Volumetric 3D printing for rapid production of medicines

3D printing (3DP), or additive manufacturing, has been actively investigated as one of the enabling technologies for impending era personalized medicines. However, existing 3DP do not afford speeds required on-demand production medicines in fast-paced clinical settings. Volumetric is a novel technology that offers rapid speed and overcomes geometric surface quality limitations layer-based vat photopolymerization techniques. Unlike previous technologies, volumetric cures entire desired geometry simultaneously by exploiting threshold behavior process arise due to oxygen-induced polymerization inhibition. In this work, first time, printer was used fabricate drug-loaded printed tablets (Printlets™) within seconds. Six resin formulations were evaluated using printer, each composed poly(ethylene glycol) diacrylate (PEGDA) crosslinking monomer, lithium phenyl-2,4,6-trimethylbenzoylphosphinate (LAP) photoinitiator, paracetamol model drug. Water PEG300 included diluents varying concentrations facilitate drug release. Paracetamol-loaded Printlets successfully fabricated 17 s. Drug release rates could be tuned altering monomer-to-diluent ratio photosensitive resin, with lower releasing faster. The present work confirms suitability products matter Upon further optimization, can enable rapid, fabrication medical devices.