Three-dimensional printing (3DP) has demonstrated great potential for multi-material\nfabrication because of its capability for printing bespoke and spatially separated material\nconformations. Such a concept could revolutionise the pharmaceutical industry, enabling the\nproduction of personalised, multi-layered drug products on demand. Here, we developed a novel\nstereolithographic (SLA) 3D printing method that, for the first time, can be used to fabricate multi-layer\nconstructs (polypills) with variable drug content and/or shape. Using this technique, six drugs,\nincluding paracetamol, caffeine, naproxen, chloramphenicol, prednisolone and aspirin, were printed\nwith different geometries and material compositions. Drug distribution was visualised using Raman\nmicroscopy, which showed that whilst separate layers were successfully printed, several of the drugs\ndiffused across the layers depending on their amorphous or crystalline phase. The printed constructs\ndemonstrated excellent physical properties and the different material inclusions enabled distinct drug\nrelease profiles of the six actives within dissolution tests. For the first time, this paper demonstrates the\nfeasibility of SLA printing as an innovative platform for multi-drug therapy production, facilitating a\nnew era of personalised polypills.
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