In the future, 3D-printed pills will be available in an array of shapes. These unusually shaped pills are not just an aesthetic innovation. They’re designed to release controlled amounts of drugs into the body. This revolutionary development was made possible by combining advanced computational techniques and the rapidly developing field of 3D-printing to create objects that dissolve into fluids at a controlled pace.
A joint team of Computer Scientists from the Max Planck Institute for Informatics in Saarbrücken, Germany, and the University of California at Davis have pioneered this technique, predicated solely on the form of the object for timed release. This development has important implications for pharmaceutical companies, who are currently prioritizing 3D-printing research.
The use of multi-component, intricate structures that have different concentrations of drug at different sites is one possible solution. However, this creates manufacturing challenges. The 3D-printing technology, with its unmatched ability to produce elaborate shapes, offers an alternative solution for creating free-form drug carriers that maintain a constant biochemical distribution. In this case the drug release is solely dependent on the geometric form, which simplifies the assurance and control over drug delivery.
Dr. Vahid Bahaei, of the Max Planck Institute for Informatics, and Prof. Julian Panetta, of the University of California at Davis, are leading this project. It culminates with 3D-printed pills that dissolve according to a predetermined timetable, allowing for controlled release of drugs. The team uses a combination of mathematical modelling, experimental arrangement and 3D printing to create 3D forms which release timed amounts of drug as they dissolve. This technology can be used to achieve predetermined drug concentrations by oral administration.
The shape of the specimen (the active surface that dissolves), must achieve the desired time-dependent release. A geometric shape can be used to predict a time-dependent dissolvent with some computation. It corresponds, for example, to the diminishing surface of a sphere. The research team suggests a forward simulation based on geometric intuitions that objects dissolve one layer at a time. However, the challenge lies in reverse engineering – defining a desired release pattern first and subsequently identifying a shape that dissolves to match that release profile.
Topology optimization is a method that uses simulations in reverse to find a shape with a particular property. TO was originally designed for mechanical components but has now been applied in a wide range of applications. The team has developed a topology optimization-based inverse design technique to determine shape from release behavior. Experiments confirm the dissolution, and the released curves are in line with the predicted values.
In the experiment, objects are created using a 3D printer that uses filament. A camera system is used to evaluate the dissolution, providing real measurements instead of theoretical calculations based on a mathematical formula. This is achieved by optically recording the solvent’s optical transmittance. Compared to the traditional methods of measurement, which directly quantifies the concentration of active ingredient (e.g. This approach is simpler and faster to implement compared to traditional methods that directly measure the concentration of active ingredients (e.g. The use of optical methods to measure active ingredient density has been established for some time, as in the case of determining grape juice sugar content (Öchsle) by refractometry during wine production.
The inverse method of design can accommodate various fabricability constraints that are inherent to different manufacturing systems. The inverse design method can be used to produce extruded forms, which does not interfere with mass production. Its application is not limited to pharmaceuticals.