Using Bitter Taste Receptor Blockers to Improve the Palatability of Pediatric Medicines

Launched by MONELL CHEMICAL SENSES CENTER · Apr 14, 2025

Keywords

ClinConnect Summary

This clinical trial is looking at ways to make liquid medicines taste better, especially for children who often struggle with bad-tasting medications. Many young patients need to take liquid forms of medicine because they can't swallow pills, and if the medicine tastes bad, they might refuse to take it. The researchers will test different flavor ingredients by asking healthy adults, aged 18 to 60, to taste various liquid samples that contain active ingredients from medicines used to treat conditions like HIV and tuberculosis. Participants will taste these samples without swallowing them and then share their opinions on the taste.

To join the study, you need to be between 18 and 60 years old and generally healthy. This means you should not have certain health issues, like diabetes or liver problems, and you can't be currently pregnant or nursing. If you volunteer, you’ll need to make several visits to the Monell Center in Philadelphia for tasting sessions that last about 1 to 2 hours. During these visits, you’ll taste various samples and help the researchers understand which flavors might improve the taste of liquid medications for children.

Gender

ALL

Eligibility criteria

• Inclusion Criteria:
• • Between the ages of 18 and 60;
• • Generally healthy by self-report;
• • All races/ethnicities, both men and women;
• • Able to provide informed consent;
• • Able to attend repeated visits to Monell for sensory testing;
• • Willing to follow instructions (e.g., refrain from eating or drinking for at least 1 hour before sessions, willing to remain on site for one hour after tasting an API that the participant has never tasted before). -
• Exclusion Criteria:
• • Under 18 or over 60;
• • Pregnant, nursing, or plans to become pregnant;
• • Unable to provide consent (including limited ability to understand written and spoken English);
• • Tobacco, vape, marijuana, or tetrahydrocannabinol cartridge users. We will accept people who have used tobacco or marijuana products on occasion, but not regular users;
• • Known drug or food allergies of any kind;
• • Diabetes or other metabolic disorder;
• • Liver issues of any kind, including viral hepatitis;
• • Kidney issues of any kind;
• • Other chronic illness, including cardiovascular, neurological, immune disorders, or any other serious acute or chronic condition
• • Dentures or other major dental implants;
• • Condition affecting the oral cavity, including dry mouth, burning mouth syndrome, active sores or blisters, geographic tongue, or other disorders
• • Current infection or cold, flu, or infection with SARS-CoV-2 within the last four weeks;
• • Unable to taste or smell
• • Daily use, or use within the last four weeks, of either prescription or over-the-counter medications (except for birth control)
• • History of tuberculosis (including latent tuberculosis), positive skin or other tuberculosis test at any time in the past, birth in or residence in a country with high tuberculosis rates, known contact with someone who is tuberculosis positive
• • HIV infection