Texture Analysis in Research: 3D printing Applications

At the University of Milan scientists have been researching 3D printed multi-compartment capsular devices for two-pulse oral drug delivery. 

The resistance to deformation of printed and moulded capsular devices was measured under compression using their TA.XTplus Texture Analyser.

This study helped to develop delivery methods for enhanced customisation of drug combinations. 

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Orodispersible films (ODFs) are promising dosage forms for children or elderly people. By printing active pharmaceutical ingredients onto orodispersible films, the flexibility of drug dosing is increased and provides potential for personalised medicines. Scientists from Heinrich Heine University Dusseldorf have been researching printing methods for pharmaceuticals by inkjet technology. This study deals with the technology transfer from a small-scale inkjet printing system to a pilotscale process. They used their Texture Analyser TA.XTplus to measure the elongation to break and puncture stress of the samples, both of which were affected by the number of layers and the amount of ink used. The results showed that multiple printing has a huge impact on the mechanical properties of the film, leading to the conclusion that the ink formulation and the number of printed layers should be carefully selected. The continuous ODF production with direct printing enabled various printing concepts, which may serve for individualised dosing in personalised medicine treatment in the near future. 

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Meanwhile scientists from Åbo Akademi University have been researching additive manufacturing of personalised orodispersible warfarin films. Warfarin is a narrow therapeutic index drug that requires personalised dosing which is currently not achieved by marketed products. Further, paediatric and geriatric patients may face swallowing problems with solid oral dosage forms. To face these issues, the aim of the present study was to investigate semisolid extrusion 3D printing for production of warfarin containing orodispersible films. They used their TA.XTplus Texture Analyser to determine the burst strength and flexibility of the films. Extrusion 3D printing was successfully utilised to produce transparent, smooth and thin, yet flexible and strong orodispersible films containing therapeutic doses of warfarin. Excellent linearity between the designed sizes of the films and the drug contents was achieved indicating semisolid extrusion 3D printing as a promising way to produce orodispersible warfarin films with personalised doses 

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In Switzerland, researchers from ETH Zurich have been investigating 3D printing of a wearable personalised oral delivery device. Despite the burgeoning interest in three-dimensional (3D) printing for the manufacture of customisable oral dosage formulations, a U.S. Food and Drug Administration–approved tablet notwithstanding, the full potential of 3D printing in pharmaceutical sciences has not been realised. In particular, 3D-printed drug-eluting devices offer the possibility for personalisation in terms of shape, size, and architecture, but their clinical applications have remained relatively unexplored. These researchers used 3D printing to manufacture a tailored oral drug delivery device with customisable design and tunable release rates in the form of a mouthguard and, subsequently, evaluated the performance of this system in the native setting in a first-in-human study. They used their TA.XTplus to determine the tensile strength of the filaments. The elastic modulus was calculated from the slope of the stress-versus-strain curve in the linear region. This proof-of-concept work demonstrates the immense potential of 3D printing as a platform for the development and translation of next-generation drug delivery devices for personalised therapy.

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For help putting your packaging to the test, contact Stable Micro Systems today.

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For more information on how to measure texture, please visit the Texture Analysis Properties section on our website.

The TA.XTplus texture analyser is part of a family of texture analysis instruments and equipment from Stable Micro Systems. An extensive portfolio of specialist attachments is available to measure and analyse the textural properties of a huge range of food products. Our technical experts can also custom design instrument fixtures according to individual specifications.

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