The technology was developed by the Córdoba-based startup “Pill.ar,” which aims to simplify treatments and democratize access to personalized medicine.

‍

The Córdoba-based startup “Pill.ar” has developed a 3D printing method applied to medications, which was recently approved by the Ministry of Health of Córdoba for official production.

The innovation makes it possible to “redefine the pillbox and stop cutting tablets,” since treatments that previously required multiple pills can now be combined into a single capsule designed by doctors and personalized for each patient.

It is a computer-assisted multilayer 3D printing process, meaning an additive manufacturing system in which each layer is formulated, dosed, and printed independently.

“Different cartridges are used for different layers, and that ensures their independence. Sometimes there is more than one drug within the same layer because they are compatible and can be carried together, but otherwise, they are printed in separate layers,” explained Enzo Moriconi, CEO and co-founder of Pill.ar, to La Voz.

The system also allows treatment regimens to be divided into separate day and night capsules, and enables adjustments in safe microdoses without the need to split tablets.

‍

‍

The Pill.lab printer, the first prototype of the system, automates 75% of the production process and ensures precise dosing of the drugs in each capsule.

“Our technology allows for five times greater precision in small-scale production, commonly known as ‘compounded preparations’ and officinal medical products (PSO). It sets a completely new standard for the production of personalized medications in pharmacies,” Moriconi added.

“Additionally, it elevates the physician’s role in prescriptions, because many patients today consume over-the-counter or natural products without clinical supervision, which often interfere with the absorption of the drug,” the CEO warned.

‍

A new model

With this technology, the way medications are prescribed, produced, and consumed changes significantly, though it does not replace pharmacies, laboratories, or doctors.

The medication chain begins with a prescription from a medical professional familiar with the technology, who now has a digital prescription assistant called “Pia.”

This system allows complex treatment regimens to be designed simply and safely. It validates doses, interactions, therapeutic overlap, and pharmaceutical compatibility in real time.

“Instead of commercial brands or standard doses, the doctor prescribes the active ingredients all within the same capsule, or in a day or night capsule, depending on the therapeutic regimen chosen,” Moriconi explained.

‍

‍

The process is completed with production and dispensing: the patient sends the prescription to Pill.Ar, and the platform forwards it to an authorized pharmacy. The pharmacy produces the treatment in its own laboratory using the specialized printer, guided step by step by software, and then dispenses it directly to the patient.

“Pharmacies that previously encapsulated powders or prepared formulas manually can now produce personalized medications with industrial-level precision. However, the pharmacist only produces the medication if the formula meets all method protocols and the prescription complies with current regulations,” Moriconi explained.

The formulas are prepared using certified raw materials, meaning the same active ingredients used by the pharmaceutical industry but in their pure form and purchased from authorized drug suppliers.

“We are not creating new medications, but a new way of producing them that is safer, free of unnecessary preservatives, and tailored to each individual,” Moriconi added.

‍

Accessibility

The patient journey involves visiting the Pill.Ar website to submit their prescription. After that, the medication is quoted and payment is processed. The next step is to pick up the medication at the pharmacy where it was prepared.

Currently, there is only one pharmacy in the city of Córdoba with this technology, located in Alto Alberdi. It has the printer under a technology license to produce the medications.

Although it is not yet a mass method, the startup plans to expand the printers to more pharmacies in the city and also to other locations in the province and country. This expansion still requires obtaining local authorizations for the technology.

For now, Pill.Ar does not work with health insurance providers, so medications are paid for privately. “There are no agreements with health insurance yet, but there are pharmacies that recognize this type of prescription for reimbursement,” Moriconi commented.

‍

Next steps

The platform currently works with more than 30 active ingredients, such as melatonin, magnesium, riboflavin, dutasteride, coenzyme Q10, and vitamins C, D, and B12, among other drugs, as well as vitamins and nutraceuticals for treatments of migraine, anxiety, menopause, personalized supplementation, and nutritional deficiencies.

“Our next developments will focus on mental health, where the need for dose personalization and adjustment has clinical evidence. Our focus will be primarily on benzodiazepines and depression,” Moriconi stated.

‍

‍

He added: “With this technology, in these cases, it is possible to carry out treatments that doctors currently do not have the tools to execute, such as the gradual withdrawal of medications without patients experiencing adverse effects.”

Meanwhile, feedback from pharmacists and doctors using the technology has been positive. “For pharmacists, it is an improvement and optimization of production processes, and for doctors, it means healthier patients thanks to a tool that allows precise dosing and personalized treatments,” Moriconi concluded.

‍

Argentinian technology with global impact

Pill.ar’s method originated from a joint patent with Conicet and the National University of Córdoba (UNC), and today it has the backing of the SF500 fund and angel investors.

The company’s founders are Daniel Real (CTO), Santiago Palma (CSO), Enzo Moriconi (CEO), and Juan Pablo Real (COO), and its mission is “to simplify treatments, improve adherence, and democratize access to personalized medicine.”

The first 3D-printed medications are now being used at the Conci Carpinella Institute, by private doctors, and at the first pharmacy with special authorization to produce PSO using this type of technology.

‍

During 2026, they plan to expand their technology to pharmacies across the country. In parallel, their entry into Chile is progressing, where they are participating in Start-Up Chile. In Spain, they were invited by the Basque Government to evaluate adopting the method within healthcare systems.

“We are working to have our method recognized in Chile, Spain, and throughout Argentina before 2027, with the goal of surpassing one million personalized treatments in the next three years,” Moriconi stated.