Fluid transfer assembly for pharmaceutical delivery system and method for using same

A system for transferring a fluid between a vessel and a vial, the system comprising:

• a vessel having a body defining a chamber with an open end, the vessel having a slidable piston positioned within the body through the open end;
• a vial having an inner chamber with an open end and a closed end and a penetrable seal covering the open end of the inner chamber, the closed end tapering inwardly toward an apex;
• a transfer assembly including:
• a housing having first and second open ends and a bore extending between the first and second open ends, the housing being connectable to the piston;
• a conduit having first and second open ends and a passageway extending between the first and second ends, the conduit being longitudinally slidable within the bore between a retracted position in which the first open end of said conduit is positioned within at least one of the housing and the piston when the housing is connected to the piston, and an activated position in which the first open end of the conduit protrudes through the piston so that the first aperture is in fluid communication with the chamber of the vessel when the housing is connected to the piston, a hub connected to said second open end of said conduit;
• the bore of the housing having a first portion, a second portion adjacent to the first portion, and a shoulder formed between the first and second portions, and wherein the transfer assembly further comprises a resilient biasing member positioned between the shoulder and the hub to bias the conduit into the retracted position;
• and
• a vial socket assembly having a vial socket and a hollow piercing member, the vial socket being sized and shaped for receiving and engaging at least a portion of the vial including the penetrable seal, the hollow piercing member having a first open end in fluid communication with the conduit and a second open end for piercing the penetrable seal, the hollow piercing member being sized to extend substantially the full length of the inner chamber so that the second open end of the hollow piercing member is positioned adjacent the apex of the closed end of the inner chamber when the vial is fully engaged in the vial socket, the vial socket assembly being moveable longitudinally relative to the housing in concert with the conduit so that moving the vial socket assembly longitudinally towards the housing advances the conduit from the retracted position to the activated position to fluidly connect the chamber of the vessel and the inner chamber of the vial.

A method for transferring a fluid between a vessel and a vial, the method comprising the steps of:

• a) providing a vessel having a body defining chamber with an open end, the vessel having a slidable piston positioned within the body through the open end;
• b) providing a vial having an inner chamber with an open end and a closed end and a penetrable seal covering the open end of the inner chamber, the closed end tapering inwardly toward an apex;
• c) providing a transfer assembly including:
• I) a housing having first and second open ends and a bore extending between the first and second open ends;
• ii) a conduit having first and second ends and first and second apertures adjacent to the first and second ends, respectively, the conduit longitudinally slidable within the bore between a retracted position in which the first end of the conduit is positioned within at least one of the housing and the piston and an activated position in which the first end of the conduit protrudes through the piston into the chamber of the vessel;
• and
• iii) a vial socket assembly having a vial socket and a hollow piercing member, the vial socket being sized and shaped for receiving and engaging at least a portion of the vial including the penetrable seal, the hollow piercing member having a first open end in fluid communication with the conduit and a second open end for piercing the penetrable seal, the vial socket assembly being moveable longitudinally relative to the housing in concert with the conduit;
• d) in any order, connecting the first open end of the housing to the piston and fully inserting the vial into the vial socket so that the hollow piercing member pierces the penetrable seal and extends substantially the full length of the inner chamber and the second open end of the hollow piercing member is positioned adjacent the apex of the closed end of the inner chamber;
• e) advancing the vial socket assembly towards the housing, causing the conduit to advance from the retracted position to the activated position to fluidly connect the chamber of the vessel and the inner chamber of the vial;
• and
• f) transferring at lest one fluid between the vessel and the maximum recovery vial through the conduit.