Catalent and academia on quest to better understand pediatric drug formulation and delivery challeng

Goal of the collaboration is to identify therapies and diseases for which there is a high need for pediatric-friendly formulations.

The Catalent Applied Drug Delivery Institute has entered into a collaboration with the Department of Pharmacy Practice at Rutgers University, with a view to identify and address the specific challenges of pediatric formulation and drug delivery.

This collaboration will allow for research into the development and administration of medicines to children, including the prevalence of extemporaneous compounding of drug products for ease of administration to pediatric patients, and any safety and efficacy consequences. The goal of the collaboration is to identify therapies and diseases for which there is a high need for pediatric-friendly formulations, and to build awareness and advocate for targeted translational research to address the specific needs of this underserved patient group.

"Clinical experience has shown us that current pediatric drug formulations are often difficult to administer to children and increase the likelihood for a medication error when compared with adult formulations. There is a clear need for research in this area, to further elucidate the gaps in drug delivery for young children, and to improve therapeutic outcomes and the patient experience," commented Dr Rachel Meyers, Clinical Associate Professor in the Pharmacy Practice Department at the Ernest Mario School of Pharmacy, Rutgers University. "This continues to expand the academically productive relationship that exists between Catalent and the Ernest Mario School of Pharmacy," added Dr Joseph Barone, Dean and Professor II at the Ernest Mario School of Pharmacy.

"Through this exciting partnership, we will examine and highlight the unmet scientific, clinical, and patient needs, and look to develop a suitable pediatric-specific drug formulation toolkit to address them," added Dr. Cornell Stamoran, founder of the Catalent Applied Drug Delivery Institute and Catalent’s VP Strategy. "Most initiatives focus on individual new drugs or disease areas - we’re collaborating to identify a broad platform, founded on rigorous stakeholder insights, to establish a foundation for future pediatric drug development."