Systems and methods for producing a radioactive drug product using a dispensing unit

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-12428177-B2
Application number	US-202318479479-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Oct 2, 2023
Priority date	Apr 21, 2022
Publication date	Sep 30, 2025
Grant date	Sep 30, 2025

Abstract

Production systems for producing a radioactive drug product include a hot cell having a radiation isolating shielding and a dispensing unit positioned within the hot cell. The dispensing unit includes a manipulator arm for manipulating a closure component of a vial. The system further includes a pneumatic line extending from the manipulator arm and through the radiation isolating shielding to a location outside of the hot cell and a pressure sensor connected to the pneumatic line and positioned outside of the radiation isolating shielding. The pressure sensor is operable to detect air pressure within the pneumatic line.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A production system for producing a radioactive drug product comprising:
a hot cell having a radiation isolating shielding;
a dispensing unit positioned within the hot cell, the dispensing unit including a manipulator arm for manipulating a closure component of a vial;
a pneumatic line extending from the manipulator arm and through the radiation isolating shielding to a location outside of the hot cell; and
a pressure sensor connected to the pneumatic line and positioned outside of the radiation isolating shielding, the pressure sensor being operable to detect air pressure within the pneumatic line.

2. The production system of claim 1 further comprising a controller communicatively coupled to the pressure sensor, the controller being electrically connected to the dispensing unit and configured to control operation of the dispensing unit based on the detected air pressure.

3. The production system of claim 2 , wherein the controller determines whether the manipulator arm is engaged with the closure component based on the detected air pressure.

4. The production system of claim 3 , wherein the controller controls the manipulator arm to engage the closure component of the vial.

5. The production system of claim 2 , wherein the dispensing unit includes a servomotor and wherein the controller is electrically connected to the servomotor.

6. The production system of claim 2 , wherein the controller is positioned outside of the hot cell.

7. The production system of claim 1 further comprising a control system positioned outside of the hot cell, the control system including the pressure sensor and a controller in communication with the pressure sensor, the controller operable to control operation of the dispensing unit based on the air pressure in the pneumatic line detected by the pressure sensor.

8. The production system of claim 7 , wherein the closure component includes an outer cap of the vial, and wherein the controller is configured to determine whether the manipulator arm is engaged with the cap based on the air pressure detected by the pressure sensor.

9. The production system of claim 7 , wherein the dispensing unit further includes:
a load cell for detecting a mass of the vial; and
a bulkhead connector for transmitting the pneumatic line and electrical wiring from the dispensing unit to the control system, the load cell being electrically connected to the controller by the electrical wiring.

10. The production system of claim 9 , wherein the controller controls operation of the dispensing unit further based on signals received from the load cell.

11. The production system of claim 1 , wherein the dispensing unit further comprises a body defining an interior cavity and a bulkhead connector attached to the body, the pneumatic line extending within the interior cavity, through the bulkhead connector, and out of the hot cell, the pressure sensor connected to the pneumatic line at a location outside of the hot cell.

12. The production system of claim 1 further comprising a controller and a pneumatic subsystem including at least a portion of the pneumatic line and the pressure sensor, wherein the controller is coupled in communication with a valve positioned on the pneumatic line and the pressure sensor, wherein the controller is configured to automatically control a state of the valve based on the detected air pressure.

Assignees

• Curium Us Llc

Inventors

• Petrofsky Bryan Scott

Classifications

• B65B57/18

  causing operation of audible or visible alarm signals · CPC title

• B65B57/145

  for fluent material · CPC title

• B65B43/50

  using rotary tables or turrets {(B65B43/46 takes precedence)} · CPC title

• B65B7/285

  by deformation of the closure · CPC title

• B65B3/14

  pneumatically · CPC title