Digital Compounding in Pharmacies: A Pilot Stability Study

Abstract

The manufacture of medicines on demand for a particular patient, at the point of care, may be achieved via 3D printing, improving therapeutic outcomes, medication adherence and patient safety. Tablets are often printed using a combination of hot-melt extrusion and fused deposition modelling. In this work, paracetamol-loaded hydroxypropylcellulose filaments were produced; their extrudability and printability were aided by a plasticizer and a lubricant. For printability, 11% humidity was the ideal storage condition for filaments up to 6 months. The tablets produced complied with the uniformity of mass and content requirements, and showed delayed drug release; these characteristics were maintained after in-use stability testing for 30 days.

Keywords

• 3D printing
• digital compounding
• fused deposition modelling (FDM)
• humidity
• paracetamol
• pharmacies