Simulations Plus, Inc, a leading provider of simulation and modelling software for pharmaceutical discovery and development, announces the release of GastroPlus Version 6.1, the latest version of its state-of-the-art software used by pharmaceutical research scientists for simulation of oral absorption, intravenous dosing, pharmacokinetics, and pharmacodynamics.
Dr Viera Lukacova, team leader for Simulations Plus’ Simulation Technologies, said, “This new version of GastroPlus incorporates both new types of analysis as well as numerous user convenience features suggested by our worldwide user community. The simulation capability has been expanded to include dosing to the oral cavity via lingual (top of the tongue), sublingual (under the tongue), and buccal (inside the cheek) routes of administration. As a result of suggestions from our users, we’ve also added a long list of convenience features that help both new and experienced users to avoid common mistakes, to provide flexible units for various input data, and to extend the output options in both graphics and text formats. Additionally, we’ve added a major improvement that affects certain low-solubility drugs by incorporating the distribution of bile salts in the intestinal tract for both fasted and fed conditions, and we’ve added the ability to estimate the improved solubility from nanoparticle formulations. Both of these solubility-related improvements provide dramatically better prediction of the dissolution rate and subsequent absorption of drugs that fall into these categories.”
Dr Lukacova continued, “Now that we’ve released 6.1, we’re hard at work on Version 7.0, which we’ll release early next year. That version will include a comprehensive drug-drug interaction capability as well as the ocular and nasal/pulmonary administration routes we’ve been developing under our funded collaborations with two top-five pharmaceutical companies.”
Walt Woltosz, chairman and CEO of Simulations Plus, added, “Most people are aware that nitroglycerin pills are placed under the tongue where they dissolve and are absorbed. There are a number of rapid-dissolving formulations and some lingual sprays on the market that are absorbed at least partially from the oral cavity, as well as some adhesive buccal patches that stick to the inside of the cheek and release drug slowly. Simulating these routes of administration extends the capabilities of GastroPlus into new areas with the potential of new customers in both drug and drug delivery companies. We attended the American Association of Pharmaceutical Scientists Annual Meeting and Exposition in Los Angeles two weeks ago and found that in several of the sessions, every speaker referenced GastroPlus as the tool used in the studies they were reporting. No competing product was mentioned more than a couple of times. The rapidly growing acceptance of simulation and modelling tools in the pharmaceutical industry is an established fact, and the number of presented podium presentations and scientific posters that reference GastroPlus at the largest pharmaceutical conference of the year illustrates the market dominance of our flagship product. At our annual Software Users’ Forum on Monday night of that week, we had the largest turnout in our history, with customers from the US, Europe, and Japan in attendance.”
Simulations Plus is a premier developer of groundbreaking drug discovery and development software, which is licensed to and used in the conduct of drug research by pharmaceutical, biotechnology, and drug delivery companies worldwide.