Personalized pharmaceuticals through 3D printing: Innovations in drug delivery and dosage forms

Three-dimensional (3D) printing has emerged as a transformative technology in pharmaceutical manufacturing, offering unprecedented opportunities for the development of personalized drug delivery systems and customized dosage forms. Conventional pharmaceutical production relies on standardized, large-scale manufacturing approaches that often fail to address interindividual variability in patient characteristics, disease progression, and therapeutic response. In contrast, additive manufacturing enables precise, layer-by-layer fabrication of drug products based on digital designs, allowing modulation of dose, geometry, internal architecture, and drug release behavior at an individual patient level.

This review provides a comprehensive overview of the evolution, principles, and technological foundations of 3D printing in pharmaceutical sciences, with particular emphasis on its role in enabling personalized pharmaceuticals. Key 3D printing technologies applied in drug delivery, along with advances in printable materials and innovative dosage form designs, are critically discussed. The review further highlights rational design strategies for personalized drug delivery, quality control and characterization requirements, and emerging clinical applications across diverse patient populations. Regulatory considerations, manufacturing challenges, and ethical implications associated with individualized and decentralized drug production are also examined. Finally, future perspectives focusing on digital pharmacies, smart materials, and the integration of artificial intelligence and data-driven approaches are presented. Collectively, this review underscores the potential of 3D printing to redefine pharmaceutical manufacturing and advance precision medicine through patient-centric drug therapy.