3D printed infliximab suppositories for rectal biologic delivery.
Atheer Awad1, Alvaro Goyanes1,2,3, Mine Orlu1
1Department of Pharmaceutics, UCL School of Pharmacy, University College London, 29-39 Brunswick Square, London, WC1N 1AX, UK.
International Journal of Pharmaceutics: X
|July 3, 2023
Summary
Three-dimensional (3D) printing enables the creation of infliximab suppositories for inflammatory bowel disease (IBD). This novel rectal delivery method preserves drug efficacy, offering a patient-friendly alternative to injections.
Area of Science:
- Pharmaceutical Technology
- Biopharmaceutical Delivery
- Materials Science
Background:
- Infliximab, a monoclonal antibody, is crucial for treating inflammatory bowel diseases (IBD).
- Parenteral administration is currently the only route for infliximab due to oral delivery challenges.
- Rectal administration offers localized treatment and preserves infliximab's integrity.
Purpose of the Study:
- To assess the feasibility of semi-solid extrusion 3D printing for infliximab-loaded suppositories.
- To develop rectal dosage forms for localized IBD treatment.
- To optimize 3D printing parameters for biopharmaceutical stability.
Main Methods:
- Utilized semi-solid extrusion 3D printing with Gelucire®-based inks.
- Investigated various ink compositions including coconut oil and purified water.
- Evaluated infliximab's binding capacity post-printing to assess bioactivity.
Main Results:
- Successfully fabricated well-defined infliximab-loaded suppositories using 3D printing.
- Infliximab retained structural integrity after the printing process.
- Incorporating oil into the printing ink increased infliximab's binding capacity to ~85%, compared to ~65% with water alone.
Conclusions:
- 3D printing is a viable technology for fabricating rectal dosage forms containing biopharmaceuticals like infliximab.
- This approach can potentially improve patient compliance by offering an alternative to injectable therapies.
- The study highlights the potential of 3D printing for addressing unmet needs in biopharmaceutical drug delivery.
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