Controlled release of vancomycin from PEGylated fibrinogen polyethylene glycol diacrylate hydrogel.

Surgical site infection (SSI) is a common issue post-surgery which often prolongs hospitalization and can lead to serious complications such as sternal wound infection following cardiac surgery via median sternotomy. Controlled release of suitable antibiotics could allow maximizing drug efficacy and safety, and therefore achieving a desired therapeutic response. In this study, we have developed a vancomycin laden PEGylated fibrinogen-polyethylene glycol diacrylate (PF-PEGDA) hydrogel system that can release vancomycin at a controlled and predictable rate to be applied in SSI prevention.

Form & formulation approaches for COntRollable Release in 3D printed Colonic Targeting (CORR3CT) budesonide tablet.

Inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) represents a group of chronic and debilitating inflammatory diseases affecting various parts of the gastrointestinal (GI) tract. The disease incidence and prevalence have been growing worldwide since the early 21st century and this upward trend is expected to continue. Due to a complex and variable clinical presentation across different patients, the efficacy of a one-size-fits-all commercial formulation for IBD remains limited.

Preferences of Healthcare Professionals on 3D-Printed Tablets: A Pilot Study.

An inaugural study was performed to understand the perceptions of healthcare professionals toward the potential benefits of 3D printing in Singapore. This study sought to increase awareness of 3D printing applications for viable clinical applications and to elucidate the current gaps in therapy where 3D printing could play a role. A common example would be the use of 3D printing to manufacture polypills, thereby reducing the daily pill burden of patients and possibly improving medication adherence.

3D printing of four-in-one oral polypill with multiple release profiles for personalized delivery of caffeine and vitamin B analogues.

Personalized supplementation has found recent momentum with an estimated global market size of USD 1.6 billion in 2019 and an expected CAGR of 8.5% between 2020 and 2028.

A 3D printed human upper respiratory tract model for particulate deposition profiling.

Pulmonary route is the main route of drug delivery for patients with asthma and chronic obstructive pulmonary diseases, offering several advantages over the oral route. Determining the amount of drug deposited onto various parts of the respiratory tract allows for a good correlation to clinical efficacy of inhalation drug devices. However, current in vitro cascade impactors measure only the aerodynamic particle size distribution, which does not truly represent the in vivo deposition pattern in human respiratory tract.

High resolution photopolymer for 3D printing of personalised microneedle for transdermal delivery of anti-wrinkle small peptide.

Acetyl-hexapeptide 3 (AHP-3) has good efficacy and safety profile as an anti-wrinkle small peptide. However, its skin permeation is poor due to its hydrophilicity and large molecular weight. 3D printing of personalised microneedles (MN), that contour to the skin surface, offers an attractive alternative for delivery for AHP-3.

Geometrical optimisation of a personalised microneedle eye patch for transdermal delivery of anti-wrinkle small peptide.

Acetyl-hexapeptide-3 (AHP-3) is a small peptide with good anti-wrinkle efficacy and safety profile. However, due to its hydrophilicity and high molecular weight, its skin permeation is generally poor. An innovative microneedle (MN) patch such as the curved, flexible or personalised MN patch is a viable avenue to deliver AHP-3.

A miniaturized device for biomembrane permeation analysis.

Transdermal drug delivery is widely investigated as an alternative drug administration route to oral delivery and hypodermic injections. Owing to the availability of human skin samples, in vitro tests are used to predict the in vivo delivery of transdermal drugs. The most widely used validation method is skin permeation using diffusion cells.

Formulation, characterization and evaluation of mRNA-loaded dissolvable polymeric microneedles (RNApatch).

In this paper, we report a proof of concept study on the fabrication, characterization and therapeutic evaluation of in vitro transcribed messenger RNA (mRNA) loaded in a dissolving microneedle patch (RNApatch). We show that low molecular weight polyvinylpyrrolidone (PVP) can directly be used without further purification for RNApatch fabrication with no detectable mRNA degradation. Physical and functional integrity of mRNA stored within the RNApatch are completely preserved for at least 2 weeks under ambient conditions.

3D printed drug delivery and testing systems - a passing fad or the future?

