Project description
Reducing animal testing of supersaturating drug formulations
Many promising drug candidates fail due to poor dissolution and absorption in the body. Supersaturating formulations – those that enhance the bioavailability of poorly water-soluble drugs by creating stable, high-concentration solutions in the gut – are a promising solution. Predicting their performance in patients remains a challenge and currently relies heavily on animal studies and costly trial and error. With the support of the Marie Skłodowska-Curie Actions programme, the SUPRA-MED project aims to establish a validated decision-support tool to select the best in vitro methods to evaluate supersaturating formulations. The project will study advanced physicochemical characterisation and laboratory models together with advanced spectroscopy. Outcomes could accelerate drug development and reduce related animal use.
Objective
The central scientific objective of this project is to establish a mechanistic framework for predicting oral drug absorption from supersaturating formulations by developing a decision tree for rational in vitro method selection and validating robust in vitro–in vivo relationships. This approach will minimise reliance on animal studies, reduce the number of costly and time-consuming experimental iterations required during formulation optimisation, and ultimately accelerate the pathway from discovery to patient access.
Supersaturating formulations will be extensively characterised using a suite of advanced physicochemical and in vitro tools, ranging from dissolution–permeation assays with artificial barriers to physiologically relevant intestinal organoid cultures. Techniques including Dynamic Light Scattering, Polarised Light Microscopy, Fluorescence and Raman spectroscopy, and Broadband Acoustic Resonance Dissolution Spectroscopy will enable detailed characterisation of drug-rich colloidal species and their interactions with the intestinal epithelium. The outcome will be a decision tree guiding the rational selection of in vitro methods for evaluating supersaturating formulations, supported by mechanistic insights into LLPS and nano-crystal-mediated absorption. The developed methodologies & decision tree will be validated to TRL Level 6 during the industrial secondment.
The fellowship will be carried out in an intersectoral environment, bringing together leading academic and industrial partners with extensive experience in training, innovation, and translational science. The fellow will gain expertise in advanced in vitro methodologies, while also acquiring transferable skills in scientific writing, communication, and leadership. Secondments in the pharmaceutical industry will provide first-hand experience of product development pathways, IP management, and regulatory strategy, positioning the fellow for a future career at the interface of academia and industry.
Fields of science (EuroSciVoc)
CORDIS classifies projects with EuroSciVoc, a multilingual taxonomy of fields of science, through a semi-automatic process based on NLP techniques. See: The European Science Vocabulary.
This project's classification has been human-validated.
CORDIS classifies projects with EuroSciVoc, a multilingual taxonomy of fields of science, through a semi-automatic process based on NLP techniques. See: The European Science Vocabulary.
This project's classification has been human-validated.
Keywords
Project’s keywords as indicated by the project coordinator. Not to be confused with the EuroSciVoc taxonomy (Fields of science)
Project’s keywords as indicated by the project coordinator. Not to be confused with the EuroSciVoc taxonomy (Fields of science)
Programme(s)
Multi-annual funding programmes that define the EU’s priorities for research and innovation.
Multi-annual funding programmes that define the EU’s priorities for research and innovation.
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HORIZON.1.2 - Marie Skłodowska-Curie Actions (MSCA)
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Topic(s)
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Calls for proposals are divided into topics. A topic defines a specific subject or area for which applicants can submit proposals. The description of a topic comprises its specific scope and the expected impact of the funded project.
Funding Scheme
Funding scheme (or “Type of Action”) inside a programme with common features. It specifies: the scope of what is funded; the reimbursement rate; specific evaluation criteria to qualify for funding; and the use of simplified forms of costs like lump sums.
Funding scheme (or “Type of Action”) inside a programme with common features. It specifies: the scope of what is funded; the reimbursement rate; specific evaluation criteria to qualify for funding; and the use of simplified forms of costs like lump sums.
HORIZON-TMA-MSCA-PF-EF - HORIZON TMA MSCA Postdoctoral Fellowships - European Fellowships
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Call for proposal
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Procedure for inviting applicants to submit project proposals, with the aim of receiving EU funding.
(opens in new window) HORIZON-MSCA-2025-PF
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T12 YN60 Cork
Ireland
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