2023-11-10 11:30:00
Will 3D printing of medicines be the future of pharmaceutical laboratories? The very young Montpellier deeptech MB Therapeutics (three employees) is convinced of this and announces, just a few days following its creation, the launch of its Med-U-Modular solution, a 3D printer of medicines.
“We have been carrying out studies at the Faculty of Pharmacy in Montpellier and at the University Hospital of Nîmes for eight years, explains Stéphane Roulon, co-founder of MB Therapeutics with Ian Soulairol, pharmacist responsible for the control preparations and clinical trials unit at the CHU pharmacy. Faced with a lack of automatic processes to produce personalized and innovative medicines meeting the needs of patients, we became interested in the solutions offered by 3D printing. With very positive results. »
Tablets suitable for children
For certain pathologies, the pharmaceutical industry does not meet the needs of patients, pharmacists must prepare medications in appropriate dosages. In 2016, Stéphane Roulon, then head of the 3D printing laboratory at Sanofi, became interested in the manufacturing flexibility of this technology. A meeting with Ian Soulairol, who has been confronted for years with the need for personalized medicines, led them to lead a collaborative project whose primary ambition is children’s health.
“Capsules and tablets are not suitable for children in terms of size and quantity of active ingredients (38% of children receive at least one medication prepared by a pharmacist, Editor’s note), insists Stéphane Roulon. On the other hand, liquid suspensions, which are not very stable and contain excipients with notable effects, present a significant risk of administration error with dosing pipettes. Moreover, 40% of parents make dosage errors when administering medications. With its technology, MB Therapeutics offers a secure environment as close as possible to the patient. »
Pharmaceutical cartridges
To develop its Med-U Modular solution, deeptech approached the expertise of Lynxter, a specialist in intrusion industrial 3D printers. This Basque company is also one of the few to carry out 3D printing by volumetric dosing, a system which promotes precise and independent adjustment of the flow rate depending on the material, thus guaranteeing better reproducibility and constant quality of pharmaceutical products. printed.
For the commercialization of its innovation, MB Therapeutics targets the R&D departments of university hospitals, universities, pharmaceutical preparers, etc.
“We support establishments that wish to develop their own ink (gels/pastes, Editor’s note) but by 2026, we will be able to offer a global turnkey solution, very easy to use, with pharmaceutical cartridges containing active ingredients, plans the leader. With 3D printing on demand making it possible to adjust the dosage according to the patient, or even to combine different molecules into a single drug, we are convinced that in the future, everything can be customizable, including paracetamol. »
Address stock shortages
With its new generation of drugs, MB Therapeutics intends to play a key role in the pharmaceutical preparations market estimated at $15 million, with an annual growth rate of 7%. Especially in the sector, stock shortages are a major problem, compromising access to essential medicines for many patients.
“The majority of stock shortages observed are linked to a lack of finished products, assures Stéphane Roulon. By using 3D printing, pharmacy and hospital preparations can limit supply tensions or shortages. »
MB Therapeutics, which is currently recruiting three engineers, plans to build a production unit in 2026. To accelerate, the Montpellier deeptech might resort to fundraising from 2024.
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