The US Food and Drug Administration approval of the first 3D printed tablet in 2015 has ignited growing interest in 3D printing, or additive manufacturing (AM), for drug delivery and testing systems. Beyond just a novel method for rapid prototyping, AM provides key advantages over traditional manufacturing of drug delivery and testing systems. These includes the ability to fabricate complex geometries to achieve variable drug release kinetics; ease of personalising pharmacotherapy for patient and lowering the cost for fabricating personalised dosages.

Author Correction: Enhanced Skin Permeation of Anti-wrinkle Peptides via Molecular Modification.

A correction to this article has been published and is linked from the HTML and PDF versions of this paper. The error has been fixed in the paper.

Enhanced Skin Permeation of Anti-wrinkle Peptides via Molecular Modification.

Wrinkles can have a negative effect on quality of life and Botox is one of the most effective and common treatments. Argireline (Arg0), a mimetic of Botox, has been found to be safer than Botox and effective in reducing wrinkles, with efficacies up to 48% upon 4 weeks of twice daily treatment. However, the skin permeation of Arg0 is poor, due to its large molecular weight and hydrophilicity.

Squid suckerin microneedle arrays for tunable drug release.

Microneedles are increasingly used in transdermal delivery of therapeutic agents due to the elimination of first-pass metabolism, simplicity of operation, and lack of pain, which collectively lead to improved patient compliance. However, microneedles are still met by challenges with regard to the choice of biocompatible materials and the control of drug release profiles. Herein, we tackle these limitations by producing microneedles from a biocompatible robust biopolymer, namely squid sucker ring teeth (SRT) proteins (suckerins), using a soft lithography method.

Three-dimensional printing of a microneedle array on personalized curved surfaces for dual-pronged treatment of trigger finger.

The hand function of patients who suffer from trigger finger can be impaired by the use of traditional splints. There is also a risk of systemic side effects with oral non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) used for pain relief. Microneedle-assisted transdermal drug delivery offers an attractive alternative for local delivery of NSAIDs.

Large Size Microneedle Patch to Deliver Lidocaine through Skin.

Purpose: Current topical treatments using lidocaine (LD) for analgesia have limited applications due to their delayed analgesic actions, resulted from slow drug permeation through skin. The aim of this study is to fabricate a large size microneedle (MN) array patch containing LD, with fast onset of action, for the treatment of acute and chronic pain.

Methods: The MN patch was developed through photolithography and tested for its mechanical characteristics.

Three-Dimensional Printing of Carbamazepine Sustained-Release Scaffold.

Carbamazepine is the first-line anti-epileptic drug for focal seizures and generalized tonic-clonic seizures. Although sustained-release formulations exist, an initial burst of drug release is still present and this results in side effects. Zero-order release formulations reduce fluctuations in serum drug concentrations, thereby reducing side effects.

Effectiveness of a multidisciplinary home-based medication review program in reducing healthcare utilization among older adult Singaporeans.

Aim: The study aimed to: (i) evaluate the effectiveness of a multidisciplinary home-based medication review (HBMR) program in reducing hospital admissions and emergency department (ED) visits, cost of hospital admissions and length of stay (LOS); and (ii) determine the prevalence of drug-related problems (DRP) in elderly Singaporeans.

Methods: A retrospective observational study was carried out at an academic medical center in Singapore. Patients referred between 1 March 2011 and 31 December 2012 were included.

Real-World Impact of Setting a Narrow International Normalized Ratio Target Range in the Management of Older Adult Patients on Warfarin.

Introduction: Elderly patients intrinsically have higher bleeding risks, deterring clinicians from prescribing them oral anticoagulants. Setting a narrow international normalized ratio (INR) target range might potentially mitigate some of these risks. This study sought to compare the outcomes of elderly patients who were assigned to either a narrow INR target range or the conventional INR target range in a real-world environment.

Adherence to premixed insulin in a prefilled pen compared with a vial/syringe in people with diabetes in Singapore.

Background: The real-world clinical effectiveness of exogenous insulin is limited by nonadherence. Various insulin delivery systems have been developed to help improve adherence, with prefilled pens gaining popularity among adult Singaporeans with diabetes. However, adherence to insulin in people with diabetes in Singapore and most of Asia has not been studied.