A collaborative pharmaceutical project focused on improving the pathway for developing paediatric formulations has been given the go-ahead after successfully securing an innovation grant.

The UK-wide consortium, led by Astra Zeneca, received a £660k grant from the UK's innovation agency, the Technology Strategy Board, to help fund a £1million project aimed at accelerating paediatric formulation development through smart design and predictive science.

The consortium is comprised of pharmaceutical analytical development specialist Molecular Profiles along with Pfizer, Bristol Myers Squibb, GlaxoSmithKline and academic institutions including University College London, University of Bath, University of Birmingham, Aston University and the Academy of Pharmaceutical Sciences (a not-for-profit organisation).

Paediatric formulation development is more complex than the associated adult medicines. In addition to considering the differences in physiology and anatomy, paediatric formulations must offer flexible dosing and provide effective taste-masking.

This project will address the need to improve the speed, cost and quality of paediatric formulation development by drawing on the combined expertise of the consortium members. The goal is to deliver a novel, commercially available, regulatory-approved platform to identify the most appropriate delivery strategy.