A kit and needle
assembly for reconstituting a quantity of a lyophilized pharmaceutical. The kit of the invention may include a reconstituting appliance having a non-transparent needle covering portion with a hollow adapted to receive the inserted stoppered end of the injection pen
cartridge, which needle covering portion extends around a side-firing cannula to hide the cannula from side view. A shiftable alignment member retained within the needle covering portion at a first axial position, and shiftable to a second axial position when abutted by the injection pen
cartridge during its
insertion, may be included. The kit includes an injection pen
cartridge including a
barrel filled with a quantity of a lyophilized
drug, a slidable
plunger used during pen operation to eject the reconstituted
drug, and a stopper penetrable by the cannula during
drug reconstituting. The needle
assembly of the invention may include a cannula defining an axial passage therethrough in communication with a reservoir of
diluent fluid. The distal end of the cannula terminates in a closed piercing tip, and is provided with a side port, in communication with the axial passage, which is configured to direct fluid passing through it in a direction diverging from the axis of the cannula. A collar fixedly mounted around a portion of the cannula defines an axial venting passageway therebetween, and the collar has a piercing distal end. A method for reconstituting a quantity of a lyophilized drug in an injection pen cartridge is also disclosed.