Development of Near Zero-Order Release Dosage Forms Using Three-Dimensional Printing (3-DP™) Technology

Abstract

Three near zero-order controlled-release pseudoephedrine hydrochloride (PEH) formulations demonstrating proportional release rates were developed using 3-Dimensional Printing (3-DP) technology. Mixtures of Kollidon SR and hydroxypropylmethyl cellulose (HPMC) were used as drug carriers. The release rates were adjusted by varying the Kollidon SR-HPMC ratio while keeping fabrication parameters constant. The dosage forms were composed of an immediate release core and a release rate regulating shell, fabricated with an aqueous PEH and an ethanolic triethyl citrate (TEC) binder, respectively. The dosage form design called for the drug to be released via diffusional pathways formed by HPMC in the shell matrix. The release rate was shown to increase correspondingly with the fraction of HPMC contained in the polymer blend. The designed formulations resulted in dosage forms that were insensitive to changes in pH of the dissolution medium, paddle stirring rate, and the presence/absence of a sinker. The near zero-order release properties were unchanged regardless of the dissolution test being performed on either single cubes or on a group of eight cubes encased within a gelatin capsule shell. The chemical and dissolution properties of the three formulations remained unchanged following 1 month's exposure to 25 degrees C/60% RH or 40 degrees C/75% RH environment under open container condition. The in vivo performance of the three formulations was evaluated using a single-dose, randomized, open-label, four-way crossover clinical study composed of 10 fasted healthy volunteers. The pharmacokinetic parameters were analyzed using a noncompartmental model. Qualitative rank order linear correlations between in vivo absorption profiles and in vitro dissolution parameters (with slope and intercept close to unity and origin, respectively) were obtained for all three formulations, indicating good support for a Level A in vivo/in vitro correlation.

Emergence of 3D Printed Dosage Forms: Opportunities and Challenges

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Three-Dimensional Printing of Carbamazepine Sustained-Release Scaffold

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Adaptation of pharmaceutical excipients to FDM 3D printing for the fabrication of patient-tailored immediate release tablets

“…These highly attractive technologies produce 3-dimensional objects of virtually any shape under the control of a computer software. Powder based 3D printing was first adapted to fabricating tablets with immediate (Pyrce Lewis et al, 2011;Wang et al, 2006;Yu et al, 2007), delayed release profiles (Fuh et al, 1999). In late 2015, the FDA approved the first 3D printed fast-dissolving tablets for treatment of epilepsy, Spritam ® (levetiracetam) (Aprecia, 2014;Yoo et al, 2014).…”