3D-printed immediate release solid dosage forms: a patent evaluation of US11622940B2

Area of Science:

• Pharmaceutical Technology
• Materials Science
• Drug Delivery Systems

Background:

• Three-dimensional (3D) printing provides advanced manufacturing capabilities for pharmaceutical dosage forms.
• Controlled drug release profiles are crucial for therapeutic efficacy.
• Optimizing immediate-release formulations enhances drug bioavailability.

Purpose of the Study:

• To describe the preparation of immediate-release 3D-printed hydrochlorothiazide tablets.
• To investigate the impact of incorporating channels (gaplets) on tablet performance.
• To enhance the disintegration and dissolution profiles of hydrochlorothiazide tablets.

Main Methods:

• Drug-loaded filament preparation using hot-melt extrusion.
• Fused deposition modeling (FDM) for 3D printing of tablets with varying shapes and sizes.
• Incorporation of internal channels (gaplets) within the tablet structure.
• Scanning electron microscopy (SEM) for morphological analysis.

Main Results:

• Successful fabrication of 3D-printed hydrochlorothiazide tablets using FDM.
• Demonstrated improvement in disintegration and dissolution profiles due to gaplet incorporation.
• SEM confirmed the presence and structural integrity of gaplets in the printed tablets.

Conclusions:

• 3D printing is a viable technology for producing immediate-release tablets with enhanced drug release characteristics.
• The integration of gaplets in 3D-printed tablets significantly improves hydrochlorothiazide disintegration and dissolution.
• This approach offers a novel strategy for optimizing oral dosage form performance.