Are you ready for a 3D-printed drug? This isn't a theory anymore but a reality as U.S. Food and Drug Administration approves the first-ever medication to be printed using a 3D printer.
The pill is called Spritam, and it's a prescription intended for epilepsy sufferers. Developed by Aprecia Pharmaceuticals, it promises plenty of good things for the consumer.
First, it aims to allow sufferers to take large doses of their medication in one go. As of the moment, many have to take their medications in heavy doses, which means they may have to consume a number of tablets at any time. The pills, further, are more difficult to swallow.
Spitram will have the similar dimensions as a normal pill. However, each of the tablet is expected to be packed with mega doses, depending on the patient's requirement. For instance, a Spitram pill may hold at least 1,000 mg of active drug.
Second, dispensation should be fast. Based on the product demo uploaded in YouTube, products produced using its ZipDose technology, which the company calls the "foundation" of its oral formulations can be dispensed in less than 6 seconds while the standard over-the-counter tablet can take as long as 20 or more seconds.
Third, this may be the beginning of individualized medicine. Drugs these days have certain formulations that are uniform regardless of the consumer. This can be a problem since consumers may miss out on their dosage or overdosed. Aprecia hopes to correct that by allowing patients to get drugs at a dose recommended by their doctor.
Although 3D printing has already been used in medicine, it's usually for the manufacture of implants and prosthetics. This is the first time that a 3D-printed medication, which is intended for internal consumption, has been approved by the FDA.
Aprecia hopes to release Spritam into the market by the first three months of 2016.