Abstract

In recent years, considerable attention has been directed towards three-dimensional printing (3D printing) as a promising technique for personalising medications, particularly in the development of personalised polypills. Among the various 3D printing technologies, fused deposition modelling (FDM) has gathered significant attention due to its cost-effectiveness and simplicity. Nonetheless, FDM was not without its limitations, notably the elevated printing temperatures and limited drug-loading capacities. Furthermore, personalised polypill production required the printing process to be conducted at the point of care, which encountered significant resistance from regulatory authorities for widespread application.
In this study, an analgesic polypill was formulated with a novel design that allowed for post-printing customisation according to individual patient needs. This polypill was composed of units containing either paracetamol, ibuprofen, or caffeine. The paracetamol component, aside from possessing taste-masking attributes, was designed to exhibit a high drug load of up to 55% and could be printed at a comparatively lower temperature of 100°C. The ibuprofen formulation was developed with gastroprotective properties, reducing its dissolution rate in an acidic gastric medium to less than 1% after 24 hours. Lastly, the caffeine formulation exhibited immediate release, with 84% of the drug being released within the first 30 minutes.