Project Scope
Our goal is to develop a technique to create 3D-printed micro-pills equipped with a biodegradable cap used to control the release of liquid-based HIV drug cocktails. Our main defining factors of this project are microparticle compartmentalization, controlled release, biodegradation, and 3D printing.
Microparticles
The planned size of our capsules fall within the range of 1-100 micrometers. Compartmentalization of the pill on this scale allows for multiple drugs to be delivered simultaneously. Our planned methodology to implement this compartmentalization is to 3D print different sections of the pill that each be filled with a different HIV combatant drug. Nanoscribe will provide the biodegradable Photoresins needed for these prints, pictured to the right.
Acevedo, R. (2020, May 14). Toward 3D Nanoprinted Microcapsules for Controlled Delivery [PowerPoint slides]. Department of Mechanical Engineering, University of Maryland.
“The New Bio INX N100 Photoresins for Life Sciences.” The new BIO INX N100 photoresins for life sciences | Nanoscribe. https://www.nanoscribe.com/en/products/bio-inx-photoresins.
Controlled Release
Due to single dose medications fluctuating drug levels in the blood, our goal is to control the release of our medication, allowing drug level to stay at an effective window. By steadily releasing the HIV cocktail within our pill over a prolonged period of time, we hope to keep the drug levels iwithin the blood away from the toxic level, decreasing the amount of spikes that occur from taking multiple high doses.
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We plan to achieve this controlled release through a timed biodegradation of polymers which slowly release the contents within our pill over a prolonged period of time.
Huynh, Cong Truc & Lee, Dong-Sheng. (2014). Controlled Release. Encyclopedia of Polymeric Nanomaterials, 2014. 1-12. 10.1007/978-3-642-29648-2_314.
Biodegradable Caps
In order to achieve a controlled release pill, we will attempt to implement a biodegradable cap onto our pills. Some of the materials that we have highlighted to be used to create these caps include Polylactic Acid, Polycaprolactone, and Irgacure 2959. These materials have the ability to dissolve over a specific period of time when in the presence of an enzyme, allowing us to control when and how fast the drug contents within the pill will be released.
3D Printing
To create the architecture and shape of our pills, we have decided to utilize 3D printing methods. The advancements in 3D printing on a nanometer scale allow for high customization of the pill shape, size, and compartmentalization. We plan to use the Nanoscribe Photonic Professional GT Direct Laser Writing 3D printer to fully build the pill core and cap. Using this printer allows us to test various materials for the cap structure and easily adjust the width and thickness to achieve a biodegradation time of our choosing.
