Reuters is reporting on developing technology that may help pharmaceutical manufacturers reduce the research cost and time currently required for the testing of new drugs.
New computing technologies which have developed "Virtual Man" (virtual physiological human or VPH) may be able to predict the effects of new drugs in pharmaceuticals' pipelines prior to clinical trials. It has been estimated that drug research time may be shortened by two thirds, the cost of clinical trials significantly decreased and productivity increased.
"Pharma needs a faster, more predictive way of testing molecules before they go into humans," said Steve Arlington of PricewaterhouseCooper, the consultancy that issued the report. In particular, the concept of a "virtual man" could evolve from linking emerging technologies, he said.
Computer-generated virtual models of various organs have been developed to simulate the effects of new drugs. Models of the heart, cell systems and other organs that simulate physiological effects have had impressive results. However, at this time drugs developed from testing on "Virtual Man" will still require testing on human patients prior to approval.
[Source: Reuters]
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