In line with a report from the Worldwide Federation of Pharmaceutical Producers and Associations (IFPMA), in 2022 mixed “direct, oblique and induced results” of the worldwide biopharmaceutical trade led to a contribution of $1.838 trillion to the world’s GDP with spending on R&D enjoying a very essential function. Certainly, annual spending on analysis for the trade is 8.1 occasions larger than that of the aerospace and protection trade. This reveals that it’s a always evolving trade, by which innovation is a key driver. And one of many elements driving this innovation is additive manufacturing. As you realize, 3D applied sciences have lengthy been used within the medical sector, and the pharmaceutical trade additionally advantages from their benefits. In reality, they’re more and more used to design tailored medicines that higher meet sufferers’ wants. Additive manufacturing additionally makes it doable to mix a number of therapies in a single pill, making it significantly simpler to take remedy. Among the many gamers who’ve made this actuality their specialty is Singapore-based start-up Craft Well being. It has developed a 3D printing answer to provide personalised medicines and extra managed pharmaceutical merchandise. We caught up with one in every of its founders to seek out out extra!
3DN: May you introduce your self and your connection to 3D printing? How did Craft Well being come about?
My identify is Wei Jiang GOH, and I’m a pharmacist by coaching and practiced as a pharmacist in a Singapore hospital. Subsequently, I used to be awarded the PhD-MBA double diploma scholarship on the Nationwide College of Singapore (NUS) the place I uncovered my ardour for the convergence between know-how and commercialization. In my ultimate 12 months of my PhD, I spoke to my now co-founder, Dr. Seng Han LIM, on working collectively to resolve an issue that resonates with each of us. Our backgrounds have been largely related as we have been each working towards pharmacists in a hospital setting earlier than.
We thought that polypharmacy, or having too many medicines, was an enormous situation. Particularly since we noticed sufferers going dwelling with luggage filled with drugs each day once we have been pharmacists. Polypharmacy is often related to poor affected person outcomes, particularly since sufferers develop into confused from taking some many alternative drugs, or endure from capsule taking fatigue. We brainstormed for various options, and finally realized what my co-founder, Dr Lim, was engaged on for his PhD thesis might be the answer.
He was engaged on 3D printing to personalize medicines. We realized we might use 3D printing in addition to our formulation expertise to 3D print and mix a number of medicines into only one polypill. This might successfully cut back the capsule burden and clear up the issue of polypharmacy. We obtained a small grant, examined out the know-how, and Craft Well being was began in 2019 in Singapore.
3DN: How are Craft Well being merchandise manufactured?
Craft Well being™ helps varied stakeholders within the nutraceutical and pharmaceutical industries similar to hospitals, clinics, compounding pharmacies, pharmaceutical and complement firms clear up varied ache factors by our Craft Well being™ 3D printing platform.
These ache factors embrace new product improvement, utilizing 3D printing as a speedy prototyping instrument, combining a number of medicines or dietary supplements right into a single polypill, customizing the shape (form, geometry, color, style) of tablets, reaching particular custom-made lively ingredient launch profiles and just-in-time manufacture.
The Craft Well being™ 3D printing platform consists of three key components:
- CraftMake: The 3D printer. This represents one of many world’s first 3D printer for prescription drugs and nutraceuticals, utilizing a warmth and UV-free approach.
- CraftManagement: The 3D printing software program. Now we have enter a number of printing parameters appropriate for 3D printing of drugs / tablets.
- CraftBlends: Our proprietary mixture of non-active components, sourced from the US Meals & Drug Administration (USFDA) Typically Regarded As Protected (GRAS) record. This proprietary combine permits a 3D printable paste to be made, with a selected managed launch profile, similar to rapid/delayed/sustained launch.
Collectively, these 3 components are optimized for one another, as a way to 3D print nutraceuticals and prescription drugs in a exact and managed method, with comparatively excessive throughput. Our core capabilities embrace formulation improvement, 3D printing and pilot scale manufacturing in a Class 10K cleanroom setting.
3DN: What are the primary benefits of additive manufacturing within the pharmaceutical trade?
The advantages of 3D printing for this market are quite a few. Firstly, there’s the mass customization of medicines, in regard to dose, choice of medicines and even launch profile (rapid, sustained or delayed launch of the drugs). Secondly, 3D applied sciences can be utilized to switch the style profile or masks the style of unpleasant-tasting medicine. They’ll additionally design advanced shapes or geometries for particular managed launch profiles or focusing on.
What’s extra, 3D printing is ready to fight the problems of polypharmacy by combining a number of medicine in a single pill. Lastly, due to additive manufacturing, it’s doable to provide small collection for testing functions, in portions that aren’t essentially worthwhile for factories or manufacturing processes.
3DN : What are Craft Well being’s future initiatives?
We’re specializing in two key vertical markets for Craft Well being. Firstly, we’ve got developed a Colon focusing on Drug Supply System (DDS) utilizing our Craft Well being 3D Printing Platform. By way of the mixture of geometric design and supplies, we’re in a position to goal the massive gut, an often-neglected web site. We can be working with totally different teams to develop a pipeline of therapeutics using our DDS for colorectal most cancers and inflammatory bowel illness.
Secondly, we’re increasing into the compounding pharmacy scene. Our vary of 3D printers, CraftMake can 3D print pharmaceutical and nutraceutical preparations persistently in a steady method, offering compounding pharmacies with doubtlessly lowered price of manpower and elevated manufacturing output.
Lastly, we may also be working with a Singapore hospital to launch Southeast Asia’s very first scientific trial involving 3D printing medicines. The primary use case can be a polypill for tuberculosis, the place it’s pertinent to stick to the prescribed remedy routine, as it’s extremely contagious.
3DN: Any final phrases for our readers?
Be careful for this house subsequent 12 months as we proceed to innovate on the forefront of 3D printed medicines! You’ll find out extra on our web site HERE.
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*All Picture Credit: Craft Well being