Inkjet dispensing technologies: recent advances for novel drug discovery.

INTRODUCTION: Inkjet-dispensing printing is a promising additive manufacturing method for pharmaceutical applications such as drug discovery. The unique advantages of this technology, including low cost, programmability, high resolution, high throughput, high speed, and biocompatibility, may reduce the financial resources needed to discover new drug candidates. Sophisticated and miniaturized assays have been developed to accomplish drug discovery and drug screening using modern inkjet dispensing printers. Areas covered: This paper reviews recent advancements in the field of inkjet printer technology for drug discovery. Various types of inkjet printers and their recent use for the drug discovery are summarized; physical and biological limitations of this technology are also examined. Furthermore, typical inks used in the inkjet printing technology are introduced. Expert opinion: Inkjet bioprinting technology is a promising tool for many biological and pharmaceutical applications. Several bottlenecks associated with this technology need to be addressed before commercialization. For example, sophisticated inks need to be synthesized to meet both biological and engineering restrictions. Further progress of parallel technologies will enhance the performance and functionality of the printers. It is also worth emphasizing that inkjet printing technologies must meet the requirement of regulatory agencies (e.g. the US Food & Drug Administration) for commercialization by the pharmaceutical industry.