#Pediatric Care #Netherlands #Amsterdam #IBD #Critical Path

C-Path's New Initiative for Pediatric IBD

On October 16, 2025, the Critical Path Institute (C-Path) announced the establishment of the Critical Path Disease Modeling Coalition (CP-DMC), a groundbreaking initiative aimed at improving the lives of children affected by inflammatory bowel disease (IBD). Based in Amsterdam, the CP-DMC seeks to accelerate the development and evaluation of treatments for pediatric Crohn's disease and ulcerative colitis through innovative regulatory-compliant quantitative models.

This initiative is a collaborative effort involving public and private stakeholders, bringing together specialists from various fields to create efficient, robust models that represent the complex nature of these diseases. It was initiated in partnership with leading experts from the European Society for Pediatric Gastroenterology, Hepatology, and Nutrition (ESPGHAN), among them Professor Lissy de Ridder, M.D., Ph.D., who is the head of pediatric medicine at Leiden University Medical Center in Geneva. This project aims to harness clinical insights, data science, and regulatory expertise to formulate actionable simulation models that can be applied broadly across drug development programs.

The CP-DMC will launch with Quinten Health as a founding partner specializing in artificial intelligence and disease modeling. It will work alongside C-Path's Quantitative Medicine Program and Data Collaboration Center, creating a comprehensive framework that integrates clinical trials with real-world data to enhance the accuracy and usability of these models. Cécile Ollivier, Vice President of Global Affairs at C-Path and leader of the CP-DMC, expressed that this initiative represents a pivotal moment in developing therapies for children with chronic inflammatory conditions. "By assembling regulatory bodies, clinicians, industry experts, and patients in a global collaborative effort, we can create tools that mirror the genuine complexity of pediatric IBD and expedite needed innovations," she said.

The coalition's models will convert extensive longitudinal datasets into quantifiable descriptions of disease progression, treatment responses, and variability in pediatric populations. These models are designed to support regulatory applications and optimize clinical studies, thereby providing a reusable platform that mitigates patient burden while strengthening evidence generation across all programs.

Professor de Ridder remarked, "This initiative presents a significant opportunity to align data, expertise, and regulatory science to bridge the gap in pediatric drug development for IBD." The CP-DMC is intended to serve as a proof-of-concept for a broader Disease Modeling Coalition platform. Following successful pilot projects, it plans to expand its reach to include multiple indications, maintaining a structure that emphasizes sustainability, regulatory impact, and patient relevance.

Dr. Alan Moss, Chief Scientific Officer of the Crohn's & Colitis Foundation, stated, "The Foundation is eager to contribute its expertise to this coalition, aiming to accelerate the approval of novel therapies for children with IBD globally." C-Path invites industry partners and data custodians to express their interest in contributing datasets and joining this critical initiative.

C-Path, founded in 2005, is an independent nonprofit organization committed to fostering collaborations that enable better treatment solutions for patients worldwide. It has spearheaded numerous international consortia and initiatives, involving more than 1,600 scientists and representatives from regulatory agencies, academic institutions, patient groups, disease foundations, and pharmaceutical and biotech companies. The global headquarters is based in Tucson, Arizona, with a European office situated in Amsterdam.

For more information about this initiative and to express interest, please contact [email protected].