroll right in the search results table. The intended use column is extracted for you; no need to dig into the 510(k) summary PDF.
What does the AI Performance sub-table show, and why is it useful?
Output name, acceptance criteria, observed values, development dataset description, and test dataset description. It's the same format we use for regulatory strategy output and Fast 510(k) input, and the fastest high-level fingerprint of an AI device. AI-generated but reliable in practice.
3. Judging fuzzy relevance
Fuzzy results trail off in relevance as you scroll. Use three signals to decide how far down to go: the fuzzy badge explanations, the intended use column, and whether your target output (e.g., Cobb angle) still appears in the AI Performance sub-table. Once it stops appearing, you're past the relevant zone. A top hit with a low score (~0.4) and a stretched explanation is a hint the closest predicates are far away — the project may be headed for De Novo. Note the fuzzy search is a pattern match: it doesn't handle negation ("not") well, and hardware devices can appear — filter by SaMD/AI ML to cut them.
How do you judge how far down fuzzy search results to go?
Use the relevancy signals: the fuzzy badge explanations, the intended use column, and whether the target output (e.g., Cobb angle) still appears in the AI Performance sub-table. Once it stops appearing, results are trailing off in relevancy.
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Reading rule for every project: how many summaries do you read in full?
At least the three most relevant 510(k) or De Novo summaries, in full. After that, use targeted chat questions to confirm your memory quickly. The tool supports this professional habit — it doesn't replace it.
5. Side-by-side comparison
Select multiple rows in the results table (aim for under ~10), then open the PDF Viewer tab. Ask one question — it goes to all selected devices in parallel, each with citations. This is the fastest way to compare and contrast devices: training data, PCCP scope, how they handled adding new scanners, and so on.
What does the side-by-side PDF viewer mode do?
Select multiple devices, open the PDF viewer tab, and ask one question (e.g., "Describe the training data"). It queries all selected devices simultaneously with citations, so you can compare and contrast quickly.
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With rows selected, go to the Collections tab and create a labeled collection (e.g., "Cobb Angle Project"). Reload that selection any time — before a client call, pull up the collection and ask questions across all of its devices at once.
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What can you do from the regulations tree view?
Browse product codes and regulation numbers, read the identification text and special controls, browse sibling product codes, open device PDFs on the right, and search by product code or regulation number at the top of the tree.
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Click Show Chart and segment by regulation number (or product code) to see which regulations dominate your result set. Clicking a regulation takes you into the regulations tree. Great for spotting that most matches are, say, hardware laparoscopic devices — a cue to go back and filter.
How do you see which regulations dominate a search result set?
Click "Show Chart" and segment by Regulation Number. Clicking a regulation takes you to the regulations tree.
9. The predicate graph
Open the Predicates tab for a family-tree view of predicate relationships. Click a node to trace its parents and children; selections from search carry over pre-selected. Commonly predicated devices are worth reading — a lot of people predicated them for a reason. The visual lineage is also handy on client calls, e.g. to show how a predicate family evolved and justify why your predicate still holds.
In the predicate graph, why are commonly predicated devices worth reading?
A lot of people predicated them for a reason. Clicking a node traces parents and children, and selections from search carry over pre-selected.
10. Embeddings: the galaxy map
The Embeddings tab plots every matching document in a 2-D "galaxy map" where semantically similar devices cluster together. Hover or click clusters to explore, and let AI label the clusters for you. Embeddings beat product codes for grouping: two devices can carry different product codes (LLZ vs. QIH) yet do the same thing — the embedding captures the meaning of the intended use and device story. This is also exactly how retrieval-augmented generation (RAG) works under the hood, and it makes a great visual on client calls.
Try it yourself
Head to the search page and work through a few of these AI/ML fuzzy searches to build intuition: perivascular fat on CT · aortic valve calcification opportunistic screening on noncontrast CT · breast cancer prediction on digital pathology slides · autism detection · gestational age prediction · a hearing aid that can also detect a pulse · foundation model based analysis of ECG · large language models · penetration test. Watch how the relevance scores, intended use, and AI Performance tables tell you when results stop being meaningful.