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

The U.K.-wide consortium, led by AstraZeneca, received a $1.1 million grant from the U.K.’s innovation agency, the Technology Strategy Board, to help fund a $1.6 million project aimed at accelerating pediatric formulation development through smart design and predictive science.

The consortium is comprised of pharmaceutical analytical development specialist Molecular Profiles, Pfizer, Bristol-Myers Squibb, GlaxoSmithKline and academic institutions including University College London, University of Bath, University of Birmingham, Aston University and the nonprofit Academy of Pharmaceutical Sciences.

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

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

The government-backed Technology Strategy Board has awarded over $15.2 million to support 35 collaborative projects to advance the U.K.’s capabilities in formulated products. The funding allocated through the Formulated products—meeting the product and process design challenge was shared across 19 feasibility projects and 16 collaborative R&D projects. The initial funding was increased by 50% due to the strength of submissions.

Molecular Profiles works with pharmaceutical companies across the globe and specializes in advanced characterization, R&D, formulation development and clinical manufacturing services.