2D and 3D inkjet printing of biopharmaceuticals - A review of trends and future perspectives in research and manufacturing

Altering Mechanical and Dissolution Properties of Coffee Deposit by Adding Glucose

Glucose modifies the mechanical stability of coffee films and facilitates their dissolution dynamics at the microscale, rendering glucose-coffee a valuable natural biomaterial system for studying pharmaceutical applications. We show the glucose-dependent inhibition of crack propagation during the evaporation of glucose-coffee droplets. The addition of glucose increases the hardness, stiffness, and shear modulus of films, as measured by surface nanomechanical testing. The glucose-coffee film dissolves faster and more evenly than the pure coffee film through interfaces. The water penetrates through well-dissolved glucose channels. The modified mechanical properties and adjustable dissolution time, coupled with edibility, position the glucose-modified coffee as an excellent candidate for developing pharmaceutical inks for personalized medicine droplet-based printing.

Unraveling the influence of solvent composition on Drop-on-Demand binder jet 3D printed tablets containing calcium sulfate hemihydrate

Recently, binder jet printed modular tablets were loaded with three anti-viral drugs via Drop on Demand (DoD) technology where drug solutions prepared in ethanol showed faster release than those prepared in water. During printing, water is used as a binding agent, whereas ethanol is added to maintain the porous structure of the tablets. Thus, the hypothesis is that the porosity would be controlled by manipulating the percentage of water and ethanol. In this study, Rhodamine 6G (R6G) was selected as a model drug due to its high solubility in water and ethanol, visualization function as a fluorescent dye, and potential therapeutic effects for cancer treatment. Approximately, 10 mg/ml R6G solutions were prepared with five different water-ethanol ratios (0-100, 75-25, 50-50, 75-25, 100-0). The ink solutions were printed onto blank binder jet 3D-printed tablets containing calcium sulphate hemihydrate using DoD technology. The tablets were dried at room temperature and then characterized using SEM-EDX, fluorescent microscope, TGA, XRD, FTIR, and DSC as well as in vitro release studies to investigate the impact of water-ethanol ratio on the release profile of R6G. Results indicated that the solution with higher ethanol ratio penetrated the tablets faster than the lower ethanol ratio, while the solution prepared with pure water was first accumulated onto the tablets' surface and then absorbed by the tablets. Moreover, tablets with more water content gained more weight and thickness. The EDX analysis and fluorescent microscope showed the uniform surface distribution of the drug. The SEM images revealed the difference in the tablet surface among the five formulations. Furthermore, the TGA data presents a notable increase in water loss, with XRD analysis suggesting the formation of gypsum in tablets containing elevated water content. The release study exhibited that the fastest release was from WE0-100, whereas the release rate decreases as the content of water increases. The WE0-100 releases more than 40 % drug within the first hour which is almost twice as high of the WE100-0 formulation. This DoD technology could distribute drugs onto the tablet's surface uniformly. The calcium sulfate would transform from hemihydrate to dihydrate form in the presence of water and therefore, those tablets treated with higher water content led to slower release. In conclusion, this study underscores the substantial impact of the water-ethanol ratio on drug release from binder jet printed tablets and highlights the potential of DoD technology for uniform drug distribution and controlled release.

Predicting pharmaceutical inkjet printing outcomes using machine learning

Inkjet printing has been extensively explored in recent years to produce personalised medicines due to its low cost and versatility. Pharmaceutical applications have ranged from orodispersible films to complex polydrug implants. However, the multi-factorial nature of the inkjet printing process makes formulation (e.g., composition, surface tension, and viscosity) and printing parameter optimization (e.g., nozzle diameter, peak voltage, and drop spacing) an empirical and time-consuming endeavour. Instead, given the wealth of publicly available data on pharmaceutical inkjet printing, there is potential for a predictive model for inkjet printing outcomes to be developed. In this study, machine learning (ML) models (random forest, multilayer perceptron, and support vector machine) to predict printability and drug dose were developed using a dataset of 687 formulations, consolidated from in-house and literature-mined data on inkjet-printed formulations. The optimized ML models predicted the printability of formulations with an accuracy of 97.22%, and predicted the quality of the prints with an accuracy of 97.14%. This study demonstrates that ML models can feasibly provide predictive insights to inkjet printing outcomes prior to formulation preparation, affording resource- and time-savings.

