Stereolithography (SLA) 3D printing of an antihypertensive polyprintlet: Case study of an unexpected photopolymer-drug reaction

• DOI: 10.1016/j.addma.2020.101071
• Publication Date: 2020-01-13T22:14:37Z
• Authors: Xiaoyan Xu; Pamela Robles-Mar...; Christine M. Madla; Fanny Joubert; Alvaro Goyanes; Abdul W. Basit; Simon Gaisford
• Keywords: Fixed-dose combinations; Personalized medicines; Stereolithographic fabrication; 3D printed formulations; Polyprintlets; Polypills; 04 agricultural and veterinary sciences; 0405 other agricultural sciences; Printing pharmaceuticals; 3. Good health

The introduction of three-dimensional (3D) printing in the pharmaceutical arena has caused a major shift towards the advancement of modern medicines, including drug products with different configurations and complex geometries. Otherwise challenging to create via conventional pharmaceutical techniques, 3D printing technologies have been explored for the fabrication of multi-drug loaded dosage forms to reduce pill burden and improve patient adherence. In this study, stereolithography (SLA), a vat polymerisation technique, was used to manufacture a multi-layer 3D printed oral dosage form (polyprintlet) incorporating four antihypertensive drugs including irbesartan, atenolol, hydrochlorothiazide and amlodipine. Although successful in its fabrication, for the first time, we report an unexpected chemical reaction between a photopolymer and drug. Fourier Transform Infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy and Nuclear Magnetic Resonance (NMR) spectroscopy confirmed the occurrence of a Michael addition reaction between the diacrylate group of the photoreactive monomer and the primary amine group of amlodipine. The study herein demonstrates the importance of careful selection of photocurable resins for the manufacture of drug-loaded oral dosage forms via SLA 3D printing technology.