World's first 3D-printed pill: Spritam sets world record (VIDEO)
Blue Ash, OH, USA -- Developed by Ohio-based pharmaceutical company Aprecia, Spritam levetiracetam is a new drug to control seizures brought on by epilepsy; approved by the US Food and Drug Administration, it employs the company's trademark "ZipDose" technology, which uses 3D printing to create a more porous pill, thus setting the new world record for the First 3D-printed pill, according to the World Record Academy. Photo: Spritam, also known as levetiracetam, is the first 3-D-printed pill approved by the Food and Drug Administration. Photo: Aprecia Pharmaceuticals (enlarge photo)
The Guinness World Records world record for the First camera tablet was set by The PillCam (TM), a camera which fits inside a pill and can record more than 55,000 pictures in a period of eight hours was invented by Gavriel Iddan, Gavriel Meron, Arkady Glukhovsky & Paul Swain in 2000 and has been in use since 2001. The technique, called a Colon Capsule Endoscopy, could boost chances of an early detection of illnesses of the digestive system and could eliminate the need for probing.
Guinness World Records also recognized the world record for the First oral contraceptive, set by Carl Djerassi (US), who developed the modern contraceptive pill as a young researcher working for Syntex Laboratories in Mexico City, in 1951.
Developed by Ohio-based pharmaceutical company Aprecia, Spritam levetiracetam is a new drug to control seizures brought on by epilepsy.
Approved by the US Food and Drug Administration, it employs the company's trademark "ZipDose" technology, which uses 3D printing to create a more porous pill.
Its structure means the pill dissolves more quickly on contact with liquid, making it much easier to swallow high doses than a conventional tablet.
The 3D printing process also allows layers of medication to be packaged more tightly in precise dosages, and it points to a future of more personalised medicine. 3D-printed pills could be custom-ordered, based on specific patient needs, rather than on a one-drug-fits-all approach, The Guardian reports.
While 3D printing has already been embraced in other medical fields – from printing new jawbones in facial reconstruction to custom-shaped teeth and other dental implants, as well as producing personalised prosthetics – this is the first time the technology has been approved for the production of drugs; and it won't be the last time.
"As we explored potential applications for our 3D printing technology in prescription drug products , it was important that we identif ied disease areas with a real need for patient - friendly form s of medication," said Don Wetherhold, CEO of Aprecia. "SPRITAM is designed to transform what it is like to take epilepsy medication, and is the first in a line o f products we are developing to provide patients and their caregivers with additional treatment options."
