The ID-EPTRI project, coordinated by CVBF and funded within the H2020-INFRADEV-01-2017 programme, aims to create the framework for a new Research Infrastructure (RI) intended to enhance technology-driven paediatric research in drug discovery and early development phases to be translated into clinical research and paediatric use of medicines.
The project arises from the need to find answers to the serious lack of medicines for children in EU and worldwide and to propose development models for paediatric medicines that integrates technology-driven aspects with clinical trials. The interest for Paediatrics was indeed mentioned in the ESFRI Roadmap 2016 (http://www.esfri.eu/sites/default/files/20160309_ROADMAP_browsable.pdf) where it was recognised that a similar RI should be included in the landscape of the research in Europe.
EPTRI will be a complementary RI in the context of the existing RIs covering the current gaps in paediatric medicines. The new RI will represent a “paediatric common service” with three already established Research Infrastructures (BBMRI, EATRIS, ECRIN) to harness efficiency and delivery of paediatric research activities and services strengthening collaboration within the scientific paediatric community.
The final result of the project will be the Conceptual Design Report to realize EPTRI, the European Paediatric Translational Research Infrastructure, describing the scientific and technical requirements as well as the key components of the new RI.
The relevance of this new European research infrastructure is of undoubtable relevance for the patients and the patients’ organisations because it can lead to a dramatic improvement of the health conditions of children, also enhancing the paediatric patients’ involvement and empowerment. Two members of the Board of Greek Carers Network participated in the EPTRI Kick-off Meeting that was held in Rome on January 15th-16th, 2018. The active participation and the strong interest shown by more of the 100 participants at the meeting, has confirmed that the ID-EPTRI project can count on a collaborative and proficient partnership that could allow reaching all the challenging objectives foreseen towards the establishment of the European Paediatric Translational Research Infrastructure.
The Kick-off meeting was the first step reached in the ID-EPTRI project, and it represents the beginning of a common collaborative work.