Fluidic subsystem for multi-use drug-delivery device
AssigneeEli Lilly and Company
InventorDaniel Morris Hartmann
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
The present disclosure relates to drug-delivery apparatuses, and in particular, to a drug-delivery apparatus with a fluidic subsystem that can be used to deliver multiple injections to a patient from a drug container storing a drug fluid. The fluidic subsystem may include multiple injection-needle compartments and re-sealable septa to allow multiple accesses to the drug container, while also preserving the sterility of the drug fluid and of the fluid pathway through which the fluid is delivered to a patient. In some embodiments, the fluidic subsystem may be used to deliver drug fluids that do not contain any preservatives (e.g., non-preserved drugs).
Claims15
An apparatus for delivering multiple injections of a pharmaceutical liquid to a patient, comprising:
- a needle magazine including a body defining a plurality of injection needle compartments that are each sealed in an air-tight manner from each other and from external atmosphere, each injection needle compartment comprising (i) a needle assembly having an injection needle and an associated septum piercing needle spaced apart from the injection needle and in fluid communication with the injection needle, and (ii) a compartment septum associated with the needle assembly and configured to be pierced by the septum piercing needle;
- a drug container containing the pharmaceutical liquid, the drug container in fluid communication with a drug fluid pathway;
- a drug container septum that separates the drug fluid pathway from an intermediate pathway that leads to the needle magazine;
- and
- a drive assembly configured to, when actuated, drive a needle assembly of one of the injection needle compartments such that the injection needle of the driven needle assembly extends from the needle magazine and into a patient, and such that the septum piercing needle of the driven needle assembly pierces the compartment septum associated with the driven needle assembly, traverses the intermediate pathway, and pierces the drug container septum to access the drug fluid pathway, thereby creating a fluid pathway from the drug container to an outlet of the injection needle;
- wherein each injection needle compartment further comprises a separate sterility film that is configured to be peeled away by a user, wherein each sterility film seals each respective injection needle compartment from external atmosphere.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.