Syringe devices

Abstract

Described herein are syringe devices comprising a syringe including a therapeutic dose of at least one drug and a stopper. The syringe is housed and/or placed in an encasement. The plunger assembly can include a plunger, an actuator, and a spacer, wherein the plunger assembly is configured to move the stopper a predetermined distance without a user touching the plunger. Methods of assembling and using the syringe devices are also described.

We claim: 
     
         1 . A syringe device comprising:
 a syringe including a therapeutic dose of at least one drug, a needle and a stopper; and   an encasement configured to house the syringe, wherein the encasement includes a proximal end, a distal end, and an encasement window configured to allow a user to view the therapeutic dose of the at least one drug,   wherein the encasement includes a needle guard that includes at least one window that aligns with the encasement window when the needle guard is not deployed and wherein the needle guard is manually deployed by moving the needle guard away from the proximal end of the encasement to cover the needle.   
     
     
         2 . The syringe device of  claim 1 , wherein the needle guard locks when fully deployed. 
     
     
         3 . The syringe device of  claim 2 , wherein the needle guard locks irreversibly when fully deployed. 
     
     
         4 . The syringe device of  claim 1 , wherein the syringe further includes a needle cap. 
     
     
         5 . The syringe device of  claim 1 , wherein the at least one drug is an adrenergic receptor agonist or antagonist, anti-proliferative, estrogen, chaperone inhibitor, protease inhibitor, protein-tyrosine kinase inhibitor, peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor gamma ligand (PPARγ), epidermal growth factor inhibitor, proteasome inhibitor, anti-inflammatory, anti-sense nucleotide, transforming nucleic acid, anti-proliferative compound, cytostatic compound, toxic compound, chemotherapeutic agent, analgesic, protease inhibitor, statin, nucleic acid, polypeptide, growth factor, delivery vector, anti-diabetic agent, secretagogue, vitamin, vaccine, steroid, narcotic, hormone, biological response modifier, antibiotic, antiviral agent, anesthetic, anorexic, antiarthritic, antiasthmatic, anticonvulsant, antidepressant, antigen, antihistamine, antinauseant, antineoplastic, antipruritic, antipsychotic, antipyretic, antispasmodic, calcium channel blocker, beta-blocker, beta-agonist, antiarrythmic, antihypertensive, diuretic, vasodilator, stimulant, decongestant, immunosuppressive, muscle relaxant, psychostimulant, sedative, tranquilizer, or a combination thereof. 
     
     
         6 . The syringe device of  claim 1 , wherein the syringe device is configured to deliver about 0.15 mg or about 0.3 mg of the at least one drug. 
     
     
         7 . The syringe device of  claim 1 , wherein the at least one drug is epinephrine or glucagon. 
     
     
         8 . The syringe device of  claim 7 , wherein the syringe device is configured to deliver about 0.15 mg or about 0.3 mg of epinephrine or about 0.15 mg or about 0.3 mg of glucagon. 
     
     
         9 . The syringe device of  claim 1 , further comprising a plunger assembly including a plunger rod, an actuator, and a spacer, wherein the plunger assembly is configured to provide substantially identical doses of the at least one drug even if more or less drug is provided in the syringe by moving the stopper a predetermined distance. 
     
     
         10 . The syringe device of  claim 9 , wherein the actuator and the spacer are configured to be secured around the plunger rod. 
     
     
         11 . The syringe device of  claim 9 , wherein the actuator includes a finger depression location. 
     
     
         12 . The syringe device of  claim 1  configured for use in an emergency. 
     
     
         13 . A method for administering a therapeutic dose of at least one drug, the method comprising:
 advancing a stopper through a syringe including the therapeutic dose of the at least one drug thereby extruding the at least one drug through a needle associated with the syringe; and   deploying a needle guard over the needle after the advancing is complete,   wherein the stopper is only advanced a predetermined distance by a plunger assembly including a plunger rod, an actuator, and a spacer,   wherein the deploying is by moving the needle guard away from a proximal end of an encasement housing the syringe to cover the needle.   
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 13 , wherein the deploying is by manual deployment. 
     
     
         15 . The method of  claim 13 , wherein the encasement includes a window configured to allow the user to view the at least one drug in the syringe. 
     
     
         16 . The method of  claim 13 , wherein the needle guard includes at least one window that aligns with the encasement window when the needle guard is not deployed. 
     
     
         17 . The method of  claim 13 , wherein the advancing the stopper the predetermined distance is configured to deliver about 0.15 mg or about 0.3 mg of the at least one drug. 
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 13 , wherein the at least one drug is an adrenergic receptor agonist or antagonist, anti-proliferative, estrogen, chaperone inhibitor, protease inhibitor, protein-tyrosine kinase inhibitor, peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor gamma ligand (PPARγ), epidermal growth factor inhibitor, proteasome inhibitor, anti-inflammatory, anti-sense nucleotide, transforming nucleic acid, anti-proliferative compound, cytostatic compound, toxic compound, chemotherapeutic agent, analgesic, protease inhibitor, statin, nucleic acid, polypeptide, growth factor, delivery vector, anti-diabetic agent, secretagogue, vitamin, vaccine, steroid, narcotic, hormone, biological response modifier, antibiotic, antiviral agent, anesthetic, anorexic, antiarthritic, antiasthmatic, anticonvulsant, antidepressant, antigen, antihistamine, antinauseant, antineoplastic, antipruritic, antipsychotic, antipyretic, antispasmodic, calcium channel blocker, beta-blocker, beta-agonist, antiarrythmic, antihypertensive, diuretic, vasodilator, stimulant, decongestant, immunosuppressive, muscle relaxant, psychostimulant, sedative, tranquilizer, or a combination thereof. 
     
     
         19 . The method of  claim 18 , wherein the at least one drug is epinephrine or glucagon. 
     
     
         20 . The method of  claim 13 , wherein the actuator and the spacer are configured to be secured around the plunger rod and provide the predetermined distance.