Certara announced that it has released version 16 of its Simcyp® Population-based Simulator. The Simcyp Simulator is the pharmaceutical industry’s most sophisticated platform for determining first-in-human dose selection, designing more efficient and effective clinical studies, evaluating new drug formulations, and predicting drug-drug interactions (DDIs) and pharmacokinetic (PK) outcomes in clinical populations. These include vulnerable populations such as pediatric patients, pregnant women, and patients with impaired organ function. Simcyp’s whole body simulation methodology can predict the PK and pharmacodynamics (PD) of small molecule and biological medicines using laboratory-derived data. The simulator includes a unique set of genetic, physiological and epidemiological databases that facilitate the simulation of virtual populations with different demographics and ethnicities. The Simcyp Simulator v16 offers several new features, including the following: Enhanced lung model – A mechanistic, multi-compartment granuloma model, consisting of macrophage, interstitial fluid, caseum and blood, has been added to the permeability-limited lung model. Development of this PK/PD model, which can predict how drugs will be dispersed in the lungs at different stages of tuberculosis (TB) infection, was partly supported by the Critical Path to TB Drug Regimens initiative. This model permits four drugs, with different dosing regimen, to be studied concurrently. This is especially important as the most common dosing regimen for TB uses four drugs. New dermal absorption model – This new multi-phase, multi-layer skin model, which is supported by an FDA GDUFAR grant, will enable the virtual bioequivalence assessment of two drug formulations such as cream versus gel or the same formulation type with a different pH, viscosity or base. The model takes into account a range of mechanisms that play an important role in dermal absorption, such as skin surface pH, dermal hydration, skin appendages, binding to keratin, and drug-physiology interactions. Additionally, the model is further being developed to identify drug dermal absorption responses in a range of new populations, including pediatric and geriatric, additional ethnic groups, and specific diseases. Enhanced GI transit model – The Simcyp Simulator’s ADAM (Advanced Dissolution Absorption Metabolism) model can now simulate a drug’s transit through the GI tract even more accurately using the new Segregated Transit Model. Certara has collected and analyzed the available data in the literature on transit times in the GI tract and small intestine and entered it into the simulator. PBPK enables improved understanding and decision making around the issue of drug absorption, supporting drug development, formulation optimization, and regulatory approval. Enhanced pediatric model – Users can now enter their own model for renal function and include the liver transporter’s ontogeny in this model. The pediatric biologics module also allows user-defined IgG catabolic and systemic clearance ontogeny profiles for large molecules. Simcyp’s pediatric module allows PK behavior to be modeled in neonates, infants and children. PBPK is now considered a key component of pediatric drug development, especially for infants and neonates. New Report Assistant – The new Simcyp Report Assistant streamlines reporting of PBPK analyses for regulatory submission or internal use. It compiles the appropriate PK/PD data and generates the necessary reports in Word automatically. In addition, the Simcyp Simulator parameter estimation and sensitivity analysis capabilities are extensively expanded and it now provides biologics models and a biologics database for its Monkey Simulator.