This article was published on August 4, 2015

The FDA has approved the first drug designed using 3D-printing technology


The FDA has approved the first drug designed using 3D-printing technology

The FDA has just approved the world’s first 3D-printed medication, SPRITAM. The seizure drug is meant to be customized for high dosage treatments, and was developed with Aprecia’s ZipDose technology.

SPRITAM’s 3D-printed designed makes it water soluble with a minimal amount of liquid, which absorbs into the blood stream in less than 10 seconds.“By combining 3DP technology with a highly-prescribed epilepsy treatment, SPRITAM is designed to fill a need for patients who struggle with their current medication experience,” Don Wetherhold, Aprecia’s Chief Executive Officer of Aprecia, said in a press release

The use of 3D-printing for medical purposes is not new, but this is the first time the FDA has approved a drug designed by 3D-printing.

FDA approves the first 3D printed drug product [Aprecia]

Read next: 3D printing: It’s the future of… something… Wait, what is it?

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