Advances in Pediatric Drug Formulation: Development, Characterization, and Preclinical/Clinical Evaluation

Pediatric drug formulation presents unique challenges due to the physiological and pharmacokinetic differences between children and adults. Despite notable progress, many pediatric medicines are still adapted from adult formulations, which can lead to suboptimal efficacy, dosing inaccuracies, and reduced adherence. Ensuring appropriate drug delivery, dosage precision, taste masking, and safety remains critical in pediatric drug formulation.

This Special Issue aims to showcase recent advancements in the development, characterization, and preclinical and clinical evaluation of pediatric formulations across various dosage forms, including liquid, solid, and semi-solid systems. We invite submissions focusing on innovative strategies for pediatric drug delivery, novel excipients, taste-masking approaches, stability considerations, and regulatory perspectives. Contributions addressing different pediatric age groups, from neonates to adolescents, are highly encouraged. Authors are invited to submit studies covering formulation design, in vitro and in vivo characterization, pharmacokinetic modeling, patient acceptability, and safety aspects, ultimately advancing pediatric therapeutics.

To gather further insights in pediatric drug formulation, we welcome articles addressing, but not limited to, the following themes:
• Novel liquid, solid, and semi-solid pediatric formulations
• Taste masking and palatability enhancement strategies
• Preclinical and clinical evaluations of pediatric medicines
• Biopharmaceutics and pharmacokinetics tailored to pediatric populations
• Regulatory insights and compliance guidelines pertinent to pediatric therapeutics
• Patient-centric drug design and personalized medicine approaches

This Special Issue is open to researchers from academia, industry, and regulatory bodies, providing a platform for the latest innovations and developments in pediatric formulation science. Our ultimate goal is to support the development of safe, effective, and age-appropriate pharmaceutical formulations for pediatric patients.

Article types and fees

This Special Issue accepts the following article types, unless otherwise specified in the Special Issue description:

• Brief Research Report
• Editorial
• Mini Review
• Original Research
• Perspective
• Review
• Systematic Review
• Technology and Code

Articles that are accepted for publication by our external editors following rigorous peer review incur a publishing fee charged to Authors, institutions, or funders.

Article types

This Special Issue accepts the following article types, unless otherwise specified in the Special Issue description:

• Brief Research Report
• Editorial
• Mini Review
• Original Research
• Perspective
• Review
• Systematic Review
• Technology and Code

Keywords: Pediatric formulations, liquid dosage forms, solid dosage forms, preclinical studies, clinical trials, biopharmaceutics