Can filaments be stored as a shelf-item for on-demand manufacturing of oral 3D printed tablets? An initial stability assessment

3D printing of oral solid dosage forms is a recently introduced approach for dose personalisation. Fused deposition modelling (FDM) one the promising and heavily researched techniques in pharmaceutical field. However, successful application this technique relies greatly on mass manufacturing physically chemically stable filaments, that can be readily available as shelf item to printed on-demand. In work, stability methacrylate polymers (Eudragit EPO, RL, L100-55 S100), hydroxypropyl cellulose (HPC SSL) polyvinyl pyrrolidone (PVP)-based filaments over 6 months were investigated. Filaments manufactured by hot melt extrusion (HME) stored at either 5 °C or 30 + 65 %RH with/without vacuuming. The effects storage their dimensions, visual appearance, thermal properties, ‘printability’ analysed. Theophylline content, well vitro release from tablets also analysed before storage, then after 1, 3 date. Storing these conditions had significant effect physical such shape, flexibility hence compatibility with FDM printing. general, methacrylate-based more compatible following storage. Owing hygroscopic nature, cellulose- PVP-based demonstrated reduction glass transition temperature upon leading increased incompatibility printer. contents was not significantly changed during This work provides preliminary data impact polymer species long-term filaments. packaging have major potential on-demand using extruded