At first glance, SPRITAM looks like any other pill. But the drug, developed by pharmaceutical company Aprecia, is actually layers of powder laid down by a 3-D printer. Its approval this week (August 3) by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) for the treatment of epilepsy marks the first 3-D–printed drug to reach the US market, according to a company press release.
SPRITAM is a branded version of the generic anticonvulsant drug levetiracetam. The tablet is designed to dissolve more quickly in the human body than existing pills, and it can provide custom and uniform doses, as well as better taste-masking options, according to the company.
“By combining 3-D printing technology with a highly-prescribed epilepsy treatment, SPRITAM is designed to fill a need for patients who struggle with their current medication experience,” Aprecia CEO Don Wetherhold said in the release. “This is the first in a line of central nervous system products Aprecia plans to introduce as part of our commitment to transform the way patients experience taking medication.”
According to Forbes, SPRITAM could become available in the first quarter of 2016.
