3D-printing-inspired method may enable personalized drug doses
A doctoral thesis at Åbo Akademi University examined a manufacturing approach that uses 3D printing principles to dispense gel-like formulations into patient-specific doses. The research focused on dose accuracy, quality, stability, and consistency, especially for children and older adults who need nonstandard strengths. The work also assessed how the technology could function in hospital pharmacies.
Mahsa Bahman’s doctoral work in drug development at Åbo Akademi University explored a production method modeled on 3D printing. It dispenses controlled quantities of a gel-like preparation, aiming to create doses matched to individual patients while supporting reliable quality.
The thesis assessed accuracy, quality, stability, consistency, and suitability for hospital pharmacy use. Conducted through CurifyLabs, a Finnish health technology firm and university spinoff, it also illustrates industry-academic collaboration. Potential beneficiaries include children, older adults, rare-disease patients, and hospital patients needing frequent adjustments or facing shortages.
If this approach proves reliable, it could help clinicians provide more precise doses for groups poorly served by standard products, including children and older adults. Hospital pharmacies might gain flexibility during shortages or when frequent adjustments are needed. Wider adoption may depend on validation, workflow fit, and regulatory oversight, so benefits would likely emerge gradually rather than uniformly. Patients and caregivers could see less need for tablet splitting or improvised adaptations, though access and cost remain uncertain.