Mechanical pump reduces the pain of subcutaneous daratumumab administration

GERPAC Congress 2026 highlights

A mechanical spring-driven pump for subcutaneous daratumumab improved ergonomics for nurses and reduced injection pain for patients, according to Wendy Johnson (Department of Pharmacy, AP-HP University Hospitals Paris-Seine-Saint-Denis, Avicenne site, Bobigny).

Daratumumab is an anti-CD38 monoclonal antibody, mainly used to treat multiple myeloma. It is given as a subcutaneous injection over 3 to 5 minutes. Pushing the injection by hand against high resistance can cause musculoskeletal disorders in nurses, particularly thumb pain and postural discomfort. Organisational constraints meant that an electric syringe pump was not a feasible option in the haematology day hospital. The team therefore evaluated an alternative: the Versapump® (EMED Technologies). This is a calibrated mechanical spring pump with a passive flow regulator, connected to a 70 cm extension set with a 26G 9 mm needle.

A prospective study was carried out over one month. Nurses and patients completed questionnaires, and only patients who had previously received at least one manual injection were included. The evaluation covered ergonomics for nurses, administration time and patient comfort. The economic impact of the device was also assessed.

In total, 33 administrations by five of the six nurses dedicated to this activity were analysed. All the nurses were satisfied with the ergonomics of the device, and none reported thumb pain or postural discomfort during use. The majority of patients also reported less pain during injection. The mean administration time was 4.84 ± 0.50 minutes (range 4.3–6.4 minutes). The residual volume was 0.28 mL, or 1.87% of the 15 mL total, which was considered negligible. The device does add cost. For 2,000 administrations a year, the additional cost would be about €4,000 with a subcutaneous microperfuser set, or €10,000 with a hypodermic needle.

The authors noted some limitations. Flow rate control is less precise than with an electric syringe pump, and there is no passive needle safety system during needle withdrawal. However, the mechanical pump has practical advantages: it is quicker to set up than an electric syringe pump, administration time is short and it needs no power supply. They concluded that the ergonomic benefits for nurses and the organisational gains may offset the additional cost.

Johnson W, Laruelle C, Abomo Ngoo A et al. Evaluation of a new subcutaneous daratumumab administration device. Short communication. GERPAC Congress 2026

 

 

 

 

Image: Wendy Johnson