A cartridge for containing and dispensing a medicament, the cartridge comprising: a cartridge body having an interior cavity therein; a stopper movably disposed within the interior cavity ; a septum disposed at a first end of the interior cavity for containing a medicament within the interior cavity ; a connection thread integrally formed as a unitary construction with the cartridge body , the thread being disposed at a first end of the cartridge body for connecting a pen needle directly to the cartridge body to pierce the septum and provide communication between the medicament and a patient end of the pen needle ; and a connector for directly connecting the cartridge body to a dosing mechanism for moving the stopper toward the septum to dispense the medicament, characterized in that the cartridge body comprises at least one passageway for venting the interior cavity during lyophilization subsequent to at least partial insertion of the stopper into the interior cavity , wherein the passageway comprises a slot recessed from a surface of the interior cavity , the slot axially extending from a second end of the cartridge body opposite to the first end and having an axial length less than that of the stopper ; or wherein the passageway comprises a rib extending radially into the interior cavity from an interior surface of the cartridge body , the rib axially extending from a second end of the cartridge body opposite to the first end and having an axial length greater than that of the stopper; or wherein the passageway extends radially through a wall of the interior cavity , the passageway being disposed a distance greater than an axial length of the stopper from a second end of the cartridge body opposite to the first end. a cartridge body having an interior cavity therein; a stopper movably disposed within the interior cavity ; a septum disposed at a first end of the interior cavity for containing a medicament within the interior cavity ; a connection thread integrally formed as a unitary construction with the cartridge body , the thread being disposed at a first end of the cartridge body for connecting a pen needle directly to the cartridge body to pierce the septum and provide communication between the medicament and a patient end of the pen needle ; and a connector for directly connecting the cartridge body to a dosing mechanism for moving the stopper toward the septum to dispense the medicament, characterized in that the cartridge body comprises at least one passageway for venting the interior cavity during lyophilization subsequent to at least partial insertion of the stopper into the interior cavity , wherein the passageway comprises a slot recessed from a surface of the interior cavity , the slot axially extending from a second end of the cartridge body opposite to the first end and having an axial length less than that of the stopper ; or wherein the passageway comprises a rib extending radially into the interior cavity from an interior surface of the cartridge body , the rib axially extending from a second end of the cartridge body opposite to the first end and having an axial length greater than that of the stopper; or wherein the passageway extends radially through a wall of the interior cavity , the passageway being disposed a distance greater than an axial length of the stopper from a second end of the cartridge body opposite to the first end. wherein the passageway comprises a rib extending radially into the interior cavity from an interior surface of the cartridge body , the rib axially extending from a second end of the cartridge body opposite to the first end and having an axial length greater than that of the stopper; or wherein the passageway extends radially through a wall of the interior cavity , the passageway being disposed a distance greater than an axial length of the stopper from a second end of the cartridge body opposite to the first end. <EOS>