Fabrication of Rectal and Vaginal Suppositories Using 3D Printed Moulds: The Challenge of Personalized Therapy

3D Printing of Paracetamol Suppositories: An Automated Manufacturing Technique for Individualized Therapy

Pharmaceutical compounding using the molding technique is the currently applied method for the on-demand manufacturing of suppositories and pessaries. Potential errors of this method are difficult to detect, and the possibilities of individualization of size and shape of the suppositories are limited. In this study, a syringe-based semi-solid 3D printing technique was developed for the manufacturing of suppositories in three different printing designs with the suppository bases polyethylene glycol (PEG) and hard fat (HF). The 3D printed suppositories were analyzed for their visual appearance, uniformity of mass and content, diametrical dimension, breaking force and release behavior and compared to suppositories of the same composition prepared by a commonly used molding technique. The results showed no adverse properties for the 3D printed suppositories compared to the molded ones. Moreover, the easy adaptation of shape using the 3D printing technique was demonstrated by the printing of different sizes and infill structures. Thus, 3D printing has great potential to complement the available manufacturing methods for compounded suppositories, as it represents an automated system for the individualized manufacturing of suppositories that meet patients' needs.

Mucosal drug delivery and 3D printing technologies: A focus on special patient populations

In the last decade, additive manufacturing (AM) technologies have revolutionized how healthcare provision is envisioned. The rapid evolution of these technologies has already created a momentum in the effort to address unmet personalized needs in large patient groups, especially those belonging to sensitive subgroup populations (e.g., paediatric, geriatric, visually impaired). At the same time, AM technologies have become a salient ally to overcome defined health challenges in drug formulation development by addressing not only the requirement of personalized therapy, but also problems related to lowering non-specific drug distribution and the risk of adverse reactions, enhancing drug absorption and bioavailability, as well as ease of administration and patient compliance. To this end, mucoadhesive drug delivery systems fabricated with the support of AM technologies provide competitive advantages over conventional dosage forms, aiming to entice innovation in drug formulation with special focus on sensitive patient populations.

Additive Manufacturing Technologies for Drug Delivery Applications

Patient to patient variability is one of the issues when administering medications to individuals with different health conditions, pharmacokinetic, age, fitness, gender, and race. This requires introducing smart and personalised drug delivery systems with controlled release profile manufactured using novel approaches. Additive manufacturing (AM) provides opportunities such as full customisation, design freedom, and on-site manufacturing, and materials recycling. As a result, the academic and industrial demand for additive manufacturing for drug delivery has been continuously increasing and showing impressive results for a wide range of products. This paper provides an extensive overview of AM technologies and their applications for drug delivery. The review discusses AM technologies including their working principles, processed materials, as well as current progress in drug delivery to produce personalized dosages for every patient with controlled release profile. AM potentials, industrial scale, and challenges are investigated with regards to practice and industrial applications. The paper covers novel possibilities of AM technologies and their pharmaceuticals applications, which indicate a promising healthcare future.