Advances in the Application of Additive Manufacturing in Respiratory Inhalation Therapy

Area of Science:

• Biomedical Engineering
• Pharmaceutical Sciences
• Respiratory Medicine

Background:

• Inhalation therapy is crucial for respiratory diseases like asthma and COPD, offering direct lung targeting.
• Existing inhalation systems lack personalization, leading to variable drug deposition and efficacy, especially in vulnerable populations.
• Emerging applications include vaccine delivery, systemic treatments, and localized tumor therapy.

Purpose of the Study:

• To review recent advances in additive manufacturing (AM) for inhalation therapy.
• To highlight AM's role in personalized device fabrication, particle engineering, and in vitro model construction.
• To discuss AM's potential in exploring novel therapeutic strategies and overcoming current challenges.

Main Methods:

• Comprehensive literature review of additive manufacturing applications in inhalation therapy.
• Analysis of AM's capabilities in structural optimization and particle engineering.
• Examination of 3D-printed models for in vitro studies.

Main Results:

• Additive manufacturing enables personalized 3D-printed inhalation devices and formulation platforms.
• AM enhances control over drug deposition, improves patient compliance, and increases delivery precision.
• Growing evidence supports AM's efficacy in optimizing inhalation therapy for diverse patient needs.

Conclusions:

• Additive manufacturing is transforming inhalation therapy towards patient-centered, intelligent delivery systems.
• AM provides theoretical and technological foundations for next-generation respiratory healthcare solutions.
• Personalized AM approaches promise improved therapeutic outcomes for a wide range of respiratory conditions.