Israeli Scientists Develop a New Method for 3D Printing Tablets
Scientists from the Hebrew University of Jerusalem have developed an innovative technology for three-dimensional printing of medications. This technology significantly enhances the effectiveness of drugs by increasing their bioavailability and tailoring them to the specific needs of individual patients. This technology will be another major step towards the implementation of personalized medicine, which is the future of healthcare.
The material planned for the capsules is hydrogel, which will deliver the active ingredient of the medication inside. "Thanks to its unique properties and structure, it will be possible to create the necessary configurations of tablets and activate them under specified conditions," says the lead researcher Shlomo Magdassi, who heads the Center for 3D and Functional Printing at the Hebrew University.
According to him, capsules printed using this new method will be able to change shape if necessary – for example, increasing in size upon entering the stomach, creating a feeling of fullness, releasing the active substance in the appropriate section of the digestive tract, and doing so when needed: immediately or with the necessary delay. Additionally, the hydrogel can act as a "carrier" for several active components at once.
All of this allows for more precise delivery of the drug, which is impossible to achieve in standard pharmacology, and consequently makes it more effective. Thanks to this new technology, medications can be produced in more precise dosages tailored to the needs and characteristics of individual patients.
"The discovery of a new method for 3D printing of pharmaceuticals brings us closer to personalized medicine, based on an individual approach to each patient," the scientists are convinced. "No more standardization."
The new technology is expected to strengthen Israel's leadership position in the field of 3D printing.