In a first, the Food and Drug Administration has given approval to a drug that is produced on a 3-D printer. The pill, produced by Aprecia Pharmaceuticals, treats seizures. It's expected to hit the market in the first quarter of 2016.
NPR's Rob Stein reports for our Newscast unit:
"The drug is called Spritam and is designed to treat seizures in people suffering from epilepsy. It's a new version of a seizure medication that's been on the market for years."The new tablets are manufactured using 3-D printing, which creates objects by very precisely spewing out one layer of a substance on top of another. 3-D printing is being used to make all sorts of things these days."The FDA had previously approved medical devices made with 3-D printing. The company that makes Spritam says the 3-D-printed version of the drug allows it to dissolve more quickly, which makes it easier to swallow."
Another benefit of the process, says Aprecia, the drug's maker , is that it allows a high drug load — up to 1,000 mg — to be delivered in a single dose. The 3-D printing process creates a pill that has "a porous formulation that rapidly disintegrates with a sip of liquid," the company says.
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