3D Printing in Pharmaceutical Drug Delivery
A special issue of International Journal of Molecular Sciences (ISSN 1422-0067). This special issue belongs to the section "Molecular Pharmacology".
Deadline for manuscript submissions: 31 October 2025 | Viewed by 20
Special Issue Editors
Interests: solid oral dosage forms; hot-melt extrusion; spray drying; 3D printing; improving the solubility and bioavailability of poorly soluble drugs; lipid-based drug delivery systems; twin screw granulation; amorphous solid dispersions; screening novel excipients for pharmaceutical applications; tablet film coating systems; colon-targeted drug delivery; modified-release dosage form
Interests: hot melt extrusion; spray drying; continuous manufacturing; additive manufacturing; solid oral dosage forms; lipid based drug delivery systems; twin screw granulation; amorphous solid dispersions; implants; colon targeted drug delivery; gastro retentive formulations
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Special Issue Information
Dear Colleagues,
Recently, three-dimensional printing (3DP) has revolutionized the pharmaceutical industry by enabling innovative drug development and personalized medication. It provides precise control over dosage forms, benefiting patients with varying metabolic rates and pediatric and geriatric populations. Additionally, this technology enables the production of uniquely shaped dosage forms with customized release profiles—immediate, sustained, or pulsatile—optimizing therapeutic outcomes. Furthermore, 3DP can create dosage forms with complex geometry to enhance drug solubility, improve bioavailability, and target specific body regions. Various techniques such as fused deposition modeling (FDM), stereolithography (SLA), and inkjet printing offer distinct advantages in resolution, material compatibility, and scalability, facilitating the development of multilayered tablets, orodispersible films, and implantable drug delivery systems with precise drug release kinetics. Moreover, 3DP technology can decentralize drug production, enabling on-site fabrication in pharmacies and hospitals and reducing reliance on large-scale production. However, challenges such as regulatory obstacles, material limitations, and the need for scalable, cost-efficient printing processes remain. Ongoing research is needed to address these issues, paving the way for broader adoption of 3D printing in pharmaceuticals. As this technology evolves, it can revolutionize drug delivery, leading to more effective, safer, and patient-centered therapies.
This Special Issue features contributions highlighting recent advancements, technical innovations, and the practicality of 3D printing in pharmaceutical formulation and drug delivery. We invite original research or review articles examining process optimization, material selection, characterization techniques, and clinical implications, offering a thorough overview of 3DP's influence on contemporary pharmaceutical research.
Dr. Sagar Narala
Dr. Dinesh Nyavanandi
Guest Editors
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Keywords
- personalized medication
- 3-dimensional printing
- solubility and bioavailability enhancement
- polymers for 3D printing
- bio-inks
- 3D-printed implants
- additive manufacturing
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