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ABOUT THE DDiC

Welcome to the Drug Delivery innovation Center

Embedded in , the Drug Delivery innovation Center (DDiC) is an open consortium that has brought together partners from academia and industry since 2017.

Embedded by , the Drug Delivery innovation Center (DDiC) is an open consortium that has brought together partners from academia and industry since 2017.

Embedded by , the Drug Delivery innovation Center (DDiC) is an open consortium that has brought together partners from academia and industry since 2017.

About the DDiC

Mission & Vision

Its network includes renowned academic chairs as well as pharmaceutical companies, equipment and excipient manufacturers, and service and software providers. By connecting basic research with industrial application in an integrated and interdisciplinary approach, DDiC creates a framework for application-oriented research, education, and talent development tailored to the needs of the pharmaceutical sector.

DDiC draws on established research platforms at Heinrich Heine University Düsseldorf, Technical University Dortmund, and INVITE to foster open innovation in international, multidisciplinary networks. A distinctive feature is the close cooperation between pharmaceutical sciences and process engineering, supporting the implementation of advanced formulation and manufacturing technologies for both low-molecular drugs and biopharmaceuticals. Through pre-competitive research, DDiC builds process understanding as a basis for predictive modelling, advanced process control, and data-driven pharmaceutical manufacturing.

Education is a central part of the consortium’s mission. DDiC offers doctoral training programs that address current challenges in the pharmaceutical industry with state-of-the-art scientific approaches, while supporting the Master’s programme in Industrial Pharmacy at HHU Düsseldorf. By translating science into innovations and technologies, DDiC aims to accelerate drug-delivery innovation and contribute to improvements in patients’ lives.

Research Clusters

The DDiC defines 9 research clusters that cover a broad spectrum of pharmaceutical science and technologies.

Low solubility / Poor bioavailability of oral drugs

Drug delivery forms for special patient groups / Personalized medicines

Continuous processing

Fundamental process understanding / PAT / Scalability

Models for predicting biopharmaceutical properties

Drug formulations for biomolecules (focus: mAbs and ADCs)

Nanomedicines / Nanotechnologies

Sustainability Research

Lab automation

Areas of Research

The DDiC addresses the most relevant challenges of the pharmaceutical industry.

Many promising medicines are difficult to develop because the active ingredient does not dissolve well, is not absorbed efficiently by the body, or is broken down before it can reach its target. This challenge is often described as poor bioavailability, meaning that only a limited amount of the medicine becomes available in the bloodstream or at the site where it needs to act. Researchers are therefore exploring advanced formulation approaches such as amorphous drug forms, nanoparticles, and even 3D-printed dosage forms to improve how medicines are released and absorbed. Drug delivery also needs to be adapted for special patient groups, especially children and older adults, who may require different doses, easier-to-swallow formulations, or delivery systems that account for age-related physiological differences.

Modern medicines increasingly include complex biological molecules such as proteins, peptides, antibodies, antibody-drug conjugates, and other highly specialized therapeutic formats. These biomolecules can be very effective but are often sensitive to temperature, mechanical stress, enzymes, and other conditions that may damage them before they reach their target. Developing suitable formulations is therefore essential to keep these medicines stable, active, and safe throughout manufacturing, storage, and use. New delivery technologies are also needed for cell-based and gene therapies, where the treatment may involve living cells or genetic material that must be protected and delivered in a precise and controlled way.

Pharmaceutical manufacturing must reliably produce medicines of consistent quality, from early laboratory development through to large-scale commercial production. One important challenge is down-scaling, where smaller laboratory or pilot-scale systems are designed to accurately represent larger manufacturing processes, helping researchers test and optimize production more efficiently. At the same time, the industry is increasingly exploring continuous processing, where medicines are produced in a more steady and automated flow rather than in separate batch steps. Advanced process understanding, including tools such as design space development, scalability studies, and process analytical technology, helps ensure that manufacturing processes are robust, controllable, and suitable for regulatory expectations.

Developing a medicine involves many complex decisions, from selecting the right formulation to predicting how a material will behave during processing and in the human body. Modeling and prediction approaches help researchers use scientific data, material properties, and computational tools to make these decisions more rational and efficient. For example, pharmaceutical material science and biopharmaceutical properties can support the design of formulations that improve stability, manufacturability, and absorption. Process models, simulations, and AI-assisted optimization can also help predict how a manufacturing process will perform during scale-up, reducing trial-and-error experiments and accelerating development.

The pharmaceutical industry faces growing pressure to reduce its environmental impact while continuing to deliver safe, effective, and high-quality medicines. Sustainable packaging is one important area, as pharmaceutical packaging must protect the product, meet strict regulatory requirements, and remain user-friendly, while also reducing waste and the use of non-renewable materials. Another major focus is green chemistry, which aims to design chemical processes that use fewer hazardous substances, generate less waste, and consume less energy or solvent. By integrating sustainability early in research, development, and manufacturing, pharmaceutical innovation can contribute not only to human health but also to broader environmental responsibility.

Pharmaceutical research and development increasingly rely on digital technologies, automation, and intelligent laboratory systems to improve speed, reproducibility, and data quality. Smart automation includes robotics that can perform repetitive or complex laboratory tasks, such as preparing samples, running experiments, or moving materials between instruments. Mobile lab robotics and AI-supported processes can help laboratories operate more flexibly and generate more consistent results, while freeing scientists to focus on interpretation and decision-making. Digitalized and connected lab infrastructure also makes it easier to collect, manage, and analyze experimental data, supporting more efficient and transparent research workflows.

BECOME A MEMBER

Welcome to the Drug Delivery innovation Center

Welcome to the Drug Delivery innovation Center

Welcome to the Drug Delivery innovation Center

Mission & Vision

Mission & Vision

Bridging Research and Industry+

Bridging Research and Industry+

Advancing Drug Delivery Innovation+

Advancing Drug Delivery Innovation+

Developing Talent, Improving Patient Lives+

Developing Talent, Improving Patient Lives+

Research Clusters

Research Clusters

Low solubility / Poor bioavailability of oral drugs

Drug delivery forms for special patient groups / Personalized medicines

Continuous processing

Fundamental process understanding / PAT / Scalability

Models for predicting biopharmaceutical properties

Drug formulations for biomolecules (focus: mAbs and ADCs)

Nanomedicines / Nanotechnologies

Sustainability Research

Lab automation

Areas of Research

Areas of Research

Drug Delivery & Poor Bioavailability+

Drug Delivery & Poor Bioavailability+

Drug Formulations for Biomolecules+

Drug Formulations for Biomolecules+

Process Engineering+

Process Engineering+

Modeling & Prediction+

Modeling & Prediction+

Sustainability Research+

Sustainability Research+

Smart Automation+

Smart Automation+

DDiC Partner Network