3D printing of individually adapted drugs for seriously ill children
To develop 3D printed drugs individually adapted for seriously ill children with a focus on the formulation of poorly soluble substances and the manufacture of oral dosage forms that are suitable for administration via probe.
Research Scientist: Lidia Habtemikael, MSc
Principal Investigator: Professor Christel Bergström, Department of Pharmacy, Uppsala University
Scientific and industrial context: Since many medications are developed for the adult population, physical alterations of oral solid dosage forms is common in order for the medication to be administered to children, such as crushing tablets to adapt the dose. These alterations might affect the efficacy, safety and quality of the treatment. With 3D printing, it is possible to manufacture child-friendly and personalized dosage forms without compromising drug treatment, for example by printing tablets with the right dose and appropriate size for a particular patient.
Uppsala University's research team in Molecular Pharmaceutics uses 3D printing in combination with formulation strategies to develop individually designed dosage forms, with the potential to make a big difference for both patients and caregivers.
Aim: To develop personalized 3D-printed dosage forms for children with a focus on formulation of poorly water-soluble substances, and oral dosage forms suitable for feeding tube administration.
Outcome: To enable the development of personalized child- and age-appropriate dosage forms, and contribute to the development of 3D printing production lines to manufacture personalized dosage forms in the hospital settings