3D Printing of Mini Tablets for Pediatric Use

TLDR

In pediatric disease treatment, suitable dosages and dosage forms are often unavailable, but additive manufacturing offers a way to produce pediatric dosage forms. The study investigated producing mini tablets via fused deposition modeling 3D printing. Caffeine and propranolol hydrochloride were processed into filaments with hyprolose and hypromellose, then printed into 1.5–4.0 mm tablets and characterized optically and thermally. By varying tablet number and diameter, different release behaviors were achieved, demonstrating FDM 3D printing’s potential for on‑demand, individualized pediatric dosage production.

Abstract

In the treatment of pediatric diseases, suitable dosages and dosage forms are often not available for an adequate therapy. The use of innovative additive manufacturing techniques offers the possibility of producing pediatric dosage forms. In this study, the production of mini tablets using fused deposition modeling (FDM)-based 3D printing was investigated. Two pediatric drugs, caffeine and propranolol hydrochloride, were successfully processed into filaments using hyprolose and hypromellose as polymers. Subsequently, mini tablets with diameters between 1.5 and 4.0 mm were printed and characterized using optical and thermal analysis methods. By varying the number of mini tablets applied and by varying the diameter, we were able to achieve different release behaviors. This work highlights the potential value of FDM 3D printing for the on-demand production of patient individualized, small-scale batches of pediatric dosage forms.