Polymeric in situ forming depots for long-acting drug delivery systems

Polymeric in situ forming depots have emerged as highly promising drug delivery systems for long-acting applications. Their effectiveness is attributed to essential characteristics such as biocompatibility, biodegradability, and the ability to form a stable gel or solid upon injection. Moreover, they provide added versatility by complementing existing polymeric drug delivery systems like micro- and nanoparticles. The formulation's low viscosity facilitates manufacturing unit operations and enhances delivery efficiency, as it can be easily administered via hypodermic needles. The release mechanism of drugs from these systems can be predetermined using various functional polymers. To enable unique depot design, numerous strategies involving physiological and chemical stimuli have been explored. Important assessment criteria for in situ forming depots include biocompatibility, gel strength and syringeability, texture, biodegradation, release profile, and sterility. This review focuses on the fabrication approaches, key evaluation parameters, and pharmaceutical applications of in situ forming depots, considering perspectives from academia and industry. Additionally, insights about the future prospects of this technology are discussed.

Development of Simvastatin-Loaded Particles Using Spray Drying Method for Ex Tempore Preparation of Cartridges for 2D Printing Technology

In this work, a spray drying method was developed to produce drug/polymer (simvastatin/polycaprolactone) microparticles that have the potential to be used as a pre-formulation for ex tempore preparation of 2D printing cartridges. An experimental model was designed with the process parameters set to predict the smallest particle size required for successful 2D printing. Three different types of particles (lactose, nanocellulose/lactose, calcium silicate) were produced, and the average size of the dry particles varied depending on the sampling location (cyclone, collection vessel). The encapsulation efficiency of simvastatin was highest with nanocellulose/lactose from the collection vessel. The one-month stability of simvastatin in the particles showed low content, but the addition of ascorbic acid as an antioxidant increased the chemical stability of the drug. Interestingly, the addition of antioxidants decreased the stability of simvastatin in the calcium silicate particles from the collection vessel. Dispersion of the particles in three different propylene glycol and water mixtures (10/90, 50/50, and 90/10% (v/v)), representing a printable ink medium with three different viscosity and surface tension properties, showed that nanocellulose/lactose was the most suitable antiadhesive in terms of dispersed particle size (˂1 µm). After one month of storage, the dispersed particles remained in the same size range without undesirable particle agglomeration.

Interfacial Photopolymerization: A Method for Light-Based Printing of Thermoplastics

Ultraviolet (UV) printing of photopolymers is a widely adopted manufacturing method because of its high resolution and throughput. However, available printable photopolymers are typically thermosets, resulting in challenges in postprocessing and recycling of printed structures. Here, we present a new process called interfacial photopolymerization (IPP) which enables photopolymerization printing of linear chain polymers. In IPP, a polymer film is formed at the interface between two immiscible liquids, one containing a chain-growth monomer and the other containing a photoinitiator. We demonstrate the integration of IPP in a proof-of-concept projection system for printing of polyacrylonitrile (PAN) films and rudimentary multi-layer shapes . IPP shows in-plane and out-of-plane resolutions comparable to conventional photoprinting methods. Cohesive PAN films with number-average molecular weights greater than 15 kg mol^-1 are obtained, and to our knowledge this is the first report of photopolymerization printing of PAN. A macrokinetics model of IPP is developed to elucidate the transport and reaction rates involved and evaluate how reaction parameters affect film thickness and print speed. Last, demonstration of IPP in a multilayer scheme suggests its suitabiliy for three-dimensional printing of linear-chain polymers.

Influence of pH on the release of an active principle from 3D printed carrageenan-k combined with alginate or xanthan gum

The use of 3D printing began to diffuse in the pharmaceutical field in recent times, since 2015, with the approval of the first 3D printed drug from the FDA. The most used materials in association with this technique in this specific scope are hydrogels, already used widely in tissue engineering to produce scaffolds used in the realization of synthetic tissues. The aim of this project was to study the influence of different pH conditions on the release of a therapeutic molecule from a Carrageenan-k combined with alginate or xanthan gum hydrogel with a high level of biocompatibility and enough mechanical resistance to be used as printing material for a 3D bioprinter. The addition of biologically active supplements without affecting the model of the 3D printing structure of the biocompatible polymers was achieved by adopting the extrusion at moderately low temperatures. This study aimed to produce the necessary percentage of hydrogels which is responsible for the release of active drugs which respect to the pH of the system. In this case, the chosen curcumin drug which exhibits active release in the pH of the small intestine is a pH value of 6.

