Drug-loaded 3D-printed magnetically guided pills for biomedical applications

Abstract

The traditional treatment of stomach cancer is based on a combination of surgery and chemo/radiotherapy leading to severe side effects and endless pain. The objective of this study is the development of 3D-printed drug-loaded magnetic pills with multifunctional behavior under external stimuli to be exploited for cancer therapy in hollow organs. Their construction was based on magnetic hydrogels combined with doxorubicin. Firstly, the printing fidelity was examined using two ratios of sodium alginate to carbopol (1 : 2 and 2 : 1) with two different concentrations (4 and 8 mg mL⁻¹) of magnetic nanoparticles. The rheological measurements confirmed the material printability for preparing a 3D-printed magnetic pill in both ratios. The 3D-printed magnetic pill demonstrated strong magnetic attraction when subjected to an externally applied magnetic field confirming its ability to be remote-controlled. Thus, the magnetic component of the pills could be used for their locomotion in a targeted area using a static magnetic field, thereby increasing the residence time in a specific area of the stomach. All the prepared pills retained their morphology and shape confirming their structural integrity within a simulated gastric fluid solution (pH = 1.2). 3D-printed drug loaded magnetic and non magnetic pills were measured by applying an AC magnetic field with an amplitude of 50 mT and a frequency of 375 kHz to examine their heating ability and, consequently, the drug release. In vitro drug release from the 3D-printed drug-loaded magnetic pill has demonstrated a faster drug release (within 24 hours) compared with the non-magnetic 3D-printed pill. This enables a significantly localized drug release, on-demand, into the targeted area. The primary benefit of these applications could be the reduction in drug dosage, thereby potentially minimizing the immediate side effects associated with chemotherapy.