3D printed pharmaceutical products

Following the FDA approval of the first 3D printed oral-dispersible tablet, Spritam in August 2015, the pace of change and the numbers of publications in the 3D printing field has accelerated rapidly. Spritam, manufactured by Aprecia Pharmaceuticals, is a highly porous, fast disintegrating tablet produced using 3DP technology for the treatment of epilepsy. The tablets are composed of the API—levetiracetam (60%–90% w/w) with cellulose, mannitol, and colloidal silicon dioxide forming the powder matrix of these tablets that are then bound together with a solution of water, PVP, glycerol, and surfactant. Following its release and the associated media attention, 3D printing has grown in the fields of drug delivery, drug development, mass personalization, and hard-to-reach areas over the last 10 years.