Drop-On-Powder 3D Printing of Tablets with an Anti-Cancer Drug, 5-Fluorouracil.

Kejing Shi,Mohammed Maniruzzaman,Deck Tan,Ali Nokhodchi

doi:10.3390/pharmaceutics11040150

Kejing Shi, Mohammed Maniruzzaman + Show 2 more

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https://doi.org/10.3390/pharmaceutics11040150

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Abstract

This study reports the first case of an innovative drop-on-powder (DoP) three-dimensional (3D) printing technology to produce oral tablets (diameters of 10 mm and 13 mm) loaded with an anticancer model drug, 5-fluorouracil (FLU). For this study, a composition of the powder carrier containing CaSO4 hydrates, vinyl polymer, and carbohydrate was used as the matrix former, whereas 2-pyrrolidone with a viscosity like water was used as a binding liquid or inkjet ink. All tablets were printed using a commercial ZCorp 3D printer with modification. The resultant tablets were subject to coating with various polymeric solutions containing the drug. The composition of the polymeric solutions was adjusted at drug: polymer(s) 1:1 (w/w) ratio. Either Soluplus® (SOL) alone or in combination with polyethylene glycol (PEG) was used to develop the coating solution of 2.5% (w/v) concentration. The particle size analysis, flow test, and particle morphology studies revealed mono-modal narrow size distribution, good flow properties, and porous loosely bound texture (of the tablets), respectively. Moreover, the advanced application of the fluorescence microscopy showed a homogenous distribution of the drug throughout the surface of the 3D printed tablets. The in vitro dissolution studies showed that the tablet compositions, dimensions, and the coating solution compositions influenced the release of the drug from the tablets. It can be concluded that our innovative DoP 3D printing technology can be used to fabricate personalized dosage forms containing optimized drug content with high accuracy and shape fidelity. This is particularly suitable for those drugs that are highly unstable in thermal processing and cannot withstand the heat treatment, such as in fused deposition modeling (FDM) 3D printing.

Highlights

Three-dimensional (3D) printing is an additive manufacturing technique, which is different from traditional machining techniques and has attracted a growing interest in rapid prototyping [1]
3D printing is employed in medical devices, implants, tissue regeneration, pharmaceutical dosage form, and personalized medicine
Powder-based (PB) 3D printing technology, known as drop-on-powder (DoP) or binder jetting, was developed by the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) in the 1980s and was commercialized by Z-Corporation for producing different 3D printers [3]. It is regarded as the first technological adaption of 3D printing for pharmaceutical demands [2]

Summary

Introduction

Three-dimensional (3D) printing is an additive manufacturing technique, which is different from traditional machining techniques and has attracted a growing interest in rapid prototyping [1]. Powder-based (PB) 3D printing technology, known as drop-on-powder (DoP) or binder jetting, was developed by the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) in the 1980s and was commercialized by Z-Corporation for producing different 3D printers [3]. It is regarded as the first technological adaption of 3D printing for pharmaceutical demands [2]. Particles of the powder carrier can be adhered together by organic or inorganic binders to form an agglomerated object because of adhesive forces or a hydraulic cement setting reaction [4]. Due to the printing nature, formulations, and process optimization, a 3D printed levetiracetam tablet has a highly porous internal environment and micron-scale pore size that can dramatically increase surface area, the ultra-rapid drug dissolution and release after oral administration [6]

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