DUAL VIAL ADAPTER ASSEMBLAGES INCLUDING IDENTICAL TWIN VIAL ADAPTERS

Abstract

Dual vial adapter assemblages including two identical twin vial adapters each having an upright vial adapter connector of a first connector type and a dual ended liquid transfer coupler interdisposed between the two identical twin vial adapters and having a pair of opposite coupler ends in the form of twin connectors of a second connector type for sealed engagement with the vial adapter connectors of the first connector type.

Claims

1. A dual vial adapter assemblage for use with a drug vial and a liquid vial, the drug vial having a drug vial bottle and a drug vial stopper sealing the drug vial bottle, the drug vial containing a medicament, the liquid vial having a liquid vial bottle and a liquid vial stopper sealing the liquid vial bottle, the liquid vial containing liquid contents for mixing with or reconstituting the medicament in the drug vial to form a liquid drug therein, the needleless syringe having a male connector, the dual vial adapter assemblage having a longitudinal dual vial adapter assemblage centerline and comprising: (a) an integrally formed first vial adapter having a longitudinal first vial adapter centerline and including a transverse vial adapter top wall with an upright first vial adapter connector of a first connector type, an oppositely directed first vial adapter skirt for telescopic mounting on the drug vial, and a first vial stopper puncturing cannula for puncturing the drug vial stopper on said telescopic mounting said first vial adapter on the drug vial; (b) an integrally formed second vial adapter having a longitudinal second vial adapter centerline and including a transverse second vial adapter top wall with an upright second vial adapter connector of said first connector type, an oppositely directed second vial adapter skirt for telescopic mounting on the liquid vial, and a second vial stopper puncturing cannula for puncturing the liquid vial stopper on said telescopic mounting said second vial adapter on the liquid vial; and (c) a dual ended liquid transfer coupler having a pair of opposite coupler ends in the form of twin connectors of a second connector type for sealed engagement with said first vial adapter connector and said second vial adapter connector in a set-up position of the dual vial adapter assemblage such that said first vial adapter connector is in flow communication with said second vial adapter connector for forming the liquid drug in the drug vial, wherein one connector type of said first connector type and said second connector type is a female connector for sealed engagement with the needleless syringe's male connector and the other connector type of said first connector type and said second connector type is a male lock connector for screw thread sealed engagement with said female connector, the arrangement being such that, in use, for aspiration of the liquid drug from the drug vial, when said first vial adapter connector is configured as a female connector, the needleless syringe is directly attachable to said first vial adapter connector, and when said first vial adapter is configured as a male connector, the needleless syringe is directly attachable to said dual ended liquid transfer coupler attached to said first vial adapter connector.

2. The assemblage according to claim 1 wherein said first vial stopper puncturing cannula includes i) a liquid lumen in flow communication with said first vial adapter connector and ii) a vented air lumen and said second vial stopper puncturing cannula includes i) a liquid lumen in flow communication with said second vial adapter connector and ii) a vented air lumen.

3. The assemblage according to claim 1 wherein said first connector type is a female Luer connector and said second connector type is a male Luer lock connector.

4. The assemblage according to claim 1 wherein said first connector type is a male Luer lock connector and said second connector type is a female Luer connector.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS

[0012] In order to understand the invention and to see how it can be carried out in practice, preferred embodiments will now be described, by way of non-limiting examples only, with reference to the accompanying drawings in which similar parts are likewise numbered, and in which:

[0013] FIG. 1 is a pictorial view of an administration set including a needleless syringe, a drug vial, a liquid vial, and a dual vial adapter assemblage in accordance with a first preferred embodiment of the present invention;

[0014] FIG. 2 is an exploded view of the FIG. 1 dual vial adapter assemblage;

[0015] FIG. 3 is a longitudinal cross section of the FIG. 1 dual vial adapter assemblage along line A-A in FIG. 1;

[0016] FIG. 4A to FIG. 4D show the use of the administration set;

[0017] FIG. 5 is a longitudinal cross section of a dual vial adapter assemblage in accordance with a second preferred embodiment of the present invention;

[0018] FIG. 6 is a perspective view of a dual vial adapter assemblage in accordance with a third preferred embodiment of the present invention;

[0019] FIG. 7 is an exploded view of the FIG. 6 dual vial adapter assemblage;

[0020] FIG. 8 is a longitudinal cross section of the FIG. 6 dual vial adapter assemblage along line B-B in FIG. 6;

[0021] FIG. 9 is a longitudinal cross section of the FIG. 6 dual vial adapter assemblage along line B-B in FIG. 6 showing transfer of liquid contents from a liquid vial to a drug vial; and

[0022] FIG. 10 is a longitudinal cross section of a dual vial adapter assemblage in accordance with a fourth preferred embodiment of the present invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS OF THE INVENTION

