Applications and Challenges of 3D Printing Technique in Manufacturing Pharmaceutical Preparations

The US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approved the world's first 3D-printed drug product in July 2015, marking a new chapter of pharmaceutical manufacturing. 3D printing is a process of layer-by-layer printing of designed product with materials being added layer by layer based on a digital model. As a new technology platform, 3D printing has competitive advantages in complex product design, product personalization, and on-demand manufacturing. This review summarizes the commonly-used 3D printing technology and its application in the field of pharmaceutical preparations, emphasizes the great advantages of 3D printing compared with traditional manufacturing processes, and also raises the limitations and regulatory challenges of this technology. Overall, 3D printing technology has great potential in the field of pharmaceutical preparations and will bring new opportunities and hopes for the development of medicine.