Polypill: Programming of Multicomponent Temporal Release Profiles in 3D Printed Polypills via Core–Shell, Multilayer, and Gradient Concentration Profiles (Adv. Healthcare Mater. 16/2018)

Abstract

In article https://doi.org/10.1002/adhm.201800213, Blake N. Johnson and co‐workers demonstrate how extrusion‐based 3D printing enables the programming of delayed, pulsed, and continuous temporal release profiles in multi‐component oral tablets, also known as polypills, via the use of core‐shell, multilayer, and gradient spatial distributions of actives, respectively. Mass transfer processes are considered for design, quality, and performance of additively‐manufactured pharmaceutical systems.

Concentration Gradients in Material Sciences: Methods to Design and Biomedical Applications

“…Haring et al. [ 47 ] fabricated a 3D printed “polypill” consisting of Pluronic F‐127 as diluent and three drugs approved for the treatment of type 2 diabetes. Using computer‐assisted printing, cylindrical pills were obtained.…”

Additive Manufacturing of Precision Biomaterials

“…This process enables engineers to customize the structure based on the requisites of the specific application. In addition, the combination of geometric design and FEA has been used to study the transport of small molecules through 3D composite objects . This approach predicted the temporal release profile of different scaffolds, and is relevant to the design of patient‐specific drug delivery systems via AM, which enable tailored therapeutic release profiles.…”

“…The temporal profile of released drug was directly controlled by the material deposition, resulting in delayed, pulsatile, and constant drug release, respectively. Adapted with permission . Copyright 2015, Wiley‐VCH.…”

“…In addition, the spatial arrangement of drug‐loaded and non‐drug‐loaded materials can be defined precisely with AM, enabling the generation of unique release profiles. Robotic dispensing of polypills comprised of Pluronic F‐127 loaded with three common oral agents for the treatment of type 2 diabetes were designed with three independent release profiles, taking advantage of the ability to deposit material with a high degree of spatial control and different initial concentrations (Figure b) . Specifically, drug‐loaded and non‐drug‐loaded materials were deposited to fabricate core–shell, multilayer, and gradient drug distributions in different compartments of the polypill, which were responsible for delayed, pulsatile, and constant drug release, respectively.…”

3D Printed Multiplexed Competitive Migration Assays with Spatially Programmable Release Sources

“…[41] In addition to neural engineering and microfluidics, 3D printing has been used to construct spatially-distributed controlled-release systems that contain chemoattractants as well as other biologics (e.g., enzymes) and molecular species (e.g., drugs). [34,42,43] The use of microextrusion 3D printing to construct nerve guidance conduits for regeneration of bifurcating, mixed nerve injuries that contained path-specific chemoattractants of nerve growth factor (NGF) and glial-derived neurotrophic factor (GDNF) (i.e., spatially-distributed end sources) provides a recent example. [34] Therefore, 3D printing could facilitate the fabrication of user-friendly migration assays for studying competing chemoattractants with spatially-distributed sources.…”