US 11,952,155 B2
Manufacturing a flexible container
Carmen Lema Martinez, Basel (CH); Joerg Luemkemann, Basel (CH); Tobias Werk, Riehen (CH); Thomas Zumstein, Basel (CH); and Daniel Kullmann, Zurich (CH)
Assigned to HOFFMANN-LA ROCHE INC., Little Falls, NJ (US)
Appl. No. 17/296,770
Filed by HOFFMANN-LA ROCHE INC., Little Falls, NJ (US)
PCT Filed Nov. 25, 2019, PCT No. PCT/EP2019/082342
§ 371(c)(1), (2) Date May 25, 2021,
PCT Pub. No. WO2020/109195, PCT Pub. Date Jun. 4, 2020.
Claims priority of application No. 18208318 (EP), filed on Nov. 26, 2018.
Prior Publication US 2022/0024616 A1, Jan. 27, 2022
Int. Cl. B65B 3/00 (2006.01); A61J 1/10 (2006.01); A61J 1/14 (2023.01); A61J 1/20 (2006.01); B65B 3/02 (2006.01); B65B 29/10 (2006.01)
CPC B65B 3/003 (2013.01) [A61J 1/10 (2013.01); A61J 1/1475 (2013.01); A61J 1/2024 (2015.05); A61J 1/2093 (2013.01); B65B 3/022 (2013.01); B65B 29/10 (2013.01)] 16 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A method of manufacturing a flexible container housing a drug substance, the method comprising:
forming a first compartment of a container out of a flexible sheet-like material;
filling a liquid into the first compartment of the container;
sealing the first compartment;
forming a second compartment of the container out of the flexible sheet-like material;
filling a dry drug formulation into the second compartment;
sealing the second compartment; and
lyophilizing the dry drug formulation inside a tubular cartridge such that the dry drug formulation is generated and held in the tubular cartridge,
wherein filling the dry drug formulation into the second compartment comprises:
introducing the tubular cartridge holding the dry drug formulation through an opening of the second compartment of the container such that an open end of the tubular cartridge is positioned distant from the opening of the second compartment,
providing the dry drug formulation out of the open end of the tubular cartridge into the second compartment, and
withdrawing the tubular cartridge out of the opening of the second compartment of the container,
wherein the first compartment is separated from the second compartment by a frangible seal which opens when the first compartment is compressed; and
wherein the second compartment has an opposite end at a maximum distance to the opening of the second compartment, and the dry drug formulation is provided out of the open end of the tubular cartridge into the second compartment near the opposite end of the second compartment.