Syringe systems for lyophilized drugs and methods for making the same

A method of making a syringe system containing a lyophilized drug, the method comprising:

• providing a syringe barrel having an open end and a closed dispensing end;
• providing drug solution in the syringe barrel;
• inserting a sterility maintenance sleeve into the syringe barrel, the sterility maintenance sleeve including a stopper end defining a venting passage, the stopper end, syringe barrel defining a drug chamber;
• inserting a plug cap into the sterility maintenance sleeve;
• lyophilizing the drug solution;
• and
• sealing the venting passage by moving the plug cap further into the sterility maintenance sleeve.

A syringe system for containing lyophilized drug, the syringe system comprising:

• a syringe barrel including an open end and an opposite dispensing end;
• a sterility maintenance sleeve disposed within the syringe barrel and including a stopper affixed thereto for sealingly engaging the syringe barrel to define a drug chamber;
• a supply of lyophilized drug contained in the drug chamber;
• a venting passage in the sterility maintenance sleeve, the venting passage extending from the drug chamber to the interior space;
• and
• a plug cap disposed in the sterility maintenance sleeve and including an occluding tip disposed in the venting passage.