Spritam, First 3-D Printing Prescription Drug, Approved By The FDA
The Food and Drug Administration approved the first prescription drug through 3-D printing on Monday, according to the New York Times. The pill, called Spritam, treats certain seizures caused by epilepsy and is expected to hit market in the first quarter of 2016.
The drug is manufactured by Aprecia Pharmaceuticals through a layered process of 3-D printing. One of the benefits of the drug is that it allows users to consume a high dosage (up to 1,000 milligrams of Spritam) in one pill. “The 3-D printing process creates a pill that has “a porous formulation that rapidly disintegrates with a sip of liquid,” the company told NPR.
In the wake of this technological milestone, Twitter has responded positively:
Very cool! @US_FDA approves 1st 3D-printed drug, #Spritam for treatment of #seizures #3Dprinting https://t.co/fx7vkp6XPT
— Lindsay Stanley (@MLindzay) August 4, 2015
Incredible #news for people with #epilepsy. #FDA just approved #3DPrinted #drug #spritam. #health #technology https://t.co/2tnfkHcGWS
— Sven Geffken (@SvenGeffken) August 4, 2015
Milestone for pharma industry as @US_FDA approves Aprecia drugs as 1st 3D printed med: https://t.co/29rebE0Yzx #Spritam #epilepsy #3dprinting
— Pharmafocus (@Pharmafocus) August 4, 2015
The process of printing prescription pills represents a major step toward technology creating more convenience in our lives. As chemist Lee Cronin said in a 2012 Ted Talk, “Imagine your printer like a refrigerator that is full of all the ingredients you might require…” and then imagine that your printer could also print your own medicine.
Come 2016, we can stop imagining.
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