Clinical implementation of a paediatric 3D-printed combination of Sulfamethoxazole and Trimethoprim

Abstract

Adherence to treatment is one of the major challenges in chronic diseases. Inappropriate dosage forms or bad taste are the main factor for non-adherence, especially in paediatric patients. 3D printed medicines could be tailored to specific patients to make medicines more acceptable, however the clinical implementation in hospitals is still limited. This study addresses the challenge of developing pharma-inks (mixtures of drugs and excipients) for semi-solid extrusion (SSE) to produce chewable tablets of Sulfamethoxazole (SMX) and Trimethoprim (TMP) for paediatric oncology patients in a hospital setting. SMX and TMP pharma-inks were stable and printable on demand for more than 3 months. The chewable tablets were also stable, and the drug dissolution profiles were comparable to those of the commercial formulations, indicating potential bioequivalence. Human sensory evaluations confirmed that the formulation improved palatability compared to traditional suspensions. 3D-printed SMX/TMP formulations are an alternative to traditional formulations for paediatric patients in hospital settings, enhancing acceptability and adherence while enabling personalized dosing.