PSI - Issue 82

Krastena Nikolova et al. / Procedia Structural Integrity 82 (2026) 227–233 K. Nikolova et al./ Structural Integrity Procedia 00 (2026) 000–000

228

2

demonstrate considerable potential for the creation of diverse pharmaceutical products. Following the printing of the first dosage form in 2015 and its subsequent approval by the European Medicines Agency, interest in the development and production of this type of dosage forms has been increasing (Trenfield S.J. et al. 2019; Alam S. et al. 2019). The most commonly 3D-printed pharmaceutical products, the printing techniques, and the advantages of the method are presented in Table 1.

Table 1. Most commonly investigated pharmaceutical dosage forms produced by 3D printing. Type of 3D-printed dosage form Application Main advantages Tablets Controlled or modified drug release Personalized dose, possibility of multilayer structure Capsules

Combination of multiple active pharmaceutical ingredients (APIs) Local delivery of antibiotics, chemotherapeutics, antifungal agents

Flexible dosing, individualized therapy Reduced risk of infections, prolonged release

Implants and discs

Microchips and films

Targeted tissue delivery, controlled drug release

Programmable release, minimally invasive

In response to the increasing interest in the design of pharmaceutical preparations produced by 3D printing, Figure 1 illustrates a range of printed pharmaceutical products manufactured through different technologies. The figure highlights the principal methods applied, the most commonly obtained dosage forms, as well as the therapeutic outcomes associated with their administration (Jamróz W. et al. 2017; Arafat B. et al. 2018; Li Q. et al. 2018;).

Fig. 1. 3D printed pharmaceutical products manufactured through different technologies.

For the purpose of targeted drug delivery to specific organs or sites within the human body, biocompatible and biodegradable filaments, beads, or discs have been employed as carriers for chemotherapeutics or antibiotics (Vaezi M. et al. 2014). The growing body of evidence in the field of pharmaceutical 3D printing demonstrates its potential for the production of a wide range of dosage forms. Since the printing of the first oral dosage form in 2015 and its subsequent approval by the European Medicines Agency, interest in the development and industrial manufacture of such products has markedly increased (Trenfield S.J. et al. 2019; Alam S. et al. 2019). Based on the current state of knowledge, two major groups of 3D printing techniques for pharmaceutical products can be distinguished: Nozzle-based deposition systems, which include fused deposition modeling (FDM) and its alternatives, direct powder extrusion (DPE), semisolid extrusion (SSE), and pressure-assisted microsyringe (PAM); Laser-based writing techniques, which comprise stereolithography (SLA) and selective laser sintering (SLS). For each of these methods, the type of “ink” (printing material) and the critical processing parameters differ (Beer N. et al. 2021; Pinho L.A.G. et al. 2021; Quodbach J. et al. 2022; Silva I.A. et al. 2021). For instance, in the case of FDM, the applied “ink” is a filament containing the drug substance together with suitable excipients, which must possess an appropriate diameter (typically 1.75–2.85 mm), elasticity, and mechanical strength.