FDA Approves The First 3D Printed Drug

We’ve seen 3D printing being used to print medical tools such as casts. Recently 3D printing also allowed the creation of 3D models that allowed surgeons to practice brain procedures for children before actually doing it. However in what appears to be the first, it looks like the FDA has recently approved the creation of 3D printed drugs as well.

The drug in question is Spritam which is made by a company called Aprecia and it was designed to help fight epilepsy. Through the use of 3D printing, it helps create a porous 3D formula that delivers the drug in very high doses, while at the same time making it easy to swallow. All the patient has to do is take a sip of water to help disperse the drug and get it into their system.

With the FDA approving such methods, it opens up the possibilities to other types of drugs and delivery systems in the future. According to Wedbush Securities analyst Tao Levy, he believes that with 3D printing, it could allow pharmaceutical companies to start creating drugs designed specifically for a patient as opposed to a one-size-fits-all drug.

In turn this could improve the effectiveness of drugs, since all our bodies are different, some drugs could end up affecting some patients in a better/worse way compared to others. In the meantime Spritam is expected to be made available in the first quarter of 2016.

Tyler Lee
Categories: Medical
Tags: 3D Printing, fda