3D Printed Intragastric Floating and Sustained-Release Tablets with Air Chambers

Accelerating 3D printing of pharmaceutical products using machine learning

“…Specifically, the simplicity and low cost of FDM 3DP has led to the general view that it may be the technology to be clinically adopted to produce personalized medicines. Enthusiasm towards FDM 3DP amongst pharmaceutical researchers has been demonstrated by its use to manufacture a range of drug delivery devices, including 3D printed tablets (Printlets) ( Bogdahn et al, 2021 ; Figueiredo et al, 2022 ; Isreb et al, 2019 ; Melocchi et al, 2021 ; Oladeji et al, 2022 ; Pereira et al, 2020 ; Shi et al, 2021 ; Tranová et al, 2022 ; Windolf et al, 2022 ), gastro-retentive tablets ( Zhao et al, 2022 ), microneedles ( Wu et al, 2021 ), and patient-specific devices ( Arany et al, 2021 ; Carlier et al, 2021 ; Eleftheriadis and Fatouros, 2021 ; Eleftheriadis et al, 2020 ; Haddow et al, 2021 ; Liang et al, 2018 ; Saviano et al, 2022 ). While interest in pharmaceutical 3DP continues to grow, with pharmaceutical companies such as Aprecia and Triastek investing in the technology, progress is arguably hampered by the empirical process of formulation development ( Elbadawi et al, 2021b ; Seoane-Viaño et al, 2021 ).…”

Hydrophilic High Drug-Loaded 3D Printed Gastroretentive System with Robust Release Kinetics

“…It should be highlighted that the FDM 3DP temperature (200 °C) was higher than the extrusion process temperature (150 °C), which caused drug-loaded 3DP tablets to turn brownish. Zhao and co-workers also reported this phenomenon, attributing the darker colour of the 3DP AFF tablets to partial HPMC cooking in the curing steps instead of degradation [ 26 ]. DSC and TGA analysis results confirm this hypothesis ( Figure 3 ).…”

“…The melting peak appeared in PM, drug-loaded filaments, and 3DP tablets ( Figure 3 d). Nevertheless, the peak intensity was PM > drug-loaded filaments > 3DP tablets, from high to low, which could be attributed to a partial amorphization of the drug during the extrusion process and FDM 3DP [ 26 , 40 ]. This results in a wider melting range, or a melting process that starts at lower temperatures.…”

“…Comparing all the GRDDS, floating systems seem to provide a promising and practical approach to achieving a long intra-gastric residence time [ 23 , 24 ] due to their low density [ 7 ], not affecting the normal motility of the GIT [ 5 ], showing a sustained release profile [ 25 , 26 ], and allowing site-specific drug release into the upper GIT for local or systemic effects [ 27 ]. All of this means that there are numerous floating gastroretentive systems currently in the clinical trial phase or commercially available [ 8 , 9 , 28 ].…”

“…Regarding the distribution of the drug in filaments obtained with HME and in the printed tablets, it can be found in the form of solid solution or as a suspension-type system, depending on the temperatures used in their obtention and the physical-chemical characteristics of the components [ 22 , 26 , 46 ].…”