Implanon - History

History

The possibility of the subdermal contraceptive implant began when silicone was discovered in the 1940s and found to be bio-compatible with the human body. In 1964, Folkman and Long published the first study demonstrating that such a rod could be used to deliver drugs. In 1966 Dziuk and Cook published a study that looked at release rates and suggested that the rods could be well suited for contraception. After a study that used implants with progestogens for contraception, the Population Council developed and patented Norplant and Jadelle. Norplant has six rods and is considered a first generation implant. Jadelle (Norplant II) and other single rod implants that followed were developed because of complications resulting from Norplants 6 rod system. The Jadelle system contains two silicone rods mixed with levonorgestrel. The single rods were less visible under the skin and used etonorgestrel as opposed to levonorgestrel in the hopes that it would reduce side effects.

Norplant was used internationally beginning in 1983 and was marketed in the United States and the United Kingdom in 1993. There were many complications associated with Norplant insertion and removal in the United States and it was taken off the market in 2002. Although Jadelle was approved by the FDA, it has never been marketed in the United States, but it is widely used in Africa and Asia. Implanon was first used in Indonesia in 1998 and approved for use in the United States in 2006. Nexplanon was developed to eliminate the problem of non-insertion and localization of Implanon by changing the inserter device and making the rod radiopaque. Nexplanon has replaced Implanon in the UK because of cases of incorrect insertion. As of January 2012, Implanon is no longer being marketed in the US, and Nexplanon is the only available single-rod implant.