3D-Printed Multifunctional Multicompartment Polymer-Based Capsules for Tunable and Spatially Controlled Drug Release

Area of Science:

• Polymer Science
• Materials Science
• Biomedical Engineering

Background:

• Polymer-based systems are crucial for developing advanced drug delivery carriers due to their tunable properties.
• Designing complex, responsive drug delivery systems remains a significant challenge in pharmaceutical research.

Purpose of the Study:

• To develop a novel 3D printing strategy for fabricating multicompartment polymer capsules.
• To achieve precise spatial organization and structural complexity in drug delivery carriers.
• To enable customizable, localized, and site-specific drug release.

Main Methods:

• Fabrication of multicompartment capsules using a one-step 3D printing process.
• Integration of multiple polymers within the capsule structure.
• Programming pH-triggered release across distinct polymeric regions.

Main Results:

• Successful creation of structurally complex, multicompartment capsules.
• Demonstration of customizable features including compartmentalization and polymer-specific responsiveness.
• Achieved localized, pH-triggered drug release for site-specific delivery in intestinal segments.

Conclusions:

• 3D printing offers a scalable and adaptable platform for producing multifunctional polymer-based carriers.
• This approach enables finely tunable drug release profiles for controlled delivery.
• Paves the way for new directions in polymer-enabled controlled drug delivery technologies.