Product: The Nanodropper
Top Line: Nanodropper, Inc., a medical device company offering a first-of-its-kind eyedrop bottle adaptor that reduces eyedrop size, has launched its product after multiple years of research and development. The Nanodropper reduces eyedrop size by as much as 80 percent, potentially saving patients who need medicated drops thousands of dollars per year.
Close Up: The Nanodropper adaptor was inspired by a 2017 ProPublica article detailing just how much medication waste there is in America, specifically eyedrops that are too big. The Nanodropper is an FDA-listed, Class I medical device that is manufactured in the United States. It reduces the size of a typical eyedrop by as much as 80 percent, stretching the life of an eyedrop bottle by several months. The adaptor easily screws on over the tip of most eyedrop bottles. Since the product went to market in June, 2020, Nanodropper has filled hundreds of orders for patients and clinics, with fantastic feedback. One clinic reported a 66 percent decrease of in-clinic drop use within two weeks. “Two of the greatest obstacles to adherence are both price and convenience. The Nanodropper has the potential to minimize both of these impediments,” said Alan Robin, MD, ophthalmologist, and a founding member of the American Glaucoma Society. “By reducing the volume per drop to 10 microliters, the effect of each drop should be the same, yet a bottle would last approximately three to five times longer. This would not only make medication last longer, obviating the need for frequent visits to pharmacies, but also significantly reduce medication burden on individuals with fixed incomes.”
Vital Stats: Nanodropper was founded by Allisa Song, Mackenzie Andrews, Dr. Jennifer Steger, and Elias Baker. The co-founders were named to the 2021 Forbes 30 Under 30 in Healthcare for their efforts with Nanodropper. Song read the ProPublica article that inspired the adaptor and recruited the rest of the team along the way. They would go on to win more than 20 awards from institutions such as the National Inventors Hall of Fame, University of Washington, and Johns Hopkins University. Nanodropper has been highlighted by the American Academy of Ophthalmology, Mayo Clinic, Seattle Times, GeekWire and many other publications, including their original inspiration, ProPublica.
www.nanodropper.com