Needle free medicines delivery technologies: Feasibility studies

To lead a project or work alone you must:

• be a UK registered business of any size
• be or involve at least one micro, small or medium-sized enterprise (SME)
• be an SME, if you are a sole applicant

More information on the different types of organisation can be found in our Funding rules.

We particularly encourage first time applicants to apply.

A business can only lead on one application but can be included as a collaborator in two further applications. If a business is not leading any application, it can collaborate in any number of applications.

An academic institution, charity, not for profit research and technology organisation (RTO) or public sector organisation can collaborate on any number of applications.

Your project must:

• have a total grant funding request between £50,000 and £100,000
• last between 6 and 12 months
• carry out all of its project work in the UK
• intend to exploit the results from or in the UK
• start by 1 July 2024
• end by 30 June 2025

The aim of this competition is to fund feasibility studies investigating technologies enabling needle free administration of medicines.

These include the development of novel formulation approaches and manufacturing technologies for the dosage form applicable to therapeutics, including complex medicines and vaccines.

Your project must demonstrate the potential to make improvements in terms of:

• patient experience
• reduced pressure on health care professionals
• improved environmental impact

Your project can focus on identifying, developing, and testing manufacturing methods for the formulation or administration methods for needle free delivery, of vaccines and medicines, including but not limited to:

• transdermal delivery
• mucosal delivery
• validation of delivery methods
• human health applications
• other delivery routes which lend themselves to needle free

We are not funding projects that are:

• focused on medicines discovery
• diagnostics
• animal health products
• consumer health products
• training
• validation facilities

Use of animals in research and innovation

Innovate UK expects and supports the provision and safeguarding of welfare standards for animals used in research and innovation, according to best practice and up to date guidance.

Applicants must ensure that all of the proposed work within projects, both that in the UK and internationally, will comply with the UKRI guidance on the use of animals in research and innovation.

Any projects selected for funding which involve animals will be asked to provide additional information on welfare and ethical considerations, as well as compliance with any relevant legislation as part of the project start-up process. This information will be reviewed before an award is made.

Innovate UK will hold an online briefing at 2pm on Friday 5 January 2024: click here for the joining link.

If you would like help to find a project partner, or advice as a first time funding applicant, contact Innovate UK KTN’s Health team.