3D printing for personalised medicines: implications for policy and practice

The current healthcare dynamic has shifted from one-size-fits-all to patient-centred care, with our increased understanding of pharmacokinetics and pharmacogenomics demanding a switch to more individualised therapies. As the pharmaceutical industry remains yet to succumb to the push of a technological paradigm shift, pharmacists lack the means to provide completely personalised medicine (PM) to their patients in a safe, affordable, and widely accessible manner. As additive manufacturing technology has already established its strength in producing pharmaceutical formulations, it is necessary to next consider methods by which this technology can create PM accessible from pharmacies. In this article, we reviewed the limitations of current pharmaceutical manufacturing methods for PMs, three-dimensional (3D) printing techniques that are most beneficial for PMs, implications of bringing this technology into pharmacy practice, and implications for policy surrounding 3D printing techniques in the manufacturing of PMs.

Needles to Spheres: Evaluation of inkjet printing as a particle shape enhancement tool

Active pharmaceutical ingredients (APIs) often reveal shapes challenging to process, e.g. acicular structures, and exhibit reduced bioavailability induced by slow dissolution rate. Leveraging the API particles' surface and bulk properties offers an attractive pathway to circumvent these challenges. Inkjet printing is an attractive processing technique able to tackle these limitations already in initial stages when little material is available, while particle properties are maintained over the entire production scale. Additionally, it is applicable to a wide range of formulations and offers the possibility of co-processing with a variety of excipients to improve the API's bioavailability. This study addresses the optimization of particle shapes for processability enhancement and demonstrates the successful application of inkjet printing to engineer spherical lacosamide particles, which are usually highly acicular. By optimizing the ink formulation, adapting the substrate-liquid interface and tailoring the heat transfer to the particle, spherical particles in the vicinity of 100 µm, with improved flow properties compared to the bulk material, were produced. Furthermore, the particle size was tailored reproducibly by adjusting the deposited ink volume per cycle and the number of printing cycles. Therefore, the present study shows a novel, reliable, scalable and economical strategy to overcome challenging particle morphologies by co-processing an API with suitable excipients.

3D Printing as a Technological Strategy for the Personalized Treatment of Wound Healing

Wound healing is a dynamic process which involves stages of hemostasis, inflammation, proliferation and remodeling. Any error in this process results in abnormal wound healing, generating financial burdens for health systems and even affecting the physical and mental health of the patient. Traditional dressings do not meet the complexities of ideal treatment in all types of wounds. For this reason, in the last decades, different materials for drug delivery and for the treatment of wounds have been proposed reaching novel level of standards, such as 3D printing techniques. The use of natural or synthetic polymers, and the correct design of these printed products loaded with cells and/or combined with active compounds, can generate an effective system for the treatment of wounds, improving the healing process and generating customized dressings according to the patient needs. This manuscript provides a comprehensive review of different types of 3D printing techniques, as well as its use in wound healing and its different stages, including the advantages and limitations of additive manufacturing and future perspectives.

Inkjet drug printing onto contact lenses: Deposition optimisation and non-invasive dose verification

Inkjet printing has the potential to advance the treatment of eye diseases by printing drugs on demand onto contact lenses for localised delivery and personalised dosing, while near-infrared (NIR) spectroscopy can further be used as a quality control method for quantifying the drug but has yet to be demonstrated with contact lenses. In this study, a glaucoma therapy drug, timolol maleate, was successfully printed onto contact lenses using a modified commercial inkjet printer. The drug-loaded ink prepared for the printer was designed to match the properties of commercial ink, whilst having maximal drug loading and avoiding ocular inflammation. This setup demonstrated personalised drug dosing by printing multiple passes. Light transmittance was found to be unaffected by drug loading on the contact lens. A novel dissolution model was built, and in vitro dissolution studies showed drug release over at least 3 h, significantly longer than eye drops. NIR was used as an external validation method to accurately quantify the drug dose. Overall, the combination of inkjet printing and NIR represent a novel method for point-of-care personalisation and quantification of drug-loaded contact lenses.

