Raposo González, RafaelaGonzález Burgos, Elena MaríaSerrano López, Dolores RemediosBrayan J. AnayaAytug KaraTirado, Diego F.Lalatsa, A.2025-05-092025-05-092025Anaya BJ, Kara A, Raposo R, Tirado DF, Lalatsa A, González-Burgos E, et al. Integration of 3D-printed micromixers and spray drying for pulmonary delivery of antimicrobial microparticles. International Journal of Pharmaceutics 2025;674:125493. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ijpharm.2025.125493.10.1016/j.ijpharm.2025.125493https://hdl.handle.net/20.500.14352/119954Trabajo de investigación parcialmente financiado por la Universidad Nacional de Colombia (project reference 58990).Pulmonary drug delivery is crucial for treating respiratory diseases, requiring precise particle engineering for optimal therapeutic efficacy. This study demonstrates a novel integration of 3D-printed microfluidic micromixers with spray drying technology to produce inhalable azithromycin (AZM) microparticles targeting lung delivery. The formulation demonstrated effective deep lung deposition at both 30 L/min and 60 L/min flow rates. At 30 L/ min, AZM-loaded microparticles achieved enhanced performance with 1.2-fold higher Fine Particle Fraction (FPF) < 5 µm and 1.4-fold higher FPF < 3 µm compared to 60 L/min. Microparticles (25 mg) can deliver an efficacious dose of AZM to the lung, exceeding the reported epidemiological cut-off for Haemophilus influenzae (4mg/L) by approximately five-fold while maintaining high human bronchial epithelial cell viability (> 94 %). The antibacterial efficacy against H. influenzae was confirmed, demonstrating the therapeutic potential against lung pathogens. The successful deep lung deposition at both air flow rates reflects the robustness of the formulation design, making it suitable for diverse patient populations with varying inspiratory capabilities, including children and elderly patients.engAttribution 4.0 Internationalhttp://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/journal articlehttps://doi.org/10.1016/j.ijpharm.2025.125493open access615.01/.03579615:54615.31Lung infectionMicroparticlesSpray drying Azithromycin Heparin Microfluidics Continuous manufacturingAzithromycinHeparin MicrofluidicsMicrofluidicsContinuous manufacturingFarmacología (Farmacia)Microbiología (Farmacia)Química farmaceútica3209 Farmacología3201.03 Microbiología Clínica