Innovating pharmaceuticals with sustainable 3D printing for personalized healthcare

The pharmaceutical industry is a significant contributor to environmental degradation, with a carbon footprint surpassing even the automotive sector. Traditional drug manufacturing processes generate substantial waste and consume excessive energy, while the industry's one-size-fits-all approach fails to meet the growing demand for personalized treatments. The 3D-SustainDrugs project addresses the pressing need for sustainable practices in pharmaceutical manufacturing by developing a ground-breaking platform for the 3D printing of personalized drug delivery systems. This initiative inte-grates sustainability principles with advanced digital technologies, such as Fused Deposition Modelling (FDM), to optimize the production of non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs). The project targets significant challenges, including the high environmental footprint of pharmaceutical processes and the need for personalized treatments, aiming to reduce waste, energy consumption, and carbon emissions. By focusing on additive manufacturing, green processes, and circular economy principles, 3D-SustainDrugs redefines drug manufacturing to align with the goals of Industry 5.0. A key innovation of the project lies in the production of tailored 3D-printed drug forms, enabling precise dosage personalization and localized manufacturing, which significantly minimizes overproduction and logistical burdens. The project also emphasizes the use of biodegradable and recycla-ble materials, further enhancing sustainability. Through an interdisciplinary collaboration between academic institutions and industry leaders, 3D-SustainDrugs paves the way for a transformative shift in pharmaceutical pro-duction, fostering economic viability, environmental stewardship, and healthcare advancement. The work is funded within the framework of the “SUB1.1: Clusters of Research Excellence (CREs)” Programme of the National Recovery and Resilience Plan ‘Greece 2.0’, and co-financed by the Greek State and the European Union (project code: ΥΠ3ΤΑ-0560854).