[0023] FIG. 1 shows an administration set 5 including an initially empty needleless syringe 10, a drug vial 20, a liquid vial 30 and a dual vial adapter assemblage 100 of the negative pressure type for preparing a small liquid drug dosage for aspiration into the needleless syringe 10 for administration purposes. The needleless syringe 10 includes a barrel 11 with a plunger 12 and a male Luer lock connector 13. The syringe 10 can be formed with other types of male connectors. The drug vial 20 has a longitudinal drug vial axis 20A and includes an open topped drug vial bottle 21 having a drug vial crown 22 and a narrow diameter drug vial neck 23. The drug vial crown 22 is sealed by a drug vial stopper 24. The drug vial stopper 24 is sealed by an aluminum band 26. The drug vial 20 contains a medicament 27 in the form of a powder, solid or liquid. The liquid vial 30 has a longitudinal liquid vial axis 30A and includes an open topped liquid vial bottle 31 having a liquid vial crown 32 and a narrow diameter drug vial neck 33. The liquid vial crown 32 is sealed by a liquid vial stopper 34. The liquid vial stopper 34 is sealed by an aluminum band 36. The liquid vial 30 includes liquid contents 37 in the form of diluent only or an active component.

[0024] FIGS. 2 and 3 show the dual vial adapter assemblage 100 has a longitudinal dual vial adapter assemblage centerline 101 and includes a first vial adapter 110, a second vial adapter 120 and a dual ended liquid transfer coupler 130 interdisposed between the first vial adapter 110 and the second vial adapter 120 in a set-up position of the dual vial adapter assemblage 100.

[0025] The first vial adapter 110 has a longitudinal first vial adapter centerline 111 and includes a transverse first vial adapter top wall 112. The first vial adapter top wall 112 has an upright first vial adapter connector 113 of a first connector type constituted by a female Luer connector including an external screw thread for screw thread engagement by a male Luer lock connector. The first vial adapter top wall 112 has an oppositely directed first vial adapter skirt 114 for telescopic mounting on a drug vial or a liquid vial. The first vial adapter top wall 112 includes a first vial stopper puncturing cannula 116 for puncturing a vial stopper on telescopic mounting the first vial adapter 110 on a vial. The first vial stopper puncturing cannula 116 is in flow communication with the first vial adapter connector 113.

[0026] The second vial adapter 120 has a longitudinal second vial adapter centerline 121 and includes a transverse second vial adapter top wall 122. The second vial adapter top wall 122 has an upright second vial adapter connector 123 of the same connector type as the first vial adapter connector 113. The second vial adapter top wall 122 has an oppositely directed second vial adapter skirt 124 for telescopic mounting on a drug vial or a liquid vial. The second vial adapter top wall 122 includes a second vial stopper puncturing cannula 126 for puncturing a vial stopper on telescopic mounting the second vial adapter 120 on a vial. The second vial stopper puncturing cannula 126 is in flow communication with the second vial adapter connector 123.

[0027] The dual ended liquid transfer coupler 130 is formed with dual opposite connectors 131 and 132 of a second connector type for corresponding sealing engagement with the first vial adapter connector 113 and the second vial adapter connector 123 in the set-up position of the dual vial adapter assemblage 100. Accordingly, the dual opposite connectors 131 and 132 are constituted by male Luer lock connectors for corresponding sealing engagement on the female Luer connector 113 and the female Luer connector 123.

[0028] FIGS. 4A to 4D show the use of the administration set 5 for preparing a liquid drug in a drug vial 20 ready for administration to a patient as follows:

[0029] FIG. 4A shows the telescopic mounting the first vial adapter 110 on the liquid vial 30 for puncturing same. FIG. 4B shows inverting the dual vial adapter assemblage 100 together with the attached liquid vial 30 and mounting the second vial adapter 120 on the drug vial 20 for puncturing same thereby leading to positive drawing of liquid contents from the liquid vial 30 to the drug vial 20 to form a liquid drug therein. FIG. 4C shows unscrewing the dual ended liquid transfer coupler 130 from the second vial adapter 120 for exposing the female Luer connector 123. FIG. 4D shows screwing the syringe 10 onto the second vial adapter 120 for aspirating a liquid drug dosage from the drug vial 20 for administration to a patient. Alternatively, FIG. 4A to FIG. 4D could equally show telescopic mounting the second vial adapter 120 on the liquid vial 30, the first vial adapter 110 on the drug vial 20, unscrewing the dual ended liquid transfer coupler 130 from the first vial adapter 110 for exposing the female Luer connector 113 and screwing the syringe 10 onto the first vial adapter 110 for aspirating a liquid drug dosage from the drug vial 20 for administration to a patient.

[0030] FIG. 5 shows a dual vial adapter assemblage 200 similar in construction and operation as the dual vial adapter assemblage 100. The latter 200 differs from the former 100 insofar as the latter 200 includes a first vial adapter 210 having an upright first vial adapter connector 211 of a first connector type, a second vial adapter 220 having an upright second vial adapter connector 221 of the same first connector type and a dual ended liquid transfer coupler 230 having dual opposite connectors 231 and 232 of the second connector type for corresponding sealing engagement with the first vial adapter connector 211 and the second vial adapter connector 221 in a set-up position of the dual vial adapter assemblage 200. The first connector type is constituted by a male Luer lock connector and the second connector type is constituted by a female Luer connector. The use of the dual vial adapter assemblage 200 is the same as the dual vial adapter assemblage 100 except that the dual ended liquid transfer coupler 230 is left attached to either the first vial adapter 210 or the second vial adapter 220 telescopically mounted on a drug vial 20 containing a liquid drug formed therein.

