Novel Approaches in 3d Printed Oral Tablets for Personalized Medicine: A Review

Three-dimensional (3D) printing technology has emerged as a transformative approach in the pharmaceutical field, particularly in the development of personalized oral tablets. Conventional manufacturing techniques often fail to address individual patient needs such as age, genetic profile, disease condition, dose variability, and swallowing difficulties. In contrast, 3D printing offers precise control over tablet size, shape, drug dose, release pattern, and combination therapy, thereby supporting the concept of personalized medicine. This review highlights the novel approaches and recent advancements in 3D printed oral tablet formulations, emphasizing their potential to revolutionize patient-centric drug delivery systems. Various 3D printing techniques, including fused deposition modeling (FDM), stereolithography (SLA), selective laser sintering (SLS), inkjet printing, and semi-solid extrusion (SSE), have been extensively explored for pharmaceutical applications. These technologies enable the fabrication of complex dosage forms with immediate, sustained, delayed, or multi-drug release characteristics. The review also discusses the role of novel excipients, printable polymers, and computer-aided design in improving formulation performance and manufacturing efficiency. Special attention is given to the application of 3D printed tablets in pediatric, geriatric, and chronic disease management, where individualized therapy is highly beneficial. Furthermore, the approval of the first FDA-approved 3D printed drug, Spritam, has accelerated research interest in this field. Despite significant progress, challenges related to regulatory guidelines, printing accuracy, drug stability, large-scale production, and cost-effectiveness remain major concerns. This review summarizes the current status, advantages, limitations, and future perspectives of 3D printed oral tablets in personalized medicine. Overall, 3D printing represents a promising and innovative strategy for the advancement of tailored therapeutics and precision healthcare, offering improved patient compliance, therapeutic efficacy, and flexible pharmaceutical manufacturing.