Ensuring the right dosage and release profiles of medications for individual patients – from infants to adults – is a time-consuming challenge. In a joint collaborative initiative, Erasmus MC and TNO at Holst Centre aim to solve this challenge through technology. They have developed a specialised 3D Pharma Printer for research and patient testing in clinical settings, that is now successfully installed at Maasstad Ziekenhuis in Rotterdam.

Tailoring treatment for each patient

An infant weighing a few kilos requires different medication dosages than an adult patient weighing 110 kilos. Yet medications are only available in a few standard dosages. As a result, hospital staff must manually adjust these dosages to suit each patient’s needs - a time-intensive process. With on-demand medication production at the point of care, it is now possible to tailor doses specifically to individual patients, making it possible to deliver precise, personalised treatments more efficiently and with greater ease.

"Every day, we struggle to supply the right dose to children. We can really solve some of those problems with this printer." – Liesbeth Ruijgrok, Paediatric Clinical Pharmacist at Erasmus MC

The 3D Pharma P

rinter can produce medications automatically and on demand – and according to the specific and distinct needs of each individual patient. The release profile, size and shape of the pill can be customised. In the future, patients that require several medications could even have them all combined – in the right dosages – into a single pill.

A step towards the future

With the installation of the 3D Pharma Printer in Maasstad Ziekenhuis, production of several medicine formulas can start. In the autumn of 2025, Maasstad Ziekenhuis will also begin treating patients with these medications. This marks the beginning of a new era: personalised medicine on demand.

Watch the video for more information.