[0031] FIGS. 6 to 8 show a dual vial adapter assemblage 300 of the gravitational flow type for preparing a large liquid drug dosage. The dual vial adapter assemblage 300 includes a first vial adapter 310, a second vial adapter 320 and a dual ended liquid transfer coupler 330 intermediate the first vial adapter 310 and the second vial adapter 320. The first vial adapter 310 and the second vial adapter 320 are preferably of the quick release type as disclosed in PCT International Publication No. WO 2012/150587 entitled Vial Adaptor.

[0032] The first vial adapter 310 has a longitudinal first vial adapter centerline 311 and includes a transverse first vial adapter top wall 312 having an upright female Luer connector 313 with an external screw thread for screw thread engagement by a male Luer lock connector. The first vial adapter top wall 312 has an oppositely directed first vial adapter skirt 314 for telescopic mounting on a vial. The first vial adapter top wall 312 includes a dual lumen vial stopper puncturing cannula 316 for puncturing a vial stopper on telescopic mounting the first vial adapter 310 on a vial. The dual lumen vial stopper puncturing cannula 316 includes a liquid lumen 317 in flow communication with the female Luer connector 313 and a vented air lumen 318 with throughgoing bores 319 formed in the first vial adapter top wall 312. The liquid lumen 317 typically has a wider lumen diameter than the vented air lumen 318. The vial adapter 310 can optionally include an air filter for filtering incoming air.

[0033] The second vial adapter 320 has a longitudinal second vial adapter centerline 321 and includes a transverse second vial adapter top wall 322. The second vial adapter top wall 322 has an upright female Luer connector 323 for screw thread engagement by a male Luer lock connector. The second vial adapter top wall 322 has an oppositely directed second vial adapter skirt 324 for telescopic mounting on a vial. The second vial adapter top wall 322 includes a dual lumen vial stopper puncturing cannula 326 for puncturing a vial stopper on telescopic mounting the second vial adapter 320 on a vial. The dual lumen vial stopper puncturing cannula 326 includes a liquid lumen 327 in flow communication with the female Luer connector 323 and a vented air lumen 328 with throughgoing bores 329 formed in the second vial adapter top wall 322. The liquid lumen 327 typically has a wider lumen diameter than the vented air lumen 328. The vial adapter 320 can optionally include an air filter for filtering incoming air.

[0034] The dual ended liquid transfer coupler 330 includes dual opposite male Luer lock connectors 331 and 332 for corresponding sealing engagement with the female Luer connector 313 and the female Luer connector 323 in the set-up position of the dual vial adapter assemblage 300.

[0035] FIG. 9 shows the first vial adapter 310 telescopic mounted on the drug vial 20 and the second vial adapter 320 telescopic mounted on the liquid vial 30. Alternatively, the telescopic mounting of the dual vial adapter assemblage 300 on the drug vial 20 and the liquid vial 30 could have been reversed with the first vial adapter 310 telescopic mounted on the liquid vial 30 and the second vial adapter 320 mounted on the drug vial 20. FIG. 9 shows gravitational flow of liquid contents from the liquid vial 30 to the drug vial 20 through the liquid lumen 327, the dual ended liquid transfer coupler 330 and the liquid lumen 317 as denoted by arrows A. FIG. 9 shows the gravitational flow is facilitated by air being drawn into the liquid vial 30 via the vented air lumen 328 denoted by arrows B and air being expelled from the drug vial 20 via the vented air lumen 318 denoted by the arrows C.

[0036] The use of dual vial adapter assemblage 300 is similar to the dual vial adapter assemblage 100 except the dual ended liquid transfer coupler 330 is unscrewed from the first vial adapter 310 ready for attachment of the needleless syringe 10 for aspiration of some liquid drug from the drug vial 20. Thereafter, the second vial adapter 310 is removed from the drug vial 20 for exposing the drug vial stopper 24 for administration by an IV infusion set.

[0037] FIG. 10 shows a dual vial adapter assemblage 400 similar in construction and operation as the dual vial adapter assemblage 300. The latter 400 differs from the former 300 insofar as the latter 400 include a first vial adapter 410 having a male Luer lock connector 411, a second vial adapter 420 having a male Luer lock connector 421 and a dual ended liquid transfer coupler 430 having dual opposite female Luer connectors 431 and 432 for corresponding sealing engagement with the male Luer lock connector 411 and the male Luer lock connector 421. The use of the dual vial adapter assemblage 400 is the same as the dual vial adapter assemblage 300 except that the dual ended liquid transfer coupler 430 is left attached to either the first vial adapter 410 or the second vial adapter 420 telescopically mounted on a drug vial 20 containing a liquid drug formed therein.

[0038] While particular embodiments of the present invention are illustrated and described, it would be obvious to those skilled in the art that various other changes and modifications can be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention.