MB-Therapeutics, a pharmaceutical start-up, uses its MED-U Modular 3-D printer to provide personalized treatment on-demand to patients.
The company’s collaboration with healthcare institutions, such as the University Hospital Center of Nîmes, aims to create tailored medication production solutions for sick children. The company believes 3D printing can improve the quality of living for children and their parents.
“MB-Therapeutics is a startup based in Montpellier that offers a solution for the production of personalized medications through pharmaceutical 3D printing. Eight years of experience and research have allowed the company to develop a patient-centric solution that enables dose customization, form adaptation, and the ability to combine multiple active ingredients within a single medication,” said Stéphane Roulon, Co-founder & CEO of MB-Therapeutics.
The pharmaceutical industry benefits from 3D printing
According to the company, the pharmaceutical sector is currently not meeting the specific needs of children who suffer from certain medical conditions. In order to bridge this gap, pharmacists prepare medication with customized dosages. This practice is adopted by 38% children. Dr. Ian Soulairol highlights the lack of an automated method for creating personalized solid oral forms. Due to their size and active ingredients, capsules and tablets are not suitable for children. Liquid suspensions carry an administration error risk, as 40% of parents make dosing mistakes with their children’s medication.
MB-Therapeutics’ solution allows pharmacists to create personalized, easily administered medications, safeguarding against dosing errors. By harnessing the power of 3D printing technology, MB-Therapeutics facilitates the tailored production of oral forms, meeting each patient’s specific needs. This will help to address supply shortages, allowing hospital and community pharmacies automate high quality medication production. It will also make a significant contribution towards healthcare, by drastically reducing France’s 15,000 ton medication waste.
There are efforts being made to increase the accessibility of 3D-printed medicines. Triastek is a Chinese pharmaceutical company that specializes in 3D printing. It has completed a First-in-Human Study (FIH), which was aimed at evaluating T21, a drug 3D-printed for moderate to severe colitis. According to the study’s imaging results, T21 tablets exhibit precise delivery and controlled release in the colon, where the drug takes effect. Manufactured using Triastek’s Melt Extrusion Deposition (MED) 3D printing process, these tablets ensure a highly focused and effective drug delivery mechanism.
Researchers from University of Santiago de Compostela and University College London (UCL) have found a method to create 3D printed tablets within seven seconds. Volumetric printing cures resin vats at one time, as opposed to traditional layer by layer methods. It can greatly speed up the custom medication production process, which will be essential to advance clinical 3D printing.
MED U Modular Technical Specifications
| Printing Tool | FDA/Pharmaceutical-approved gels and filaments, Multi-filament and multi-gel options available for R&D purposes |
| Building volume | Ø390mm x 600mm |
| Layer height | 50 µm to >1mm |
| X, Y, Z resolution | 12.5μm, 12.5μm, 12.5μm |
| Removable tool | Quick-release mechanisms for mechanical, liquid cooling, electronic cooling, and other attachments. |
| Building surface | Removable, food/pharmaceutical-grade contact |
| Thermal environment | Heated build plate: 20°C to 180°C, Heated chamber: 20°C to 80°C, Liquid cooling for the tool |
| Health and Safety for Users | Double HEPA H14/activated charcoal filtration, machine-access locking mechanism |
| Alimentation | 230V AC 16A (50-60Hz) |
| You can also download the software. | Conform to CFR 21 Part 11, Audit Trail included |
| Dimensions | 913 × 851 × 1644 mm |
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The MB-Therapeutics Team is shown in the featured image. Photo courtesy of MB-Therapeutics.
