Systems and methods for safe medicament transport

• US 10,058,483 B2
• Filed: 12/04/2015
• Issued: 08/28/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 05/14/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Cormed Ltd.
• Original Assignee: J&J Solutions, Inc.
• Inventors: Garfield, Jared, Slump, John, Lyon, Gregory
• Primary Examiner(s): KLEIN, BENJAMIN JACOB
• Application Number:
  US14/959,336
• Publication Number:
  US 20160081879A1
• Time in Patent Office: 998 Days
• CPC Class Codes: A61J 1/1406 Septums, pierceable membranes
• CPC Class Codes: A61J 1/201 having one piercing end
• CPC Class Codes: A61J 1/2017 having three or more piercing ends
• CPC Class Codes: A61J 1/2048 Connecting means
• CPC Class Codes: A61J 1/2051 having tap means, e.g. tap means activated by sliding
• CPC Class Codes: A61J 1/2055 having gripping means
• CPC Class Codes: A61J 1/2062 with directional valves
• CPC Class Codes: A61J 1/2072 for internal venting
• CPC Class Codes: A61J 1/2096 Combination of a vial and a syringe for transferring or mixing their contents
• CPC Class Codes: A61J 1/22 with means for metering the amount of fluid
• CPC Class Codes: B65B 3/003 Filling medical containers such as ampoules, vials, syringes or the like

Abstract

A medicament transport system includes a syringe adapter assembly; and a vial adapter assembly including a base defining an opening having a seal member disposed therewithin, a stem extending from the base and defining a lumen therethrough and an opening through a wall thereof, a needle shuttle valve slidably disposed within the lumen of the stem and supporting a transfer needle and a vacuum needle; and a vacuum cup slidably supported on the stem, wherein a vacuum chamber is defined in the space between the base, the stem and the vacuum cup. The medicament transport system includes a condition where the transfer needle and the vacuum needles penetrate the seal member of the vial adapter assembly, and the vacuum cup is moved to draw a vacuum through the vacuum needle. An automation system is provided that utilizes a medicament transport system for forming a medicament solution from a liquid/non-liquid solution.

Claims

1. A medicament container assembly, comprising:

a vial defining a cavity therein, the vial includes a neck defining an open end, the vial includes a medicament disposed within the cavity thereof and a stopper inserted in the open end of the neck and sealing the medicament within the cavity; and

a vial adapter assembly connected to the neck of the vial, the vial adapter assembly including;

a base having at least one retainer configured to engage the neck of the vial, the base defining an opening having a seal member disposed therewithin;

a stem extending from the base, the stem defining a lumen therethrough and being in operative communication with the opening of the base, the stem defining an opening through a wall thereof;

a needle shuttle valve slidably disposed within the lumen of the stem, the needle shuttle valve forming a fluid tight seal with the stem, the needle shuttle valve supporting a transfer needle such that the transfer needle extends from a first and a second end thereof and supporting a vacuum needle such that the vacuum needle extends from the first end of the needle shuttle valve; and

a vacuum cup slidably supported on the stem, the vacuum cup being in fluid tight contact with the stem and with the base, wherein a vacuum chamber is defined in the space between the base, the stem and the vacuum cup, the vacuum chamber being in fluid communication with the lumen of the stem through the opening formed in the wall of the stem;

wherein the vial adapter assembly includes a first condition in which the needle shuttle valve is in a retracted position such that the transfer needle and the vacuum needle do not extend through the seal member of the base of the vial adapter assembly, and the vacuum cup is in an advanced position such that the volume of the vacuum chamber is at a minimum;

wherein the vial adapter assembly includes a second condition wherein the second end of the transfer needle penetrates through the seal member of the body portion and the needle shuttle valve is advanced through the lumen of the stem to penetrate the first end of the transfer needle and a tip of the vacuum needle through the seal member of the vial adapter assembly, and wherein the vacuum needle is brought into fluid communication with the opening formed in the wall of the stem; and

wherein the vial adapter assembly includes a third condition in which the vacuum cup is moved to a proximal position thereby enlarging the vacuum chamber and drawing a vacuum through the vacuum needle.

2. The medicament container assembly according to claim 1, wherein the needle shuttle valve defines an outer annular race, and wherein the vacuum needle is in fluid communication with the outer annular race of the needle shuttle valve.

3. The medicament container assembly according to claim 2, wherein the outer annular race of the needle shuttle valve is in fluid registration with the opening formed in the wall of the stem when the vial adapter assembly is in the second condition.

4. The medicament container assembly according to claim 1, wherein the base of the vial adapter assembly defines an outer annular race having a seal member disposed therewithin, and wherein the seal member disposed within the outer annular race of the base member forms a fluid tight seal with the vacuum cup.

5. The medicament container assembly according to claim 1, wherein the vacuum cup includes a base wall defining a central opening configured to receive the stem of the vial adapter assembly, wherein the central opening defines an inner annular race supporting a sealing member therein, wherein the sealing member supported in the inner annular race of the vacuum cup forms a fluid tight seal with the stem.

6. The medicament container assembly according to claim 1, wherein the vial adapter assembly includes:

a seal member slidably disposed within the lumen of the stem; and

a biasing member interposed between the seal member slidably disposed within the stem and the needle shuttle valve.

7. The medicament container assembly according to claim 1, wherein when the vial adapter assembly is in the second condition, a fluid is injectable into the vial, through the transfer needle that has penetrated through the stop of the vial and into the vial.

8. The medicament container assembly according to claim 1, wherein as a fluid is injected into the vial, the vacuum cup is moved to the retracted position to thereby draw a vacuum from the vial through the vacuum needle that has penetrated into the vial when the vial adapter assembly is in the second condition.

9. The medicament container assembly according to claim 1, wherein the medicament is a cytotoxin.

10. The medicament container assembly according to claim 1, wherein the medicament is a lyopholized medicament.