3D Printing in Pharmaceutical Science

3D printing, also known as additive manufacturing, is an advanced technology that is rapidly transforming pharmaceutical science by enabling the creation of customized drug dosage forms, complex drug-delivery systems, and patient-specific therapies. Unlike traditional manufacturing methods such as tablet compression, encapsulation, and granulation, 3D printing builds dosage forms layer by layer using a digital design. This method allows precise control over the size, shape, internal structure, porosity, and drug-release characteristics of the final product. It offers a level of personalization and flexibility that conventional pharmaceutical processes cannot provide. The introduction of Spritam®, the first FDA-approved 3D-printed drug, demonstrated the practical applicability of the technology and opened new possibilities for individualized treatment, particularly in fields like neurology, oncology, pediatrics, and geriatrics.[1]

The origins of 3D printing can be traced back to the work of Hideo Kodama from the Nagoya Municipal Industrial Research Institute, who first demonstrated the creation of a three-dimensional plastic model using a photo-hardening polymer technique. A major advancement occurred in 1984, when Charles Hull, the co-founder of 3D Systems, invented stereolithography (SLA) a groundbreaking process that laid the foundation for modern additive manufacturing technologies.[2]

Fig no 1: design of heart in 3DP

The basic principle of 3D printing involves converting a computer-aided design (CAD) model into a physical object by depositing materials sequentially in thin layers. Various printing techniques are used in pharmaceuticals depending on the drug properties, stability, and desired release profile. Binder jetting is one such technique where a liquid binder is dropped onto powder layers to form solid structures. This method produces highly porous tablets that dissolve quickly, making it suitable for high-dose fast-dissolving medications. Fused deposition modelling (FDM) is another widely used technique where thermoplastic polymers containing the drug are heated and extruded through a nozzle to form layers. This enables the manufacture of sustained-release, controlled-release, and delayed-release formulations. Stereolithography uses laser or UV light to cure liquid photopolymers and create extremely precise structures, which is useful for implants and microneedles.[3]

Selective laser sintering (SLS) solidifies powder materials using laser energy and does not require support structures, making it ideal for flexible dosage forms. Semi-solid extrusion, which extrudes gels or pastes at mild temperatures, is suitable for heat-sensitive drugs and biologics. One of the most significant advantages of 3D printing is its ability to create personalized medicines. Patients differ widely in age, weight, metabolism, organ function, and genetic profile, and these variations often require individualized dosing that conventional mass manufacturing cannot easily match. With 3D printing, dosage strength can be adjusted precisely for each patient without reformulating the entire product, which is especially beneficial in pediatric and geriatric populations. The ability to design various geometries such as honeycomb, mesh, multilayer, or hollow structures—also makes it possible to modulate drug release by altering the tablet’s architecture rather than its composition. This structural control opens exciting opportunities for precision drug-delivery systems, including pulsatile release, dual-release, or multi-phase drug delivery. Furthermore, 3D printing can incorporate multiple drugs with different release profiles into a single tablet, forming “polypills” that reduce pill burden and improve medication adherence, particularly in chronic diseases like cardiovascular disorders and diabetes.[4]

Another major application of 3D printing is in the development of implantable drug-delivery devices. Customized implants can be produced to fit a patient’s anatomy exactly and release drugs at a controlled rate for weeks or months. This is particularly useful in chemotherapy, orthopedic treatments, and hormone therapy. Additionally, 3D-printed microneedle arrays are being explored for painless transdermal drug delivery and vaccine administration. In tissue engineering, 3D printing allows the creation of porous scaffolds that mimic natural tissues and support cell growth. These scaffolds can be loaded with growth factors, antibiotics, or regenerative agents to promote healing in bone, skin, or cartilage injuries. The potential to eventually print functional organs makes 3D printing one of the most revolutionary technologies in biomedical science. Despite its advantages, 3D printing in pharmaceuticals also faces several challenges. One of the major limitations is the restricted availability of pharmaceutical-grade printable materials. Polymers such as polyvinyl alcohol (PVA), polyethylene glycol (PEG), polylactic acid (PLA), and hydroxypropyl methylcellulose (HPMC) are commonly used, but each has limitations regarding mechanical strength, drug compatibility, and thermal stability. Heat-sensitive drugs cannot withstand the high temperatures used in FDM printing, while photopolymer-based techniques may raise concerns about the toxicity of unreacted monomers. Another challenge is the slow production speed of 3D printing, which makes it less suitable for large-scale industrial manufacturing. Regulatory guidelines are also still evolving, and ensuring batch-to-batch uniformity, stability, and quality control for individually printed dosage forms remains complex. Additionally, the cost of advanced printers, software, and trained personnel represents a barrier for many pharmaceutical settings. Nevertheless, the future potential of 3D printing in pharmaceutical science is extremely promising. Research is ongoing to develop new printable excipients, enhance drug-loading capacity, and improve printability of biological molecules such as peptides, vaccines, and monoclonal antibodies. As digital healthcare advances, the idea of hospital-based or pharmacy-based on- demand printing of medicines may soon become a reality. This would enable doctors to prescribe customized doses that pharmacists print instantly according to the patient’s exact requirement.[5]

