3D printed medication activated by smartphone screen

Medimaker Lux 3D printer - M3DIMAKER LUX 3D printer. Credit: FabRx - The light from a smartphone screen can be used to print medications, in a new 3D printing technique developed by UCL researchers. The method could make it easier for personalised medicines to be prepared in clinics, remote areas or even in patients' homes. The report in the International Journal of Pharmaceutics is the first published study of smartphone-based 3D printing of pharmaceuticals. Lead author, PhD researcher Xiaoyan Xu (UCL School of Pharmacy) said: "This novel system would help people who need precise dosages that differ from how a medication is typically sold, as well as people whose required dosage may change regularly. The tablet's shape and size are also customisable, which enables flexibility in the rate at which the medication gets released into the bloodstream. It may even be possible to custom-print polypills containing multiple drugs, to reduce pill burdens for elderly patients." Study co-author, research fellow Dr Atheer Awad (UCL School of Pharmacy) added: "3D-printed medications could be an important part of the move towards more personalised medicines, as we hope that eventually, people will be able to print their own medications at home." The researchers used a new smartphone-based printer, a version of the M3DIMAKER printer they developed in collaboration with a UCL spin-out company, FabRx, co-founded by three members of the UCL research team.