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Adan Medical is bringing technology to Epi-Pens

Going into anaphylactic shock is terrifying. The last time I went into shock, called my mom first, injected myself with an Epi-Pen second, injected myself with a shot of epinephrine third, and 911 last. I had that a bit backwards.

Had I been using Adan Medical's smart case for Epi-Pens, my mom and emergency response teams would've been notified the moment I opened the case. I still would've ended up in the emergency room, but I would've received help a bit faster. With these types of allergies, every second can be critical.

Adan Medical's smart case and app also tells allergy sufferers if they've left their Epi-Pen behind, like at home, work or a friends house, for example. With Adan Medical's app, those who suffer from severe allergies can also keep track of when their Epi-Pens are set to expire and the condition they're in.

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Adan Medical recently finished clinical trial around its smart case, which it expects to sell for less than $100. The trial consisted of about 100 people and looked at whether or not the smart case provided piece of mind for the allergy sufferers, Adan Medical COO Francesc Trias Puig-Sureda told me at TechCrunch Disrupt SF 2017. The results of that trial, Puig-Sureda said, will be published in about a month.

Epi-Pens are still pretty costly in the U.S. Last month, I picked up a two-pack listed at $375. Two-packs are recommended because depending on the severity of the reaction, one Epi-Pen might not be enough to save your life. Thankfully, my insurance saved me $315. Thanks Tim Armstrong!

But Epi-Pens weren't always that expensive. From 2007 to 2014, the cost of an out-of-pocket Epi-Pen went from $94 to $609, according to JAMA Internal Medicine. In 2016, Mylan responded to the public outcry of the cost and released a $300 generic Epi-Pen.

Recognizing that the regulatory process in the U.S. can be "quite slow," Puig-Sureda said, Adan Medical is not clear on when it will be able to launch in the U.S. Before it starts selling its medical devices in the U.S., Adan Medical will work to get approved by the Food and Drug Administration. Given that the regulatory process is different in Europe, Adan Medical expects to sell its smart case directly to consumers in about six months.

Adan Medical is also making a box for public spaces, similar to how defibrillators are available at restaurants. The company is still developing the box, but Puig-Sureda said it could roughly cost about $300. The idea is that a school, restaurant, airport or mall would be able to have one of these boxes that would safely store Epi-Pens.

The promise of this box is that in the event someone does forget their Epi-Pen, goes out to eat at a restaurant and proceeds to have an allergic reaction, they can rest assured knowing that the restaurant has non-expired Epi-Pens on hand for both adults and children. This smart box is a bit down the road, but Adan Medical plans to run a study in several schools starting next school year.

In the meantime, I'm going to try to just remember to bring my Epi-Pens with me wherever I go, remain diligent about ensuring I'm not carrying around ones that are expired (I've done this before) and if I'm going into anaphylactic shock, inject myself with the Epi-Pen, call 911 and then call my mom.