The problem
With their less developed immune systems, children are more vulnerable to disease. In many low- and middle-income countries, children are also less likely to be successfully treated for diseases and suffer worse health outcomes as a result. A major contributor to this is the lack of medicines that are adapted to their needs, meaning medicines may be bitter-tasting, difficult to swallow, or lack information on correct dosing. This makes it difficult for children to access appropriate treatment for diseases such as HIV, tuberculosis or malaria.
Our response
With Unitaid’s support, DelSiTech investigated ways to improve child treatment through the development of injectable medicine delivery methods that aimed to reduce the burden of tablets, improve treatment adherence and potentially even alleviate some of the stigma associated with certain diseases. The project studied the use of thin, minimally invasive needles to deliver a unique silica-based formulation via injection under the skin. It was hoped that the technology could be used to administer drugs that treat or prevent a wide range of conditions, while significantly extending the effective duration of a single dose of treatment. Though the technology development did not result in a new product candidate, the research yielded valuable results that serve to expand the evidence base and support future efforts to improve child medicine delivery.
DelSiTech was awarded funding through UnitaidExplore, a flexible funding mechanism for small projects with the potential to deliver transformative change.
Our partner
DelSiTech is an innovative drug delivery and development company that works with its partners to turn their active agents into novel and commercially attractive therapeutic drug products.
