Investigations of personalized and sustainable approach of oral drug delivery systems through additive manufacturing

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to print a thermolabile drug-containing tablet using the fused deposition modeling (FDM) technique and analyze its mechanical, pharmaceutical and environmental feasibility using a variety of tests. Design/methodology/approach Ascorbic acid (Vitamin C) is the thermally-sensitive drug impregnated into polyvinyl alcohol excipient using ethanol-water mixture and printed by an FDM printer by varying three parameters without using any external stabilizing agent. Afterward, Taguchi analysis has been performed on these parameters to recognize the significant factors and interactions. Besides this, a regression model has been obtained based on the dissolution data. Various thermo-mechanical and pharmaceutical tests have been carried out to confirm the feasibility. Finally, a life cycle assessment (LCA) analysis has been carried out to compare it with the existing tableting method by considering the environmental impacts. Findings The dissolution profile was found to follow the Korsmeyer-Peppas model, where the drug release occurred both by dissolution and erosion. Further, the infill percent has been found as the most significant parameter. The characterization tests and imaging outputs proved the fidelity of this attempt. Finally, the three-dimensional printed method was found to be more environmentally sustainable than the existing conventional tableting process. Originality/value LCA on a printed tablet is a one-of-a-kind attempt. Thus, this research attempt delivered another approach to print personalized tablets at a temperature lower than prescribed temperatures with required release behavior and can contribute toward the quest of sustainable personalized medication.