3D printing and the future of development of animal health products

Abstract

Introduction: 3D printing has numerous applications and has gained much interest in the medical world. The current medical and veterinary medicine uses of 3D printing can be organized into several broad categories: tissue and organs fabrication; creating of implants, prosthetics and anatomical models; and pharmaceutical research concerning drug discovery, delivery, and dosage forms. The purpose of our work was to gain a better perspective of how 3D printing technology works by getting a first-hand look at this process and then strategize ways that this technology can potentially be used in development of animal health products. What Is 3D Printing and How Does It Work?: 3D printing is a type of additive manufacturing. It is a process that creates a three-dimensional object by building successive layers of raw material. Objects are produced from a digital 3D file, such as a computer-aided design (CAD) drawing or a Magnetic Resonance Image. 3D printing can create a solid object of virtually any shape and can use an assortment of starting materials, including plastic, metal, ceramic, tissue and organ cells. Exploring the Possibilities of 3D Printing in Development of Animal Health Products: The purpose of veterinary drug development in the future should be production of personalized animal health products that can be achieved through the application of 3D printing. The application of 3D printing in veterinary medicine, including tablets, holds promise for made-to-order drugs, and removes mass product manufacturing from the production line, although the technology in pharmaceutical industry is still in infancy. 3D printing promises a future of drugs printed on demand, to custom doses, especially in companion animals. Conclusions: Prototype projects demonstrated that it is possible to use 3D printing techniques to generate and manufacture chemical compounds. In applying this technology to animal health products, the first generation technology is already a reality. Proof of this is recently approved 3D-printed oral drug Spritam (levetiracetam) by US FDA in human medicine. The second-generation efforts will involve getting a digital prescription, buying the “blueprint” and chemical “materials” needed, and then printing the drug with the software and a 3D molecular printer. Hence, 3D drug printing will have important repercussions in the realm of distribution of animal health products. However, even more profound are the eventual implications for new drug discovery and personalized therapy for animals. Indeed, thirdgeneration 3D drug printing would entail the creation of new drugs that maximize efficacy and minimize toxicity. But there are a number of questions. Approval of a 3D-printed veterinary drugs opens up a new world of customised medication, but also the possibility of counterfeit drugs, mislabelling and a regulatory vacuum.