Needle assembly for the delivery of at least two medicaments

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9950113-B2
Application number	US-201113881977-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Oct 31, 2011
Priority date	Nov 3, 2010
Publication date	Apr 24, 2018
Grant date	Apr 24, 2018

Abstract

Various embodiments of needle assemblies for use with a drug delivery device to deliver two or more medicaments are provided. Additionally, various embodiments of methods for delivering two or medicaments are provided. In one embodiment, a needle assembly comprises an injection needle, a proximal housing member, a distal housing member, and a medicament transfer element. The proximal housing member contains a first medicament and is configured to attach to a drug delivery device containing a second medicament. The distal housing member is movably engaged with the proximal housing member such that relative axial movement between the proximal and distal housing members causes the first medicament to be delivered. Upon activation of the drug delivery device (e.g., activation of a dose button of the drug delivery device) the second medicament is transferred, via the medicament transfer feature, from the drug delivery device to the injection needle of the needle assembly such that the second medicament can be delivered.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A needle assembly attachable to a drug delivery device for delivering two or more medicaments, the needle assembly comprising:
a proximal housing member comprising a medicament chamber pre-filled with a single dose of a first medicament, wherein the proximal housing member is configured to attach to the drug delivery device containing a second medicament, wherein the medicament chamber is pre-filled with the single dose of the first medicament before the needle assembly is attached to the drug delivery device, and further comprising an axially moveable bung positioned at least partially within the medicament chamber, wherein a distal end of the medicament chamber is sealed by the moveable bung, and
a distal housing member movably engaged with the proximal housing member, such that relative axial movement between the proximal and distal housing members causes the volume of the medicament chamber to be reduced and the single dose of the first medicament to enter an injection needle arranged at the distal housing member and to be delivered; and
a medicament transfer feature located in the proximal housing member for transferring a dose of the second medicament from the drug delivery device to the injection needle of the needle assembly, said medicament transfer feature comprising a transfer needle to establish fluid communication between the medicament in the drug delivery device and the needle assembly and being switchable between a first and a second state, wherein the drug delivery device comprises multiple doses of the second medicament, wherein in the first state the medicament transfer feature is configured to prevent fluid communication between the first and the second medicament, wherein in the first state the proximal housing member and the movable bung are configured to move axially relative to the distal housing member and distally relative to the injection needle, wherein in the subsequent second state the medicament transfer feature is configured to transfer the second medicament from the drug delivery device to the injection needle of the needle assembly.

2. The needle assembly of claim 1 , wherein fluid communication between the first and the second medicament is established upon activation of the drug delivery device.

3. The needle assembly of claim 1 , further comprising an injection needle hub attached to the distal housing member, wherein the injection needle is coaxially fixed within the injection needle hub.

4. The needle assembly of claim 1 , wherein the medicament transfer feature further comprises a transfer sealing member configured to prevent fluid communication between the medicament chamber and a second medicament chamber.

5. The needle assembly of claim 1 , further comprising at least one securing member for preventing inadvertent relative axial movement between the proximal and distal housing members.

6. The needle assembly of claim 5 , wherein the at least one securing member comprises at least one cam lock.

7. The needle assembly of claim 1 , wherein the distal housing member movably engaged with the proximal housing member comprises the distal housing member slidably engaged with the proximal housing member.

8. The needle assembly of claim 1 , wherein the moveable bung comprises (i) a pierceable portion pierceable by a proximal end of the injection needle and (ii) a sealing portion.

9. The needle assembly of claim 8 , wherein a first relative axial movement between the proximal and distal housing members results in the proximal end of the injection needle piercing the pierceable portion of the moveable bung, and wherein a second relative axial movement between the proximal and distal housing members results in the moveable bung moving in the proximal direction such that the first medicament is delivered.

10. A method of delivering at least two medicaments, the method comprising:
providing the needle assembly of claim 1 ;
attaching the needle assembly to a drug delivery device containing a second medicament;
inserting the injection needle into a user;
axially moving the proximal and distal housing members of the needle assembly relative to one another
such that the single dose of the first medicament is delivered to the user; and
activating the drug delivery device such that the single dose of the multiple doses of the second medicament is delivered to the user by transferring the single dose of the second medicament from the drug delivery device to the injection needle of the needle assembly.

11. A drug delivery device for delivering two or more medicaments, the drug delivery device comprising:
(i) a dose setting mechanism;
(ii) a medicament cartridge; and
(iii) the needle assembly of claim 1 .

12. The drug delivery device of claim 11 wherein the two or more medicaments comprise a first medicament and a second medicament,
wherein the first medicament is different from the second medicament.

13. The needle assembly of claim 1 , wherein the moveable bung is pierced at a piercable portion for reduction of the volume of the medicament chamber.

Assignees

• Franke Beate
• Cerman Zdenek
• Sanofi Aventis Deutschland

Inventors

• Franke Beate
• Cerman Zdenek

Classifications

• A61M2005/1787

  Syringes for sequential delivery of fluids, e.g. first medicament and then flushing liquid · CPC title

• A61M2005/3128

  Incorporating one-way valves, e.g. pressure-relief or non-return valves · CPC title

• A61M5/326

  Fully automatic sleeve extension, i.e. in which triggering of the sleeve does not require a deliberate action by the user · CPC title

• A61M5/50

  having means for preventing re-use, or for indicating if defective, used, tampered with or unsterile {(retractable needles or needle protectors with means for preventing re-use A61M5/321)} · CPC title

• A61M5/284

  comprising means for injection of two or more media, e.g. by mixing · CPC title