Investigation of poly(2-ethyl-2-oxazoline) as a novel extended release polymer for hot-melt extrusion paired with fused deposition modeling 3D printing

Abstract

This study investigates the application of poly (2-ethyl-2-oxazoline) (PEtOx) as the main matrix for the development of solid oral tablets with extended release profile using hot-melt extrusion (HME) coupled with fused deposition modeling (FDM) three-dimensional (3D) printing techniques. Acetaminophen (APAP) was used as the model drug. Different grades of PEtOx and the polymers poly (ethylene oxide) (PEO) and Eudragit® RL PO (ERL) were used to formulate the tablets. Printability was evaluated by three-point bend tests, and scanning electron microscopy was used to assess the surface morphology of the tablets. The crystalline state of the drug was evaluated using differential scanning calorimetry. In vitro dissolution studies showed that the 3D-printed tablets exhibited the desired extended release profiles. The PEtOx and ERL combined formulation exhibited slower drug release than the PEtOx and PEO combined formulation. The infill densities of the tablets and the molecular weights of the PEtOx polymer both impacted the drug release rate. Overall, PEtOx-based solid oral tablets were successfully produced via HME coupled FDM 3D printing technique. This study supports the potential of developing PEtOx-based tablets for extended release drug delivery to improve individualized drug administration.