A Review of the Recent Advances and Application of 3D Printing in Pharmacy and Drug Delivery

Throughout human history, the most valuable inventions have been those that, even decades after their initial introduction, affected the lives of people around the world. 3D printers similar to steam engines, light bulbs, and the World Wide Web are thought to be among the inventions that will revolutionize the future of different industries. This technology is generally introduced as the manufacturing of a three-dimensional structure using a matrix material such as plastic, polymer, or metal and has exclusive advantages in pharmaceutical industry. These advantages include the development of drug delivery systems with controlled release, designing systems that can change over time or the so-called four-dimensional (4D) printed systems, and personalization of the drug formulation to suit the needs of each patient. Despite numerous advantages, 3D printers still have a long way to find their actual position in pharmacy, as there are only a few 3D-printed delivery systems approved by the food and drug administration (FDA). This would not be possible without a thorough understanding of the history of the development of these systems. This study reviewed recent advances in pharmaceutics achieved by 3D printing technology and the mechanism of the most popular 3D printing methods in pharmacy, including, Stereolithography (SLA), Fused Deposition Modeling (FDM), and Selective Laser Sintering (SLS). Also, the recently developed 3D-printed drug delivery systems for ocular, transdermal, oral, and other routes of administration were reviewed in the present study to achieve a good perspective on the current position of this technology in pharmacy.