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Photo: Willem Deenik
A total of 70 participants from all over the world attended the workshop, which was co-organised by colleagues from Radboudumc, the Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA), Malaria for Medicines Venture, University of Singapore, National Taiwan University, MORU, Certara and the Gates Foundation.
Hosted by MORU, the workshop showcased physiologically-based pharmacokinetic (PBPK) modelling, a technology that simulates how drugs behave in the body and adjusts doses based on physiological changes.
Despite medical advancements, many drugs still lack pregnancy-specific guidelines, risking the health of mothers and their unborn children. Similarly, children have historically been under-served in drug research. Hence, improved recommendations could grant safer access to medications like antimalarials, and antiretrovirals, ensuring better health outcomes for these underserved populations.
Breakout sessions involved use of Certara’s Simcyp Simulator software to model drug concentrations of different antiviral and antiparasitic drugs for breastfeeding or pregnant mothers and paediatric patients.
The event highlighted the importance of multi-stakeholder collaboration. Experts stressed that cooperation between governmental bodies, universities, the private sector, and NGOs is crucial for accelerating PBPK modelling adoption and integrating it into clinical practice and regulatory frameworks.
- Thank you, Joel Tarning and Misha Hussain, for text. Photo: Willem Deenik.