Systems and methods for safe medicament transport

• US 9,220,661 B2
• Filed: 11/18/2014
• Issued: 12/29/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 05/14/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Corvia Medical, Inc.
• Original Assignee: J&J Solutions, Inc.
• Inventors: Garfield, Jared, Slump, John, Lyon, Gregory
• Primary Examiner(s): Wiest, Philip R
• Assistant Examiner(s): KLEIN, BENJAMIN JACOB
• Application Number:
  US14/543,939
• Publication Number:
  US 20150068640A1
• Time in Patent Office: 406 Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• 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 process of operating an automation system for effectuating transport of a medicament, the process comprising:

providing an automation system loaded with;

at least one vial containing a quantity of a medicament, the vial being capped by a stopper;

at least one vial adapter assembly having a transfer needle, a first seal and a second seal;

at least one syringe including a barrel and a plunger slidably supported within the barrel, the barrel containing a dilutent therein; and

at least one syringe adapter assembly including a seal;

performing a medicament extraction process, including;

connecting the at least one vial adapter assembly to the at least one vial such that the second seal of the at least one vial adapter assembly is adjacent the stopper of the at least one vial;

connecting the at least one syringe adapter assembly to the at least one syringe;

moving the at least one syringe and the at least one syringe adapter assembly into connection with the assembled at least one vial and the at least one vial adapter assembly, wherein the seal of the at least one syringe adapter assembly makes connection with the first seal of the at least one vial adapter assembly;

advancing the at least one syringe toward the at least one vial while the stopper of the at least one vial is in abutting engagement with the second seal of the at least one vial adapter assembly;

penetrating the transfer needle of the at least one vial adapter assembly through the second seal of the at least one vial adapter assembly and through the stopper of the at least one vial;

advancing the plunger of the at least one syringe relative to the barrel of the at least one syringe to inject the dilutent into the at least one vial to dilute or reconstitute the medicament contained within the at least one vial; and

withdrawing the plunger of the at least one syringe relative to the barrel of the at least one syringe to withdraw medicament from the at least one vial to transfer medicament from the at least one vial to the at least one syringe; and

disengaging the at least one syringe from the at least one vial adapter assembly.

2. The process according to claim 1, further comprising connecting the at least one syringe containing the medicament to a container;

and injecting the medicament from within the at least one syringe into the container.

3. The process according to claim 1, further comprising:

reconstituting a lyopholized medicament contained in the at least one vial, the reconstituting step including;

injecting a dilutent into the at least one vial containing the lyopholized medicament; and

agitating the at least one vial containing the lyopholized medicament to dissolve the lyopholized medicament.

4. A process of operating an automation system for effectuating transport of a medicament, the process comprising:

providing an automation system loaded with;

a plurality of vials each containing a quantity of a medicament, each vial being capped by a stopper;

a plurality of vial adapter assemblies each having a transfer needle, a first seal and a second seal;

a plurality of syringes each including a barrel and a plunger slidably supported within the barrel; and

a plurality of syringe adapter assemblies each including a seal;

performing a medicament extraction process, including;

selecting a vial of medicament from the plurality of vials;

connecting a selected vial adapter assembly to the selected vial such that the second seal of the selected vial adapter assembly is adjacent the stopper of the selected vial;

selecting a syringe from the plurality of syringes;

drawing a dilutent into the barrel of the selected syringe;

connecting a selected syringe adapter assembly to the selected dilutent-filled syringe;

moving the assembled syringe and syringe adapter assembly into connection with the assembled vial and vial adapter assembly, wherein the seal of the syringe adapter assembly makes connection with the first seal of the vial adapter assembly;

advancing the assembled syringe and syringe adapter assembly toward the assembled vial and vial adapter assembly while the stopper of the selected vial is in abutting engagement with the second seal of the connected vial adapter assembly;

penetrating the transfer needle of the connected vial adapter assembly through the second seal of the connected vial adapter assembly and through the stopper of the selected vial;

advancing the plunger of the selected dilutent-filled syringe relative to the barrel thereof to inject the dilutent into the selected vial to dilute or reconstitute the medicament contained within the selected vial; and

withdrawing the plunger of selected syringe relative to the barrel thereof to withdraw medicament from the selected vial to transfer medicament from the selected vial to the selected syringe; and

disengaging the medicament-filled syringe from the selected vial adapter assembly.

5. The process according to claim 4, further comprising connecting the medicament-filled syringe to a container, and injecting the medicament from within the syringe into the container.

6. The process according to claim 4, further comprising:

reconstituting a lyopholized medicament contained in a vial of the plurality of vials, the reconstituting step including;

injecting a dilutent into the vial containing the lyopholized medicament; and

agitating the vial containing the lyopholized medicament to dissolve the lyopholized medicament.