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Publication

Can 3D printing technologies advance the production of drug delivery systems?

Book - Dissertation

Since the invention of 3D printing technologies, huge interest has been allocated to exploring their potential in many fields. Fabricating objects in a customized and a cost-effective manner was the biggest advantage that drew the attention of the industrial and the scientific communities. The medical field benefited from 3D printing in many aspects such as educational training and personalized medicine. In this study, 3D printing technologies were used as a tool for producing drug delivery systems and for producing tools by which medical devices such as scaffolds or catheters can be fabricated. First, fused filament fabrication (FFF) was used as a tool for producing drug delivery systems. The replacement of the conventional filament-based extrusion system by a screw driven extrusion system was investigated. Results from this part of the project illustrated the performance of different feedstock preparation techniques in term of the drug loading efficiency, homogeneity among others. The use of the mini single screw extruder showed how we can broaden the formulations by eliminating the reliance on the filament mechanical properties during printing. Afterward, selective laser melting was used for producing a novel nozzle design by which hollow fibers may be extruded. This nozzle, when fitted into an FFF 3D printer, allows the fabrication of scaffolds with hollow fibers that may be used in tissue regeneration and drug delivery applications. Moreover, this nozzle was used to fabricate catheters loaded with Niclosamide, a repurposed drug with antibacterial and antibiofilm properties. Niclosamide shows good thermal stability during processing and the produced catheters showed good antibacterial and antibiofilm activity in vitro. In conclusion, future research shall focus on adapting 3D printing technologies to meet the strict requirements set by legislators. Additionally, exploring more polymers that are better suited for FFF 3D printing along with screening the relevant properties of incorporated drugs.
Number of pages: 260
Publication year:2022
Keywords:Doctoral thesis
Accessibility:Open