Drug cartridge, drug delivery devices, and methods for preparing thereof

A method of preparing a drug delivery device, the method comprising:

• providing at least one drug cartridge having a reservoir, a fluid outlet, and an internal lumen communicating the reservoir with the fluid outlet, wherein the internal lumen includes a first portion extending from the reservoir, and a second portion disposed transversely to the first portion, a valve seat being located at a first end of the second portion to define an interface between the fluid outlet and the internal lumen, a second end of the second portion being open;
• sterilizing the internal lumen of the drug cartridge;
• filling the reservoir with one or more drug components via the sterilized internal lumen;
• forming a seal across the sterilized internal lumen to limit ingress therein of contaminants, wherein the seal is formed by an elastomeric valve which is spool shaped having first and second enlarged lands connected by an elongated core, wherein, with the elastomeric valve forming the seal, a majority of the elastomeric valve sits within the sterilized internal lumen with the first land being seated in the valve seat to form the seal, and, wherein the second land is seated in the second portion, between the first portion and the second end, so as to seal the sterilized internal lumen to limit ingress of contaminants therein from the second end;
• assembling the filled drug cartridge to a body of the drug delivery device such that the fluid outlet is aligned with a fluid duct defined in the body, wherein the seal separates the sterilized internal lumen from the fluid outlet, the fluid duct extending from the fluid outlet to an opening in a first face of the body;
• providing a continuous barrier across the first face of the body to at least cover the opening, wherein the barrier is ultraviolet transmissive;
• and,
• with the barrier uninterrupted across the first face of the body, and the filled drug cartridge assembled to the body of the drug delivery device, exposing the first face of the body to ultraviolet radiation so as to allow the ultraviolet radiation to pass through the barrier and decontaminate the fluid duct and the fluid outlet,
• wherein the elastomeric valve is shiftable within the internal lumen to un-seal the sterilized internal lumen to permit communication between the fluid duct and the reservoir.