Sempresto, a medical device company focused on transforming access to emergency medications, has announced that its smartphone-integrated epinephrine auto-injector concept has received a 2026 Red Dot Design Award.
Sempresto
Developed in collaboration with Sagentia Medical, it enables easy attachment of a compact epinephrine auto-injector to a smartphone, addressing one of the most persistent challenges facing individuals at risk of anaphylaxis: having immediate access to life-saving medication when an emergency occurs.
Food allergies affect an estimated 220 million people worldwide, and epinephrine remains the first-line treatment for severe allergic reactions. Yet studies consistently show that many patients do not carry their prescribed epinephrine at all times, leaving them vulnerable at critical moments.
The product was created around a simple but powerful insight: people are far less likely to forget their smartphone than a conventional epinephrine auto-injector. By integrating emergency medication into an item already carried throughout the day, Sempresto seeks to make life-saving treatment more accessible without changing the underlying therapy.
The Red Dot jury recognised the design for its combination of innovation, functionality, usability, and aesthetic quality.
“At Sempresto, we are driven by a singular mission: ensuring that life-saving medications are available when and where they are needed most,” said Elizabeth Reczek, PhD, CEO and co-founder of Sempresto. “This recognition from Red Dot validates our belief that thoughtful, human-centered design can help solve critical healthcare challenges. We are honored to receive this award and grateful to the Sagentia Medical team for helping bring this vision to life.”
The award represents an important milestone as Sempresto advances development of its smartphone-integrated emergency medication platform toward commercialisation. The company’s broader vision extends beyond epinephrine and includes a future portfolio of connected rescue medications designed to improve access, adherence, and patient outcomes.
Sagentia Medical played a key role in the development of the emergency-use autoinjector prototype, contributing industrial design, user experience development, instructions for use, internal mechanism design, and functional testing of the safety and injection mechanisms.
“Our work with Sempresto focused on translating an innovative idea into a practical device that could improve access to life-saving treatment while maintaining the reliability, functionality and usability expected of an emergency drug delivery system,” said Carl Hewett, vice president, Design at Sagentia Medical.
The Red Dot Design Award is among the world’s largest and most prestigious design competitions, recognising excellence in product design, brands and communication projects, and design concepts. Winners are selected by an international jury of design experts who evaluate entries based on innovation, functionality, quality, and overall design excellence.