Additive Manufacturing of Oral Tablets: Technologies, Materials and Printed Tablets

Additive manufacturing (AM), also known as three-dimensional (3D) printing, enables fabrication of custom-designed and personalized 3D constructs with high complexity in shape and composition. AM has a strong potential to fabricate oral tablets with enhanced customization and complexity as compared to tablets manufactured using conventional approaches. Despite these advantages, AM has not yet become the mainstream manufacturing approach for fabrication of oral solid dosage forms mainly due to limitations of AM technologies and lack of diverse printable drug formulations. In this review, AM of oral tablets are summarized with respect to AM technology. A detailed review of AM methods and materials used for the AM of oral tablets is presented. This article also reviews the challenges in AM of pharmaceutical formulations and potential strategies to overcome these challenges.

Download the full article here: Additive Manufacturing of Oral Tablets- Technologies, Materials and Printed Tablets

or continue reading here: Abaci, A.; Gedeon, C.; Kuna, A.; Guvendiren, M. Additive Manufacturing of Oral Tablets: Technologies, Materials and Printed Tablets. Pharmaceutics 2021, 13, 156. https://doi.org/10.3390/pharmaceutics13020156

Materials for 3D Printing Oral Tablets

The publication covers a great overview of the different excipients used in additive manufacturing.

3.1. Polymers
3.1.1. Cellulose-Based Polymers
cellulose acetate, ethyl cellulose (EC), hydroxypropyl cellulose (HPC)  and hydroxypropyl methyl cellulose (HPMC)
3.1.2. Poly (Vinyl Alcohol)
3.1.3. Eudragit
3.1.4. Polyvinylpyrrolidone
3.1.5. Polycaprolactone
3.1.6. Carbopol
3.1.7. Polyethylene Glycol
3.1.8. Polymer Blends/Mixtures
3.2. Additives
3.2.1. Plasticizers
3.2.2. Lubricants
3.2.3. Disintegrants
3.2.4. Binding Agents
3.2.5. Fillers

Learn more on commercial additive manufacturing with Aprecia during Excipience!