3D-Printing Drug Delivery Systems for the Treatment of Infectious Diseases: Current Advances and Future Perspectives

Background/Objectives: Infectious diseases remain a major burden on global public health, exacerbated by the serious threat of antimicrobial resistance and the limitations of conventional pharmaceutical formulations. This narrative review aims to analyze the current state of 3D printing technology in the development of drug delivery systems tailored to the treatment of infectious diseases, analyzing the main manufacturing techniques, the polymers used and the challenges associated with the design of customized or combined dosage forms, emphasizing its capabilities across various routes of administration, current challenges, and potential clinical prospects. Methods: A structured literature search was conducted in ScienceDirect, PubMed and Wiley for research articles published between 2020 and May 2026 using the terms “antibiotic” AND “3D printing” AND “drug delivery.” Retrieved articles were selected, filtered, and categorized according to their route of administration. Results: Additive manufacturing enables the tailoring of dosage form geometry, drug loading and release kinetics, promoting the development of formulations for personalized treatments of infectious diseases. The most frequently used technique in the analyzed studies was semi-solid extrusion, probably due to its compatibility with various biomaterials and thermolabile active pharmaceutical ingredients. Topical applications represent the most studied area in the retrieved results of the search, integrating multifunctional properties such as stimuli response and wound healing. 3D printing has also expanded delivery platforms for vaginal, ocular, and oral routes, although the evidence for these routes remains largely preclinical. Conclusions: The studies analyzed suggest that pharmaceutical 3D printing is evolving from a manufacturing tool for personalized dosage forms to an advanced platform for designing multifunctional therapeutic systems. Overcoming current regulatory, clinical validation, and manufacturing challenges will be crucial for translating these innovations into clinical practice for the treatment of infectious diseases.