Formulation of a 3D Printed Biopharmaceutical: The Development of an Alkaline Phosphatase Containing Tablet with Ileo-Colonic Release Profile to Treat Ulcerative Colitis

Powder bed printing is a 3D-printing process that creates freeform geometries from powders, with increasing traction for personalized medicine potential. Little is known about its applications for biopharmaceuticals. In this study, the production of tablets containing alkaline phosphatase using powder bed printing for the potential treatment of ulcerative colitis (UC) was investigated, as was the coating of these tablets to obtain ileo-colonic targeting. The printing process was studied, revealing line spacing as a critical factor affecting tablet physical properties when using hydroxypropyl cellulose as the binder. Increasing line spacing yielded tablets with higher porosity. The enzymatic activity of alkaline phosphatase (formulated in inulin glass) remained over 95% after 2 weeks of storage at 45 °C. The subsequent application of a colonic targeting coating required a PEG 1500 sub-coating. In vitro release experiments, using a gastrointestinal simulated system, indicated that the desired ileo-colonic release was achieved. Less than 8% of the methylene blue, a release marker, was released in the terminal ileum phase, followed by a fast release in the colon phase. No significant impact from the coating process on the enzymatic activity was found. These tablets are the first to achieve both biopharmaceutical incorporation in powder bed printed tablets and ileo-colonic targeting, thus might be suitable for on-demand patient-centric treatment of UC.

3D printed oral solid dosage form: Modified release and improved solubility

Oral solid dosage form is currently the most common used form of drug. 3D Printing, also known as additive manufacturing (AM), can quickly print customized and individualized oral solid dosage form on demand. Compared with the traditional tablet manufacturing process, 3D Printing has many advantages. By rationally selecting the formulation composition and cleverly designing the printing structure, 3D printing can improve the solubility of the drug and achieve precise modify of the drug release. 3D printed oral solid dosage form, however, still has problems such as limitations in formulation selection. And the selection process of the formulation lacks scientificity and standardization. Structural design of some 3D printing approaches is relatively scarce. This article reviews the formulation selection and structure design of 3D printed oral solid dosage form, providing more ideas for achieving modified drug release and solubility improvement of 3D printed oral solid dosage form through more scientific and extensive formulation selection and more sophisticated structural design.

Selective anti-cancer activity against melanoma cells using 3-O-acetyl-β-boswellic acid-loaded 3D-Printed scaffold

This study aimed to develop a local 3 D-printed bioactive graft using poly-caprolacton (PCL) as a drug carrier and 3-O-acetyl-β-boswellic acid (β-ABA) as an anticancer compound. β-ABA-loaded 3 D-printed scaffold was fabricated and physically characterized. The results indicated more desirable mechanical and physical properties of the β-ABA-loaded PCL mat in comparison with the PCL scaffold. Following sustained release of β-ABA, the β-ABA-loaded PCL scaffold revealed selective cytotoxic activity against melanoma cells, while the PCL + ABA with the bolus delivery of β-ABA was toxic against fibroblast cells. Followed by the induction of apoptosis in melanoma cells at the gene level, the result of the western blot showed that the β-ABA-loaded scaffold significantly up-regulated P53 and down-regulated BCL2, with an increment in the ratio of Bax/BCL2. The selective anti-cancer properties of β-ABA-loaded 3 D printed scaffold against melanoma cells indicated that this scaffold could be potentially used as a bioactive graft to improve the melanoma treatment.

Can Liposomes Survive Inkjet Printing? The Effect of Jetting on Key Liposome Attributes for Drug Delivery Applications

Purpose

Inkjet printing has the potential to enable novel personalized and tailored drug therapies based on liposome and lipid nanoparticles. However, due to the significant shear force exerted on the jetted fluids, its suitability for shear-sensitive materials such as liposomes, has not been verified. We have conducted a proof-of-concept study to examine whether the particle concentration and size distribution of placebo liposomes are affected by common inkjet/dispensing technologies.

Methods

We have subjected three types of liposome-containing fluids ("inks") to two different commercial dispensing/jetting technologies, which are relevant to most drug printing approaches. The liposome jetting processes were observed in real-time using strobographic imaging techniques. The phospholipid concentrations and particle size distributions were determined before and after jetting via enzymatic colorimetric and dynamic light scattering methods, respectively.

Results

Our results have shown that the jetting dynamics of the liposome inks are well predicted by the established inkjet printing regime map based on their physical properties and the jetting conditions. Importantly, although significant shear forces were confirmed during jetting, the liposome concentrations and particle size distributions in the collected samples remain largely unaffected.

Conclusion

These findings, we believe, provide the essential proof-of-concept to encourage further development in this highly topical research area.

