MERIDIAN Medical Technologies Inc., a developer of drug-delivery technology and innovative cardiopulmonary diagnostics, said that the Army has received approval from the Food and Drug Administration for Meridian’s automated assembly and filling production line for the Antidote Treatment Nerve Agent Auto-injector, or ATNAA. The company began manufacturing the ATNAA in January.

A joint research effort between the U.S. Army Medical Research and Materiel Command and Meridian resulted in FDA approval of the assembly and production line, company officials said.

The ATNAA offers significant advantages to the Army over currently used auto-injectors, they said. It’s easier to use, less bulky and reduces antidote administration time.

The ATNAA uses multichambered auto-injector technology to deliver two antidotes in a single injection while keeping the two drugs separate in the injector. The auto-injectors are prefilled, spring-loaded, pen-like devices that, when activated and pressed against the body, deliver precise dosages of medication quickly, safely and easily.–Meridian Medical Technologies