3D printing of biologics—what has been accomplished to date?

• Published in: Drug discovery today Vol. 29; no. 1; p. 103823
• Main Authors: Lu, Anqi, Williams, Robert O., Maniruzzaman, Mohammed
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: England Elsevier Ltd 01.01.2024
• Subjects: 3D bioprinting; 3D printing biologics; Biological Products; Drug Delivery Systems; Humans; microneedles; Precision Medicine; Printing, Three-Dimensional; protein delivery; Quality of Life; vaccine; microneedles; 3D printing biologics; vaccine; 3D bioprinting; protein delivery
• ISSN: 1359-6446; 1878-5832
• DOI: 10.1016/j.drudis.2023.103823

Three-dimensional (3D) printing is a promising approach for the stabilization and delivery of non-living biologics. This versatile tool builds complex structures and customized resolutions, and has significant potential in various industries, especially pharmaceutics and biopharmaceutics. Biologics have become increasingly prevalent in the field of medicine due to their diverse applications and benefits. Stability is the main attribute that must be achieved during the development of biologic formulations. 3D printing could help to stabilize biologics by entrapment, support binding, or crosslinking. Furthermore, gene fragments could be transited into cells during co-printing, when the pores on the membrane are enlarged. This review provides: (i) an introduction to 3D printing technologies and biologics, covering genetic elements, therapeutic proteins, antibodies, and bacteriophages; (ii) an overview of the applications of 3D printing of biologics, including regenerative medicine, gene therapy, and personalized treatments; (iii) information on how 3D printing could help to stabilize and deliver biologics; and (iv) discussion on regulations, challenges, and future directions, including microneedle vaccines, novel 3D printing technologies and artificial-intelligence-facilitated research and product development. Overall, the 3D printing of biologics holds great promise for enhancing human health by providing extended longevity and enhanced quality of life, making it an exciting area in the rapidly evolving field of biomedicine.