Customized 3D-printed hollow capsular device filled with norfloxacin-loaded micropellets for controlled-release...

Pharmacotherapy has become more focused on the personalized treatment of patients with various diseases. This field of pharmacology and pharmacogenomics focuses on developing drug delivery systems designed to address the unique characteristics of individual patients. Three-dimensional printing technology can be used to fabricate personalized drug delivery systems with desired release properties according to patient needs. Norfloxacin (NOR)-loaded micropellets (MPs) were fabricated and filled inside a stereolithography (SLA) 3D printing technology-mediated hollow capsular device in accordance with a standard size of 09 (8.4 mm length × 2.70 mm diameter). The prepared 3D-printed hollow capsular device filled with pristine NOR and NOR-loaded MPs were characterized in terms of both in vitro and in vivo means. MPs with the particle size distribution of 1540.0 ± 26 µm showed 95.63 ± 2.0% NOR content with pellet-shaped surface morphology. The in vitro release profile showed an initial lag phase of approximately 30 min, followed by the sustained release of NOR from MPs from the 3D-printed hollow capsular device. The pharmacokinetic profile showed prolonged T_max, AUC, and evidence of good RBA of NOR compared to pure NOR after a single oral administration in the experimental animal model. The overall results confirm the feasibility of SLA-mediated 3D printing technology for preparing customized solid oral unit dosage carriers that can be filled with pure NOR- and NOR-loaded MPs with controlled-release delivery features.