Pharmacokinetics and Pharmacodynamics

Novel Anti-Infectives

HZI Campus

According to the World Health Organization (WHO), the global emergence of antibiotic resistance is one of the greatest threats to human health. In light of this, it is of utmost importance that new agents and target sites for drugs are identified. Once new lead compounds have been identified, the active agent’s pharmacological properties must be optimized for use in hospitals. The aim of the Pharmacokinetics and Pharmacodynamics Unit is to analyze the therapeutic efficacy and dosage of novel antibiotics.

The team PKPD is part of the department “Chemical Biology”.

Head

Dr Katharina Rox

Head of PK/PD

+49 531 6181-4409 E-Mail

Our Research

Schema about PK/PD modeling — Reprinted with permission from Rox et al., 2021, ACS Pharmacol. Transl. Sci.

Within the PK/PD unit, it is our aim to perform a preclinical characterization of novel anti-infectives. We aim to provide a positive impact on the development of these anti-infectives as medication for humans to combat infectious diseases. Thereby, the PK/PD unit complements the strategic goals of the Department of Chemical Biology with its pharmacological expertise.

We deploy standardized in vitro and in vivo methods to achieve our goals. For the in vitro methods, we use classical ADMET (adsorption, distribution, metabolism, excretion, toxicity) studies to determine if a compound is suited for further development or if additional (chemical) modifications are necessary to make a molecule more stable or safe. We focus on antibacterial, antiviral, antifungal and anti-parasitic drugs. Additionally, we characterize ‘pathoblocker’, compounds targeting virulence mechanisms and not the pathogen itself. Only after successful in vitro characterization, we proceed with in vivo studies. Hereby, we focus on pharmacokinetic and pharmacodynamics studies to evaluate the potential of a compound within a complex organism to become a drug to combat infectious diseases.

Additionally, we develop in silico methods, like physiologically-based pharmacokinetic/pharmacodynamics models, based on in vitro ADME and mechanistic studies as well as partially based on in vivo studies. It is our goal to predict pharmacokinetic behavior of compound classes or the efficacy of compounds in silico. Albeit this technology is still in its infancy, we thrive to develop these methods further to reduce in vivo testing by better predictive models further and to accelerate development of novel anti-infectives. Thereby, safe and efficacious drugs shall reach the patient much faster.

We are involved in project with the German Center for Infection (DZIF), in EU-projects (PanViPrep) as well as in projects with CARB-X and actively support them with our pharmacological expertise.