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Published on: July 24, 2021
Clinical implementation of a paediatric 3D-printed combination of Sulfamethoxazole and Trimethoprim
Maxime Stoops1, Bernard Do2, Stéphanie Ramos1
1Clinical Pharmacy Department, Gustave Roussy Cancer Campus, 94800 Villejuif, France.
Insights
3D printed medicines offer improved palatability and adherence for pediatric oncology patients. This study developed stable, printable pharma-inks for chewable Sulfamethoxazole (SMX) and Trimethoprim (TMP) tablets, showing potential bioequivalence and enhanced acceptability.
Area of Science:
- Pharmaceutical Technology
- Drug Delivery Systems
- Pediatric Medicine
Background:
- Treatment adherence is a significant challenge in chronic pediatric diseases, often due to unpalatable dosage forms.
- Traditional drug formulations may not meet the specific needs of pediatric oncology patients, impacting treatment success.
- Clinical implementation of 3D printed medicines remains limited despite their potential for personalized dosing.
Purpose of the Study:
- To develop stable and printable pharma-inks for semi-solid extrusion (SSE) of Sulfamethoxazole (SMX) and Trimethoprim (TMP) chewable tablets.
- To evaluate the stability, printability, and drug release profiles of 3D printed SMX/TMP formulations.
- To assess the palatability and potential for improved adherence in pediatric oncology patients.
Main Methods:
- Development of SMX and TMP pharma-inks using drug and excipient mixtures.
- Semi-solid extrusion (SSE) 3D printing to fabricate chewable tablets.
- Stability testing, in vitro drug dissolution studies, and human sensory evaluations.
Main Results:
- SMX and TMP pharma-inks demonstrated stability and printability for over 3 months.
- 3D printed chewable tablets exhibited stable characteristics and dissolution profiles comparable to commercial formulations.
- Human sensory evaluations indicated improved palatability compared to traditional suspensions.
Conclusions:
- 3D printed SMX/TMP formulations represent a viable alternative to traditional medicines for pediatric patients in hospital settings.
- This technology enhances drug acceptability and adherence, facilitating personalized dosing for pediatric oncology.
- 3D printing offers a promising approach to overcome formulation challenges in pediatric pharmacotherapy.
Abstract:
Adherence to treatment is one of the major challenges in chronic diseases. Inappropriate dosage forms or bad taste are the main factor for non-adherence, especially in paediatric patients. 3D printed medicines could be tailored to specific patients to make medicines more acceptable, however the clinical implementation in hospitals is still limited. This study addresses the challenge of developing pharma-inks (mixtures of drugs and excipients) for semi-solid extrusion (SSE) to produce chewable tablets of Sulfamethoxazole (SMX) and Trimethoprim (TMP) for paediatric oncology patients in a hospital setting. SMX and TMP pharma-inks were stable and printable on demand for more than 3 months. The chewable tablets were also stable, and the drug dissolution profiles were comparable to those of the commercial formulations, indicating potential bioequivalence. Human sensory evaluations confirmed that the formulation improved palatability compared to traditional suspensions. 3D-printed SMX/TMP formulations are an alternative to traditional formulations for paediatric patients in hospital settings, enhancing acceptability and adherence while enabling personalized dosing.
