Bayer Technology Services models drug transport in the liver

Bayer Technology Services (BTS) has said it will be modelling the active transport of drugs in the liver as part of QuantPro (Quantitative analysis for the description of dynamic processes in living systems), an initiative of the German Federal Ministry of Education and Research (BMBF).

The project has funds for three years and has been set up to provide "significant improvements" in predicting the effects of drugs, as they are metabolised by the body. It also seeks to develop concepts and instruments which will contribute to the individualisation of drug therapies.

BTS is working on the project in association with a consortium, including the Germen-based IonGate Biosciences, Cell Culture Service and the University Medical Centre Schleswig-Holstein at the University of Kiel.

Many of the main factors that influence transport within the liver are still unknown, so the central focus of the research initiative is to establish new assays which will enable identification of active transport processes within the liver, as well as further development systems biology computer models for the pharmacokinetics of active ingredients.

This project will use software tools developed by BTS: PK-Sim for physiology-based pharmacokinetics (PBPK) simulation; and MoBI for the simulation of pharmacodynamics on a molecular level.

The study will also focus on inter-individual differences which cause genetic variations in the liver's transporter genes. The consortium will leverage the experience gained in Kiel with the Popgen gene database, as well as BTS's knowledge of its PK-Sim PK-Pop module, which can already simulate the physiological variability of key population groups.

Jeorg Lippert, head of systems biology at BTS, said: "As part of the QuantPro initiative, we have established a top-class consortium. Together, we are investigating one of the areas critical to the success or failure of drug therapies. Our work aims to improve the quality of the predictions which influence both development decisions at the pharmaceutical research stage, and the choice of treatment made by clinicians."