Read the 2019 Pharmaceutical Research Meritorious Manuscript Award winning article.
The 2019 Pharmaceutical Research Meritorious Manuscript Award was presented to Daniel Markl, J. Axel Zeitler, Cecilie Rasch, Maria Høtoft Michaelsen, Anette Müllertz, Jukka Rantanen, Thomas Rades, and Johan Bøtker for their article Analysis of 3D Prints by X-ray Computed Microtomography and Terahertz Pulsed Imaging.
This open access research article was first published online on December 21, 2016. Since then, it has received more than 5,000 downloads and 26 citations (as of February 11, 2020).
Visualisation of XμCT data of sample S03 (cylindrical PVA shell filled with CBZ). (a) 3D visualisation of XμCT data. (b, c) x-y cross-section images from the positions as denoted in (a).
Abstract
Purpose
A 3D printer was used to realise compartmental dosage forms containing multiple active pharmaceutical ingredient (API) formulations. This work demonstrates the microstructural characterisation of 3D printed solid dosage forms using X-ray computed microtomography (XμCT) and terahertz pulsed imaging (TPI).
Methods
Printing was performed with either polyvinyl alcohol (PVA) or polylactic acid (PLA). The structures were examined by XμCT and TPI. Liquid self-nanoemulsifying drug delivery system (SNEDDS) formulations containing saquinavir and halofantrine were incorporated into the 3D printed compartmentalised structures and in vitro drug release determined.
Results
A clear difference in terms of pore structure between PVA and PLA prints was observed by extracting the porosity (5.5% for PVA and 0.2% for PLA prints), pore length and pore volume from the XμCT data. The print resolution and accuracy was characterised by XμCT and TPI on the basis of the computer-aided design (CAD) models of the dosage form (compartmentalised PVA structures were 7.5 ± 0.75% larger than designed; n = 3).
Conclusions
The 3D printer can reproduce specific structures very accurately, whereas the 3D prints can deviate from the designed model. The microstructural information extracted by XμCT and TPI will assist to gain a better understanding about the performance of 3D printed dosage forms.