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International Journal of Bioprinting Advances for 3D-printed oral drug delivery systems

Keywords: 3D Printing; Oral drug delivery; Quality; tract, making 3D printing more attractive than traditional
Acceptability; Digital technologies procedures. For instance, one of the most used methods to
manufacture tablets and pills is direct compression, which
has advantages such as short operation time and use of
fewer resources . However, some active pharmaceutical
[9]
1. Introduction ingredients (APIs) demonstrate low compressibility ,
[10]
Drug delivery systems (DDS) are characterized by directly affecting the mechanical properties of the tablet
technologies that enhance the delivery of pharmaceutical and pill. On the other hand, this process requires a
products (drugs, vitamins, health supplements, or compression press, in which the punch and die can cause
[11]
diagnostic substances) into the body. Innovations in drug other defects like sticking, picking, double impression ,
delivery technologies can help meet their unique delivery and edging. Another inconvenience is that changing the
needs and mitigate treatment side effects. According to appearance of the tablet and pill is not an immediate
[1]
the United States National Institute of Biomedical Imaging operation, as it requires the fabrication of a new die based
and Bioengineering (NIBIB) , DDS can be described on the desired geometry.
[2]
in two broad-ranging categories: routes of delivery and Hard capsules and softgels are not exempt from
delivery vehicles. The first one refers to the routes of manufacturing defects, problems related to body caps
administration of pharmaceutical compounds, with (differences in length or improperly sealed), and incorrect
the most common being oral, parenteral (intravenous, rotary die pressure, which can occur during their
intramuscular, subcutaneous, intra-arterial), sublingual, production. 3D printing techniques offer solutions to these
topical, nasal, intraosseous, ocular, rectal, and vaginal . On issues. From a general perspective, they operate through a
[3]
the other hand, delivery vehicles concern the various ways 3D printer that reads a computer-aided design (CAD) file,
in which pharmaceutical compounds can be encapsulated which was created to produce a physical model according
or packaged so they can safely travel through the body; to the dosage form desired. The printhead moves in the
some examples are liposomes, polymeric nanoparticles, x–y plane to create the foundation of the object, then the
microbubbles, hydrogels, micelles , scaffolds [5,6] , printhead moves along the z-axis, resulting in layer-by-
[4]
and microneedles . layer formation of the dosage form . As each 3D printing
[7]
[12]
In October 2022, Euromonitor International, a technique has different process parameters, the applied
global leading company in business intelligence and technique can be selected based on which is more suitable
market research, analyzed four trends that will impact for the specific active pharmaceutical ingredients (APIs)
the pharmaceutical and medical industry, with “Rising and the type of dosage form.
investment in research and development (R&D) and 3D-printed oral DDS encompass various types of films,
innovation” being one of them . This trend points to tablets, capsules, pills, and fibrous dosage forms. Figure 1
[8]
the rising demands for high-value innovative treatments, illustrates some examples of the types of 3D-printed oral
driving investment in R&D and personalized treatment. dosage forms, with the most common materials alongside
For this, the versatility of three-dimensional (3D) the API being polymers and hydrogels, as shown in Table 1.
printing and its diverse processes can be utilized in
various areas, including the medical and pharmaceutical There are different studies on 3D-printed oral DDS,
industry, reducing high production costs, and including one that reveals the advances and current state
limitations of traditional processes, as well as allowing in terms of processes and applications. For instance,
personalized manufacturing according to individual Mancilla-De-la-Cruz and Rodriguez-Salvador studied the
needs. The introduction of 3D printing technology into available technologies for 3D printing of oral drug delivery
the pharmaceutical field can revolutionize the medical in 2022 ; during the same year, Mancilla-De-la-Cruz
[27]
industry, as it enables varying dosage batch sizes, novel et al. investigated the process, materials, and effects of 3D
[14]
dosage forms, and drug distribution. printing for DDS, where oral administration was studied ;
however, the user has specific needs that need be attended
Under this context, 3D printing of oral DDS concerns
the development of technologies and dosage forms to promote drugs acceptability; moreover, considering the
novelty of 3D-printed DDS and the lack of standardization,
using 3D printing processes to improve the delivery of quality control represents a crucial topic to be analyzed. In
pharmaceutical products, the dynamic interaction between addition, to cope with the challenges of the digital era, it is
pharmaceutical ingredients, and the user safety. They necessary to study efforts toward digitalization. Despite the
can offer personalized formulations, geometries, sizes, importance of these topics so far, there are no studies that
release rates, and increased time in the gastrointestinal
discuss them; to fill this gap, the purpose of this research

Volume 9 Issue 6 (2023) 503 https://doi.org/10.36922/ijb.1119