Development of Nanosuspension Formulations Compatible with Inkjet Printing for the Convenient and Precise Dispensing of Poorly Soluble Drugs

The pharmaceutical industry has been challenged by the increasing number of poorly soluble drug candidates, resulting in significant issues with obtaining sufficient absorption and bioavailability, risk of exposure variability, and difficulties in achieving a safe therapeutic index. Additionally, the rapid and precise dispensing of specific drug dosages is an important aspect that can enable personalized medicines for the patient. Herein, we report on the development of inkjet printing as a method for delivering precise quantities of poorly soluble drug molecules using commercially available equipment. Despite challenges due to low solubility making it difficult to prepare liquid solutions, stable suspensions of drug nanoparticles with the appropriate viscosity were successfully printed and dispensed onto a thin film suitable for delivery. The drug nanoparticles remained intact and could be reconstituted after printing, demonstrating that they remained stable and retained their advantageous particle size. This demonstrates that inkjet printing can be a practical and convenient approach for dispensing poorly soluble drug molecules when formulated as nanosuspensions.

Quality of FDM 3D Printed Medicines for Pediatrics: Considerations for Formulation Development, Filament Extrusion, Printing Process and Printer Design

3d printing is capable of providing dose individualization for pediatric medicines and translating the precision medicine approach into practical application. In pediatrics, dose individualization and preparation of small dosage forms is a requirement for successful therapy, which is frequently not possible due to the lack of suitable dosage forms. For precision medicine, individual characteristics of patients are considered for the selection of the best possible API in the most suitable dose with the most effective release profile to improve therapeutic outcome. 3d printing is inherently suitable for manufacturing of individualized medicines with varying dosages, sizes, release profiles and drug combinations in small batch sizes, which cannot be manufactured with traditional technologies. However, understanding of critical quality attributes and process parameters still needs to be significantly improved for this new technology. To ensure health and safety of patients, cleaning and process validation needs to be established. Additionally, adequate analytical methods for the in-process control of intermediates, regarding their printability as well as control of the final 3d printed tablets considering any risk of this new technology will be required. The PolyPrint consortium is actively working on developing novel polymers for fused deposition modeling (FDM) 3d printing, filament formulation and manufacturing development as well as optimization of the printing process, and the design of a GMP-capable FDM 3d printer. In this manuscript, the consortium shares its views on quality aspects and measures for 3d printing from drug-loaded filaments, including formulation development, the printing process, and the printed dosage forms. Additionally, engineering approaches for quality assurance during the printing process and for the final dosage form will be presented together with considerations for a GMP-capable printer design.

3D-Printed Products for Topical Skin Applications: From Personalized Dressings to Drug Delivery

3D printing has been widely used for the personalization of therapies and on-demand production of complex pharmaceutical forms. Recently, 3D printing has been explored as a tool for the development of topical dosage forms and wound dressings. Thus, this review aims to present advances related to the use of 3D printing for the development of pharmaceutical and biomedical products for topical skin applications, covering plain dressing and products for the delivery of active ingredients to the skin. Based on the data acquired, the important growth in the number of publications over the last years confirms its interest. The semisolid extrusion technique has been the most reported one, probably because it allows the use of a broad range of polymers, creating the most diverse therapeutic approaches. 3D printing has been an excellent field for customizing dressings, according to individual needs. Studies discussed here imply the use of metals, nanoparticles, drugs, natural compounds and proteins and peptides for the treatment of wound healing, acne, pain relief, and anti-wrinkle, among others. The confluence of 3D printing and topical applications has undeniable advantages, and we would like to encourage the research groups to explore this field to improve the patient's life quality, adherence and treatment efficacy.

Harnessing artificial intelligence for the next generation of 3D printed medicines

Artificial intelligence (AI) is redefining how we exist in the world. In almost every sector of society, AI is performing tasks with super-human speed and intellect; from the prediction of stock market trends to driverless vehicles, diagnosis of disease, and robotic surgery. Despite this growing success, the pharmaceutical field is yet to truly harness AI. Development and manufacture of medicines remains largely in a 'one size fits all' paradigm, in which mass-produced, identical formulations are expected to meet individual patient needs. Recently, 3D printing (3DP) has illuminated a path for on-demand production of fully customisable medicines. Due to its flexibility, pharmaceutical 3DP presents innumerable options during formulation development that generally require expert navigation. Leveraging AI within pharmaceutical 3DP removes the need for human expertise, as optimal process parameters can be accurately predicted by machine learning. AI can also be incorporated into a pharmaceutical 3DP 'Internet of Things', moving the personalised production of medicines into an intelligent, streamlined, and autonomous pipeline. Supportive infrastructure, such as The Cloud and blockchain, will also play a vital role. Crucially, these technologies will expedite the use of pharmaceutical 3DP in clinical settings and drive the global movement towards personalised medicine and Industry 4.0.

