Additive manufacturing in pharmaceutical formulation - Development of biodegradable printed dosage forms for oral drug delivery

The main focus of pharmaceutical research and development in recent decades has gradually shifted from synthesis of new drug molecules towards personalized (precision) medicine, where the drug dosage and release rate are tailored in order to fit the needs of each specific patient. Together with new discoveries in diagnostics and pharmacogenomics, this has led to increased need for novel formulation methods, which would enable to dynamically adjust the characteristics of each produced dosage form (such as tablet, pill, capsule, etc.). Amongst the most promising techniques is 3D printing of tablets or films, a subject of a rising number of published articles, especially after the FDA approval of the first printed tablet, Spritam. The Fused Deposition Modelling (FDM) technique is most frequently cited, since it’s commercially available and offers the possibility to produce biodegradable dosage forms with defined drug contents and complex inner structures (affecting the drug’s release rate), potentially also containing multiple drugs with varying release profiles Please click Additional Files below to see the full abstract