“Biopharmaceutics”is the research field to understand the mechanisms that
govern the drug movement inside the body after drugs are administered.
The pharmacokinetics (PK) of drugs in the body is determined by multiple
processes of so-called "ADME"; Absorption, Distribution, Metabolism,
and Excretion. In recent years, it has been elucidated that the ADME properties
of drugs are dominated not only by their simple physicochemical properties
but also by the functions of various PK-related molecules (metabolic enzymes,
transporters) in a drug-selective manner. In addition, the functions of
these molecules are modified by multiple intrinsic and extrinsic factors
such as genetic polymorphisms, drug-drug interactions and pathophysiological
conditions. Finally, various functional modifications of each function
results in the inter-individual differences in the pharmacokinetics of
drugs and subsequently their pharmacological/toxicological effects.
We are studying to clarify the factors controlling pharmacokinetics and their quantitative contributions, and to predict in vivo pharmacokinetics based on the results of in vitro experiments.
We are studying to clarify the factors controlling pharmacokinetics and their quantitative contributions, and to predict in vivo pharmacokinetics based on the results of in vitro experiments.