MECHANISTIC PHYSIOLOGICALLY BASED PHARMACOKINETIC MODELS IN DEVELOPMENT OF THERAPEUTIC MONOCLONAL ANTIBODIES

Physiologically based pharmacokinetic (PBPK) models, with integrating the structural, in silico, and in vitro physicochemical data of drugs and the physiological and anatomical features of the body, provide a realistic characterization of the systemic disposition of drugs. Therapeutic monoclonal antibodies (mAbs), as the fastest growing class of new therapeutic molecules, hold great promise for the treatment of a variety of diseases. This chapter first presents the background and history of PBPK models, and then details the principles and methods of PBPK modelling for mAbs. A number of factors should be particularly considered for antibodies in developing PBPK models: distribution space, extravasation, lymphatic distribution, and specific target binding. Then, the chapter discusses the challenges in PBPK modelling, by considering the physiological parameters, extravasation mechanisms, and FcRn function. The chapter also highlights two situations where the minimal PBPK model enacts target-mediated drug disposition (TMDD) in either plasma or interstitial space.