3D-printed dosage forms for oral administration: a review.

Area of Science:

• Pharmaceutical Technology
• Drug Delivery Systems
• Manufacturing Science

Background:

• Oral administration is preferred for patient compliance and convenience, but traditional solid dosage form manufacturing is complex, discontinuous, and inefficient.
• Existing advanced techniques like hot-melt extrusion have limitations and are not ideal for personalized medicine production.
• Current large-scale manufacturing is unsuitable for the small, customized batches required for personalized medicines.

Purpose of the Study:

• To review the advancements of 3D printing technology in the field of oral drug preparations.
• To discuss the advantages and disadvantages of 3D printing for oral dosage forms.
• To explore the potential applications of 3D printing in pharmaceutical manufacturing.

Main Methods:

• Literature review of 3D printing applications in oral drug preparation.
• Analysis of existing manufacturing techniques and their limitations.
• Evaluation of 3D printing's potential to address current challenges.

Main Results:

• 3D printing significantly simplifies the manufacturing process for oral solid preparations.
• It enables continuous production suitable for small-scale, personalized medicine.
• 3D printing overcomes drawbacks of traditional methods and other advanced techniques.
• Significant progress has been observed in the design of 3D printed oral dosage forms.

Conclusions:

• 3D printing technology presents a promising approach to revolutionize oral drug formulation and manufacturing.
• It offers a viable solution for efficient, high-quality, and personalized oral medications.
• Further research and development are warranted to fully realize the potential of 3D printed drugs.