Disrupting 3D printing of medicines with machine learning

3D printing (3DP) is a progressive technology capable of transforming pharmaceutical development. However, despite its promising advantages, its transition into clinical settings remains slow. To make the vital leap to mainstream clinical practice and improve patient care, 3DP must harness modern technologies. Machine learning (ML), an influential branch of artificial intelligence, may be a key partner for 3DP. Together, 3DP and ML can utilise intelligence based on human learning to accelerate drug product development, ensure stringent quality control (QC), and inspire innovative dosage-form design. With ML's capabilities, streamlined 3DP drug delivery could mark the next era of personalised medicine. This review details how ML can be applied to elevate the 3DP of pharmaceuticals and importantly, how it can expedite 3DP's integration into mainstream healthcare.

Translating 3D printed pharmaceuticals: From hype to real-world clinical applications

Three-dimensional (3D) printing is a revolutionary technology that is disrupting pharmaceutical development by enabling the production of personalised printlets (3D printed drug products) on demand. By creating small batches of dose flexible medicines, this versatile technology offers significant advantages for clinical practice and drug development, namely the ability to personalise medicines to individual patient needs, as well as expedite drug development timelines within preclinical studies through to first-in-human (FIH) and Phase I/II clinical trials. Despite the widely demonstrated benefits of 3D printing pharmaceuticals, the clinical potential of the technology is yet to be realised. In this timely review, we provide an overview of the latest cutting-edge investigations in 3D printing pharmaceuticals in the pre-clinical and clinical arena and offer a forward-looking approach towards strategies to further aid the translation of 3D printing into the clinic.

Advances in powder bed fusion 3D printing in drug delivery and healthcare

Powder bed fusion (PBF) is a 3D printing method that selectively consolidates powders into 3D objects using a power source. PBF has various derivatives; selective laser sintering/melting, direct metal laser sintering, electron beam melting and multi-jet fusion. These technologies provide a multitude of benefits that make them well suited for the fabrication of bespoke drug-laden formulations, devices and implants. This includes their superior printing resolution and speed, and ability to produce objects without the need for secondary supports, enabling them to precisely create complex products. Herein, this review article outlines the unique applications of PBF 3D printing, including the main principles underpinning its technologies and highlighting their novel pharmaceutical and biomedical applications. The challenges and shortcomings are also considered, emphasising on their effects on the 3D printed products, whilst providing a forward-thinking view.

3D Printing of Drug Nanocrystals for Film Formulations

The aim of the study was to prepare indomethacin nanocrystal-loaded, 3D-printed, fast-dissolving oral polymeric film formulations. Nanocrystals were produced by the wet pearl milling technique, and 3D printing was performed by the semi-solid extrusion method. Hydroxypropyl methyl cellulose (HPMC) was the film-forming polymer, and glycerol the plasticizer. In-depth physicochemical characterization was made, including solid-state determination, particle size and size deviation analysis, film appearance evaluation, determination of weight variation, thickness, folding endurance, drug content uniformity, and disintegration time, and drug release testing. In drug nanocrystal studies, three different stabilizers were tested. Poloxamer F68 produced the smallest and most homogeneous particles, with particle size values of 230 nm and PI values below 0.20, and was selected as a stabilizer for the drug-loaded film studies. In printing studies, the polymer concentration was first optimized with drug-free formulations. The best mechanical film properties were achieved for the films with HPMC concentrations of 2.85% (w/w) and 3.5% (w/w), and these two HPMC levels were selected for further drug-loaded film studies. Besides, in the drug-loaded film printing studies, three different drug levels were tested. With the optimum concentration, films were flexible and homogeneous, disintegrated in 1 to 2.5 min, and released the drug in 2–3 min. Drug nanocrystals remained in the nano size range in the polymer films, particle sizes being in all film formulations from 300 to 500 nm. When the 3D-printed polymer films were compared to traditional film-casted polymer films, the physicochemical behavior and pharmaceutical performance of the films were very similar. As a conclusion, 3D printing of drug nanocrystals in oral polymeric film formulations is a very promising option for the production of immediate-release improved- solubility formulations.