Tag Archive for: medical

Snowwhite2 paper: Selective laser sintering of distinct drug and polymer layers

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In this installment of our series showcasing the impact of the Snowwhite SLS 3D printer on scientific advancement, we’re focusing on the paper “Selective laser sintering of distinct drug and polymer layers as a novel manufacturing strategy for individually dosed tablets“. We’ll kick things off by breaking down the study’s purpose and its key outcomes in plain language, ensuring everyone can grasp the significance of the research. Then, for those interested in the technical details, we’ll present the original abstract and any associated references.

Understanding the study and its main result

This study looked into a new way to make personalized medicine using our Sharebot Snowwhite2 SLS printer. Instead of mixing drug powder and other ingredients together, they used separate containers for the drug (indomethacin, or IND) and another material (polyvinyl alcohol, or PVA). This allowed them to print alternating layers of pure drug and pure excipient in one go.

They successfully made tablets with different doses of IND just by changing the number of drug layers. A big achievement was being able to print pure IND, which is usually hard to print by itself. They also found that the printing process changed the drug slightly, which might help it dissolve and work better in the body. Tests showed that the printed tablets dissolved faster than regular IND powder.

Main result

The main discovery is a simplified and effective method for creating personalized, multi-layered drug tablets using Selective Laser Sintering (SLS) without needing to pre-mix powders. This approach allows for direct printing of distinct drug and excipient layers, enabling precise dose control and potentially improving drug absorption. A key part of this discovery was successfully printing pure crystalline indomethacin, which was previously thought to be very difficult with SLS technology.

Selective laser sintering of distinct drug and polymer layers as a novel manufacturing strategy for individually dosed tablets

Jonas Autenrieth (a), Daniel Hedbom (b), Maria Strømme (b), Thomas Kipping (c), Jonas Lindh (b), Julian Quodbach (d)
a) Division of Molecular Pharmaceutics, Department of Pharmacy, Uppsala University, Uppsala Biomedical Center, P.O Box 580, SE-751 23 Uppsala, Sweden
b) Division of Nanotechnology and Functional Materials, Department of Materials Science and Engineering, Uppsala University, Ångström Laboratory, Regementsvägen 1, Uppsala 751 03, Sweden
c) Merck Life Science KGaA, Frankfurter Str. 250, Postcode: D033/001, DE-642 93 Darmstadt, Germany
d) Department of Pharmaceutics, Utrecht Institute for Pharmaceutical Sciences, Utrecht University, Universiteitsweg 99, 3584 CG Utrecht, the Netherlands

Ref.: https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2590156725000234

Abstract

Selective Laser Sintering (SLS) is an emerging additive manufacturing technology with potential for the production of personalized pharmaceuticals. In this study, we investigated a novel simplified formulation approach in SLS-based manufacturing of individually dosed, multi-layered tablets with distinct layers of pure active pharmaceutical ingredient (API) and excipient. Indomethacin (IND) was chosen as the model API, and polyvinyl alcohol (PVA) served as the excipient. Unlike conventional methods requiring powder blending, this approach utilizes separate powder tanks for IND and PVA, enabling direct printing of alternating layers in a single-step procedure.
We successfully fabricated tablets with controlled IND doses by varying the number of IND layers, maintaining consistent printing parameters across different compositions and confirming the API’s chemical stability in the product. Since SLS is conventionally used for thermoplastic substances, the successful sintering of pure IND layers was a key achievement in the study, as this crystalline API is typically not printable separately. Energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (EDS) demonstrated the successful formation of distinct API and excipient layers. Differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) characterization revealed that the sintering process partially amorphized IND, which may enhance dissolution and bioavailability. Dissolution testing indicated that the printed tablets exhibited improved dissolution rates compared to raw IND powder.
The study successfully demonstrated the possibility of SLS-based production for personalized dosing by omitting powder blending steps. The ability to create individualized dosages with minimal excipients and simplified processing represents a step toward further investigation of SLS for clinical settings, including hospital and pharmacy-based drug production.

Sharebot Snowwhite2 paper on dual material medical pills

Snowwhite2 paper: Selective laser sintering for printing bilayer tablets

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Our journey through scientific discoveries enabled by the Snowwhite SLS 3D printer continues with an examination of the paper titled “Selective laser sintering for printing bilayer tablets“. We’ll start by making the research accessible, explaining the central question the study addressed and the primary findings. Afterwards, we’ll include the original abstract and any cited sources for those wishing to explore the finer points of the work.

Understanding the study and its main result

This research used a our Snowwhite2 to make special two-layer tablets. These tablets contained two different medicines: rosuvastatin and acetylsalicylic acid.

First, the researchers made single-layer tablets of each medicine separately. They used different laser strengths to see how that affected the tablets’ properties like how well they dissolved, how easily they broke (friability), and how hard they were.

After figuring out the best settings, they created the two-layer tablets. They used a new technique that involved a 3D-printed case to hold the different medicine powders in the right places during printing.

The results showed that stronger lasers made the tablets denser, harder, less likely to break, and released the medicine more slowly. Also, the new method successfully created perfectly aligned two-layer tablets, and combining the two medicines didn’t significantly change how they dissolved.

Main result

The main discovery here is that it’s possible to use Selective Laser Sintering (SLS) 3D printing to create multi-material drug delivery systems. In simpler terms, they figured out a way to 3D print pills with different medications in separate layers, and they developed a new method to make sure those layers are perfectly aligned. This opens the door for making more complex and customized medicine combinations in a single tablet.

Selective laser sintering for printing bilayer tablets

Laura Andrade Junqueira (a), Atabak Ghanizadeh Tabriz (a), Vivek Garg (b), Siva Satyanarayana Kolipaka (c), Ho-Wah Hui d, Nathan Boersen (d), Sandra Roberts (d), John Jones (e), Dennis Douroumis (a) (c)
a) Delta Pharmaceutics Ltd., Chatham, Kent ME4 4TB, UK
b) Wolfson Centre for Bulk Solids Handling Technology, Faculty of Engineering & Science, University of Greenwich, Central Avenue, Chatham ME4 4TB, UK
c) Centre for Research Innovation (CRI), University of Greenwich, Chatham ME4 4TB, UK
d) Drug Product Development, Bristol Myers Squibb, 556 Morris Avenue, Summit, NJ 07901, USA
e) Bristol Myers Squibb, Reeds Lane, Moreton, Wirral, UK

Ref.: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ijpharm.2024.125116

Abstract

In this study Selective Laser Sintering (SLS) was used to produce bilayer tablets containing rosuvastatin and acetylsalicylic acid. Initially, monolithic tablets of each drug were manufactured using different laser intensities in order to identify their impact on the tablet’s dissolution, friability and hardness. After the optimization, the final bilayer tablet was fabricated using a new method, that allowed the printing using different powder blends. For that, a 3D-printed casing was employed to maintain the compartments of the tablet in the correct position during the printing process. The results demonstrated that the increased laser intensities led to denser inner cores, enhanced hardness, decreased friability, and slower drug release. Moreover, the new method was able to produce bilayer tablets completely aligned, showing a minor impact on dissolution when the two compartments were printed together in a single tablet. The work demonstrated the feasibility of using SLS in the production of multi-material drug delivery systems.