Value of virtual studies of drug-drug interactions

A new report to appear in the British Journal of Clinical Pharmacology shows how pharmaceutical companies can use modeling and simulation to predict clinically-significant drug-drug interactions before undertaking human studies. Scientists at Pfizer Global Research and Development, the Kent, UK-based unit of the global drug giant, used the Simcyp Simulator to predict the extent of drug-drug interactions for maraviroc, which is used in combination with other medications in the treatment of HIV.

The research group used the Simcyp Simulator, together with in vitro data, to predict in vivo outcomes. The results of this "virtual" study were then compared with observed clinical data. The simulations were found to be in good agreement with the clinical results, which led to the conclusion that validated models of drug-drug interactions within Simcyp allow for the prediction of other metabolic drug-drug interactions without the need for a clinical study.