3D PRINTING IN DRUG DELIVERY FORMULATION: YOU CAN DREAM IT, DESIGN IT AND PRINT IT. HOW ABOUT PATENT IT?

June 12, 2015 Editor 0

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3D PRINTING IN DRUG DELIVERY FORMULATION: YOU CAN DREAM IT, DESIGN IT AND PRINT IT. HOW ABOUT PATENT IT?

Recent Pat Drug Deliv Formul. 2015 Jun 7;

Authors: Pillay V, Choonara YE

Abstract

3D Printing (3DP) is a rapidly evolving interdisciplinary technology based on the manipulation of human thought into tangible products. The concept of 3DP enables inventive scientists to translate a realm of dreamful concepts to actual lab prototypes. When 3DP was first introduced a while back it was clear to many forward thinking pharmaceutical formulation scientists that it would soon become the next game-changing revolution poised to print the future of drug delivery technology. A clear advantage of 3DP is the ability to provide more personalized medicines to solve notable challenges in drug delivery formulation stability, safety, solubility, drug release patterns and bioavailability. Based on a quick search of currently registered 3DP patents in drug delivery formulation at the US Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO), one would find relatively sparse results compared with other research intensive industries. Results of a USPTO quick search accessed in March 2015 returned a total of 23 hits for the searched terms “3d printed” and “drug”. A more refined search for the terms “3d printing” and “drug delivery” produced 89 hits. A considerable number of these patents are centered mainly on application in vascular implants, aerosol delivery technology, cellular transplantation, endoprosthetics, biosensing, tissue engineering and biomedical device development. Very few are focused on traditional drug delivery formulation. This highlights an important fact that in future 3D printing may still be an area that requires more in-depth exploration by pharmaceutical formulation scientists globally. However, 3D printed drug delivery formulations may also become notorious for patent disputes as pharmaceutical industry generates more intellectual property in this niche area. The industry is continually under pressure to produce innovative formulations rapidly, efficiently, and cost-effectively, while vigilantly ensuring the safety and effectiveness of their products. Solving these challenges is a key goal for 3DP pharmaceutical scientists. Perhaps the biggest challenge that 3DP brings about in drug delivery formulation is ‘who owns the 3D printed work? Is it the computer-aided design (CAD) expert or the pharmaceutical scientist who undertook the laboratory research? In fact, both may have contributed creatively towards the core concept. It is strategically important for pharmaceutical scientists and industry to fully embrace 3DP technology and spearhead innovation and at the same to be ‘street smart’ in the manner in which these inventions will be protected for commercialization. It may face a situation where the largest patent suite in 3D printed drug delivery formulations is held by an IT company. Many research intensive institutions have recognized the power of 3DP in drug delivery formulation for simple solid oral dosage forms to complex bioactive-loaded devices as custom nanovectors for superior targeted treatment in cancer, neurodegeneration, spinal cord injury, ocular disease and a host of other exciting areas. Cynics may however be concerned about the versatility of 3DP in drug delivery formulation due to the limited range of raw materials. While there may be a current scarcity of 3D printable polymers for use, this is minor. The value of 3DP is supported by extensive global research, and pharmaceutical scientists as well as scientists in drug discovery, bioinformatics and the life sciences are constantly working to improve the availability, reliability, versatility and effectiveness of the technology in their respective fields. Globally, 3DP will certainly lead to better strategies for improved drug delivery formulations and eventually a voraciousness of patents.

PMID: 26051151 [PubMed – as supplied by publisher]

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Categories: Health

Tags: 3D printing, DELIVERY FORMULATION, drug