In developing countries, 3D printing may help reduce wastage and enable production of small batches of rare or orphan drugs. The integration of artificial intelligence and machine learning with 3D printing is expected to optimize drug-release designs and predict ideal tablet structures. With continued research and regulatory development, 3D printing may transform pharmaceutical manufacturing from a high-volume industrial process into a precise, patient- centric, digitally controlled system.[6]

, 3D printing represents a revolutionary shift in pharmaceutical science, offering unmatched flexibility in designing and producing drug-delivery systems. Its ability to create personalized dosage forms, complex release profiles, multidrug polypills, implants, and tissue scaffolds makes it a powerful tool for advancing patient-specific therapy. Although challenges remain in terms of material availability, regulatory acceptance, and large-scale manufacturing, the ongoing research and increasing clinical interest indicate a bright future for this technology. As healthcare moves toward precision and individualized treatment, 3D printing is expected to play a central and transformative role in shaping the next generation of pharmaceutical products.[7]

Table No 1 : Objectives of the Study on 3D Printing in Pharmaceuticals

Table no 2: Rationale for the Study on 3D Printing in Pharmaceuticals

Recent literature highlights significant advancements in 3D printing technologies for pharmaceutical applications. Wang et al. (2023) provide a comprehensive review of major 3D printing techniques—such as Fused Deposition Modeling (FDM), Semi-Solid Extrusion (SSE), Melt Extrusion Deposition (MED), Binder Jet 3D Printing (BJ-3DP), and Stereolithography (SLA) and compare their technical characteristics, pre-processing requirements, printing mechanisms, post-processing steps, and respective advantages and limitations. Their work also emphasizes the expanding applications of 3DP in fabricating tablets, implants, customized dosage forms, and complex drug-release systems, while addressing regulatory and manufacturing challenges that limit broader clinical adoption. Complementing this, vaibhav Shikare et al. (2025) delivered a systematic review outlining technological progress and emerging trends in pharmaceutical 3D printing. Their study highlights innovations in material design, precision dosing, and patient-specific formulations, reinforcing the role of 3DP as a transformative tool in next-generation drug delivery. Together, these reviews demonstrate how rapidly 3D printing is evolving and underscore its potential to revolutionize personalized medicine and pharmaceutical manufacturing.

Advantages of 3D-Printed Pharmaceuticals:[7]

• Ability to customize dosage forms: different shapes, dosing, release profiles, drug combinations, and even tailoring for special populations (e.g., children, elderly).
• Rapid prototyping / small-batch production suitable for personalized medicine, on-demand manufacturing, and small series (e.g. for rare diseases).
• Flexibility of design and drug release profiles with complex geometries or internal structures to modulate dissolution or release kinetics.
• Useful for multi-drug combinations, controlled-release tablets, or customized release kinetics, which may be hard or impossible with conventional manufacturing.

Table no. 3: Materials Used in Pharmaceutical 3D Printing and Their Applications

Comparative study of drug release profiles from 3D printed and conventional tablets.[8]

1. Release Rate and Kinetics

• 3D-printed tablets can be engineered for immediate, sustained, or delayed release by modifying geometry, infill density, and polymer composition.
• Conventional tablets typically rely on coating or matrix systems for controlled release, which may be less flexible.
• Example: A study using FDM 3D printing with hot-melt extruded filaments showed that drug release could be tailored for pH-dependent delivery, outperforming conventional tablets in targeting colonic release?¹?.

2. Customization and Dose Flexibility

• 3D printing allows precise dose titration and multi-drug layering in a single tablet (e.g., polypills), enabling complex release profiles.
• Conventional tablets are limited to fixed doses and often require multiple pills for combination therapy.

3. Geometry and Surface Area

• 3D-printed tablets can have complex geometries (e.g., porous, compartmentalized, or multilayered structures) that influence dissolution rates.
• Conventional tablets are generally limited to simple shapes, offering less control over surface area-to-volume ratios.

4. Material and Process Influence

• 3D printing (especially FDM and inkjet techniques) can use thermoplastic polymers or photopolymers that affect drug stability and release.
• Conventional methods use well-established excipients and compression techniques, offering predictable but less adaptable release profiles.

Evaluate Advantages, challenges, and regulatory issue [10]

Fig. no. 2 Benefits of 3d printing

The Advantages of 3D Printing:

• Ability to customize product
• Rapid production of protypes
• Low cost of production
• No storages cost
• Increased employment opportunities
• Quick availability of organs

Fig. no. 3 Challenges :