The application of population pharmacokinetic analysis to large scale clinical efficacy trials

The application of population pharmacokinetics to the drug development process

Population pharmacokinetics is playing an increasing role in clinical drug development. An overview of the population approach, including software and the advantages and limitations of the approach compared to the traditional approach to pharmacokinetic studies, is given. This paper also documents how the area has evolved over the past 15 years and addresses some of the issues that have arisen over the design and conduct of population studies. Finally, some alternative applications of the population approach are given for areas other than clinical drug development.

Population pharmacokinetics/pharmacodynamics and individualized drug therapy

Drug concentration and effect vary among patients for any given dose. A goal of population pharmacokinetics (PK) and pharmacodynamics (PD) is to identify patient-specific factors such as weight, creatinine clearance, and age, and associate them with the observed PK/PD differences. Once associated with differences in concentration or response, these distinguishing factors may then be used to better individualize drug therapy. Studies of the population PK of teicoplanin and the population PK and PD of felodipine are summarized as examples of this approach.