**4.2 Unique dosage forms**

Infinite dosage forms can be created using 3D printing. Inkjet-based 3D printing and inkjet powder-based 3D printing are the two main printing technologies

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*3D Printing in Pharmaceutical Sector: An Overview DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.5772/intechopen.90738*

formulated using 3D printing [53] (**Table 3**).

Vancomycin Glycerin Ofloxacin Methanol Folic acid Acetone

Theophylline Kollidon SR

Paclitaxel Propylene glycol Tetracycline etc. Cellulose etc.

**4.3 Personalized drug dosing**

*List of active and inactive ingredients used in 3D printing.*

profile, and detailed geometries [26].

**4.4 Complex drug release profile**

forms like tablets.

**Table 3.**

employed in the pharmaceutical industry. Microcapusles, antiobiotic printed micropatterns, mesoporous bioactive glass scaffolds, nanosuspensions, and hyaluronan-based synthetic extracellular matrices are some of the novel dosage forms

**Active pharmaceutical ingredients Inactive pharmaceutical ingredients**

Dexamethasone Surfactants (likeTween 20)

Acetaminophen Ethanol-dimethyl sulfoxide

Increasing the efficacy of drugs and at the same time reducing the chances of adverse reaction should be the aim of drug development, which can be achieved by

Oral tablets are prepared by mixing, milling, and dry and wet granulation of powder ingredients, which are eventually compressed to form tablets; till today, tablets are the most popular dosage form because of the ease of preparation, good patient compliance and accurate dosing and because they are painless. However, no method is available that can prepare personalized solid dosage

In the traditional way of preparing tablets, drugs can easily undergo degradation if proper guidelines are not followed, leading to altered therapeutic value of the final product. Moreover, these conventional methods cannot be used to prepare customized dosage forms that possess long-lasting stability, novel drug release

Drugs with narrow therapeutic index can easily be prepared using 3D printing; and, by knowing the patient's pharmacogenetic profile and other characteristics like

Preparation of entirely new formulation is another vital potential of 3D printing for instance fabrications of pills that have a blend of more than one active pharmaceutical ingredient or dispensed as multi-reservoir printed tablets. Hence patients suffering from more than one disease can get their formulation ready in one multi-dose form at the healthcare point itself, thereby providing personalized

In most conventional compressed dosage forms, a simple drug release profile which is a homogenous mixture of active ingredients is observed. Whereas in 3D printed dosage forms, a complex drug release profile that allows fabrication of complex geometries that are porous and loaded with multiple drugs throughout,

using 3D printing to fabricate personalized medications [7, 26, 53].

age, race etc., optimal dosage can be given to the patient [53].

and accurate dose to the patient with better or best compliance [26].

employed in the pharmaceutical industry. Microcapusles, antiobiotic printed micropatterns, mesoporous bioactive glass scaffolds, nanosuspensions, and hyaluronan-based synthetic extracellular matrices are some of the novel dosage forms formulated using 3D printing [53] (**Table 3**).


#### **Table 3.**

*Pharmaceutical Formulation Design - Recent Practices*

match are difficult to find [7, 53].

*Different medical applications of 3D printing technology.*

**Figure 1.**

will also be greatly reduced [7, 54].

differentiation into a functioning tissue.

to be the most suitable for building soft tissues [2, 55].

biocompatible hydrogels to produce an artificial liver [54].

thereby greatly cutting research cost and time [7].

**4.2 Unique dosage forms**

fortunate people receive organs and the rest die due to donor shortage. Moreover, the procedures for organ transplants are so expensive that it is out of reach of common people. Another problem with transplant surgery is that donors with tissue

The solution to this problem lies in the fact that the required tissue or organ should be fabricated using the patient's own body cells, which would decrease the risk of tissue or organ rejection; moreover, the requirement for immunosuppressant

In the conventional method of tissue engineering from a small tissue sample, stem cells are isolated, amalgamated with growth factor, and then multiplied in the laboratory. Then the cells are seeded onto scaffolds that direct cell proliferation and

Placement of cell with accuracy, digitally controlled speed, drop volume, resolution, concentration of cells and diameter of printed cell are some of the additional advantages that 3D bioprinting offers over traditional tissue engineering [2, 54]. Depending upon the porosity, the type of tissue, and required strength, various materials are present to make the scaffolds. Among all materials, hydrogels are said

No doubt that organ printing is still in the phase of development but several researches have demonstrated its concept with proof. Scientists have built an artificial ear, cartilage and bone, and heart valve by the help of 3D printers [2, 47, 55]. Wang et al. used 3D bioprinting technology to deposit different cells within various

As with the increasing interest of researcher and academician and with vast potential of this technology it can possibly unfold new potential therapeutic drugs

Infinite dosage forms can be created using 3D printing. Inkjet-based 3D printing and inkjet powder-based 3D printing are the two main printing technologies

**144**

*List of active and inactive ingredients used in 3D printing.*

#### **4.3 Personalized drug dosing**

Increasing the efficacy of drugs and at the same time reducing the chances of adverse reaction should be the aim of drug development, which can be achieved by using 3D printing to fabricate personalized medications [7, 26, 53].

Oral tablets are prepared by mixing, milling, and dry and wet granulation of powder ingredients, which are eventually compressed to form tablets; till today, tablets are the most popular dosage form because of the ease of preparation, good patient compliance and accurate dosing and because they are painless. However, no method is available that can prepare personalized solid dosage forms like tablets.

In the traditional way of preparing tablets, drugs can easily undergo degradation if proper guidelines are not followed, leading to altered therapeutic value of the final product. Moreover, these conventional methods cannot be used to prepare customized dosage forms that possess long-lasting stability, novel drug release profile, and detailed geometries [26].

Drugs with narrow therapeutic index can easily be prepared using 3D printing; and, by knowing the patient's pharmacogenetic profile and other characteristics like age, race etc., optimal dosage can be given to the patient [53].

Preparation of entirely new formulation is another vital potential of 3D printing for instance fabrications of pills that have a blend of more than one active pharmaceutical ingredient or dispensed as multi-reservoir printed tablets. Hence patients suffering from more than one disease can get their formulation ready in one multi-dose form at the healthcare point itself, thereby providing personalized and accurate dose to the patient with better or best compliance [26].

#### **4.4 Complex drug release profile**

In most conventional compressed dosage forms, a simple drug release profile which is a homogenous mixture of active ingredients is observed. Whereas in 3D printed dosage forms, a complex drug release profile that allows fabrication of complex geometries that are porous and loaded with multiple drugs throughout, surrounded by barrier layers that modulate release, is found [55]. One example is the printing of a multilayered bone implant with a distinct drug release profile alternating between rifampicin and isoniazid in a pulse release mechanism. 3D printing has also been used to print antibiotic micropatterns on paper, which have been used as drug implants to eradicate *Staphylococcus epidermidis* [53].

In a research concerning drug release profiles, chlorpheniramine maleate was 3D printed onto a cellulose powder substrate in amounts as small as 10–12 moles to demonstrate that even a minute quantity of drug could be released at a specified time. This study displayed improved accuracy for the release of very small drug doses compared with conventionally manufactured medications [53].
