Device for containing and opening a glass ampule and for transferring liquid within the ampule to a container

A method for transferring at least a portion of a liquid contained within a glass ampule to the interior of a container, the ampule including a base, a tip and a neck therebetween, the method comprising the following steps:

• housing an ampule in a region of a body, the ampule containing a liquid;
• coupling a container to the body, the container having an interior containing a pharmaceutical component, the interior of the container occupying a space which is independent and separate from the region in which the ampule is housed;
• increasing the pressure in the region to a pressure above ambient pressure;
• breaking the ampule so that the liquid in the ampule flows into the region;
• and
• fluidly coupling the region to the interior of the container along a flow path so that the liquid in the region flows into the interior of the container under the influence of the pressure above ambient pressure.

A device for opening a glass ampule, containing a liquid, and transferring at least part of the liquid to a vial, the ampule including a tip, a base, and a neck therebetween, the vial including a pierceable vial septum and an interior containing a pharmaceutical component, the device comprising:

• a vial including a pierceable vial septum and an interior containing a pharmaceutical component;
• an ampule containing a liquid and having a base, a tip, and a neck therebetween;
• a body defining a collapsible, substantially air-tight region therein, the ampule being housed within the region of the body, the body including first and second telescoping elements movable from an extended position to a collapsed position thereby reducing the size of the region so as to increase the pressure in the region;
• means for breaking the ampule within the region;
• a vial body, mountable to the body, including a vial spike for piercing the vial septum when the vial is mounted to the vial body;
• and
• the body and the vial body defining a selectively openable flow path which is selectively opened so that the liquid in the region will flow from the region, through the flow path, through the vial spike and into the vial.

An ampule containing, opening and transferring device comprising:

• an ampule containing a liquid, the ampule having a base, a tip, and a neck therebetween;
• a container having an interior containing a pharmaceutical component, the pharmaceutical component being a substance other than the liquid;
• a body to which the container is mountable;
• means, coupled to the body, for housing the ampule in a region;
• means for increasing the pressure in the region to a pressure above ambient pressure;
• means for breaking the ampule so that the liquid in the ampule flows into the region;
• means for fluidly coupling the region to the interior of the container along a flow path so that the liquid in the region flows into the interior of the container under the influence of the pressure above ambient pressure thereby mixing the liquid and the pharmaceutical component;
• and
• means for filtering a fluid flow along the flow path.