Nipple shield acts as infant drug delivery device

A nipple shield could safely deliver drugs and nutrients to infants during breastfeeding without spreading potentially fatal diseases

2.9 million babies die each year within the first month after birth, with the risk of death highest during the initial hours and days. 

Many of these deaths are easily preventable by early administration of drugs or nutrients. 

The low-cost nipple shield delivery system (NSDS) JustMilk is developing could be a tool in the global fight against diarrhoea and malnutrition, malaria, HIV/AIDS and other health crises.

To use the NSDS, a mother places the device, containing a pre-loaded tablet insert, over her breast before breastfeeding.

As her infant suckles, milk passes through the device causing active pharmaceutical ingredients (APIs) to be released directly from the tablet into the breast milk and passed to the infant.

The NSDS will be pre-loaded, disposable, and will minimise material thickness while maximising skin-to-skin contact with the infant.

JustMilk, a Cambridge-California, not-for-profit venture, believes its NSDS provides a unique, user-informed solution to this challenge and that a range of APIs could be delivered to infants using the NSDS such as antibiotics, antimalarials, antiretrovirals, vitamins, nutrients, and probiotics.

To address dosing issues, the NSDS contains a tablet pre-dosed with an infant’s medication. Since the sterile device utilises human milk as the tablet’s dissolving agent, potable water is not required to dissolve a dry tablet.

JustMilk president and CEO, Geoff Galgon, said: “We are currently planning our first clinical investigation to determine how an infant and mother dyad [?] would respond to using the device in a clinical, controlled, safe environment.

“We are seeking donations – and as a nonprofit organisation are eligible to receive tax deductible charitable gifts – to boost funding for this study. We then hope to partner with a pharmaceutical company to initiate clinical trials with the device.

“Generally, we are investigating what the most judicious scale-up strategy for us will be and are fortunate to be in close contact with knowledgeable advisers.”