“The use of drug carriers with drug releasing properties tailored to individual needs, and with a make-up of personalized doses of various active ingredients helps patient-centered therapy. The pharmaceutical forms produced by 3D printing are suitable for combining personalized drug administration and digital pharmaceutical technology. ”, explained Dr. Bálint Basa.
His aim was to design drug carrier systems created by 3D printing and made up of biodegradable materials, as well as to make an optimized “design area”. The latter is an area that is capable of making reproducible drug carriers in the case of applied active ingredients and excipients only by changing the parameters. The research aims to create personalized dosage forms and to make medication more patient-centered by the systematic design and printing of structures.
Dr. Bálint Basa applied to do research within the Students’ Scientific Association at the Department of Pharmaceutics two years ago. He was advised to study the field of 3D printing by Dr. István Antal, professor and director. He was familiar with 3D printing, since his family was involved in the construction industry, thus he had already used similar design programmes.
“The basis of 3D printing is precise planning and accurate design that the machine follows. Our aim was to work with the simplest methods and tools possible.”, said Dr. Bálint Basa.
The printer occupies half of a square metre, it fits almost everywhere, is easy to move around and Dr. Basa makes the design to be printed on a laptop.
Dr. Géza Jakab, PhD student and co-supervisor of the project together with Dr. Viktor Fülöp, assistant professor and Dr. Emese Balog, senior lecturer helped with the evaluation of the research results and gave advice on the important processes of the research. The results were presented at the conference of the Students’ Scientific Association in 2018, followed by a national conference, where it won first prize. After graduating, Dr. Basa continues to work as a PhD student studying personalised drug dosage forms.
Dr. Bálint Basa turned towards personalized medication during his practice in the fifth year. Apart from the possibility to create individual doses, 3D printing allows the production of unique colours, shapes and textures, thus drugs of easy administration, different shapes, flavours and colours could be made, which could improve the cooperation of children in taking their medication. In order to achieve such results, filaments capable of changing the flavours and colours of the drug and containing the active ingredients have to be made.
“In the next phase, the focus of the research shifts to the programming of a firmware that can be coupled with the printer’s hardware and enables online presence and intervention. Integration of the “In Process Control” option with the device and its proper timing and harmonization are also part of the research. The system will become complete and secure by extending the “design area” to active ingredients and excipients currently available in the market. Publication and patenting are currently underway.”, said Dr. Bálint Basa.
He also added that considering the aspects of quality assurance, creating validation and analytical procedures and clarifying regulatory issues are essential in case of the new methodology.
Eszter Keresztes
Photo: Attila Kovács – Semmelweis University
Translation: Ágnes Raubinek
