SHANGHAI, Dec. 29, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- Drug Pharmacokinetics and Pharmacodynamics (PKPD) has become increasingly critical as drug discovery modalities continue to expand across a broader and more diverse therapeutic landscape. Viva Biotech has responded by building an integrated pharmacology platform that covers this end-to-end modality range, supporting programs from in vitro ADME assays through in vivo PK and efficacy studies. Adventures in DMPK: From Small Molecules and PROTACs to Peptides and Antibodies, the latest session in the Viva BioInsights webinar series, was presented by Dr. Justin Cui (Vice President of Pharmacology, Viva Biotech) and showcased these capabilities.
Dr. Cui emphasized that small molecules, PROTACs, and peptides roughly share a common ADME/PK logic: physicochemical profiling and metabolic stability (e.g., microsomes, hepatocytes, S9/UGT, whole blood/plasma), permeability/transport (MDCK/Caco-2), DDI risk (CYP inhibition), and tailored exploratory assays, followed by multispecies PK with formulation screening. The differentiator is not the checklist, but the decision framework applied to large program volumes-using exposure metrics (e.g., AUC) and half-life to support early compound triage and deprioritization when profiles fall below internal thresholds.
For peptide programs, Viva Biotech supports cross-species PK design (multiple routes such as SC/IV/IM) and comprehensive metabolite profiling (plasma, urine, bile, feces, tissues), with WinNonlin-based analysis used consistently across modalities. This consistent analytical framework enables comparison of peptide PK behavior alongside small-molecule programs.
Building on this ADME-PK foundation for small molecules and peptides, Viva applies modality-specific strategies to antibody programs, where FcRn biology becomes a central determinant of pharmacokinetic behavior. A central technical highlight was Viva Biotech's engineered hFcRn/B2M-MDCK Transwell system for antibody transcytosis, developed to generate a cell-based readout of FcRn-mediated transport and to enable time- and dose-dependent transcytosis measurements. Positioned as a cost- and time-efficient approach for in vitro PK screening, the assay supports evaluation of Fc-engineering variants such as YTE and LALA Fc, and Fc fusion proteins. Importantly, data presented in the webinar demonstrated a strong correlation between cell-based transcytosis readouts and published clinical antibody half-life data (Pearson r > 0.84), supporting its utility for early candidate ranking ahead of in vivo studies.
Beyond PK, the webinar highlighted how DMPK decisions become more actionable when paired with mechanistic bioassays. Viva Biotech's immunology in vitro portfolio covers immune-cell activation/differentiation and signaling assays, with platforms including multi-color flow cytometry, multiplex cytokine readouts, reporter assays, and Incucyte imaging systems. In vivo, Viva Biotech described tumor efficacy evaluation capabilities spanning syngeneic and CDX models, with ex vivo analyses supporting TIL assessment, pharmacodynamical biomarkers, and pathology readouts. Together, these approaches enable integrated evaluation of exposure, target engagement, and functional outcomes within disease-relevant contexts.
Viva Biotech brings over a decade of early drug discovery experience, with a comprehensive DMPK, pharmacology, and efficacy capabilities. In recent years, this foundation has been further strengthened through facility expansion and deeper integration of antibody PK with disease-focused studies across oncology, autoimmune, metabolic, and other therapeutic areas. In Dr. Cui's framing, Viva Biotech has established a comprehensive DMPK platform spanning multiple drug modalities, embedded within a one-stop service model that connects structure-based discovery with ADME, pharmacokinetics, pharmacology, toxicology, and IND filing-supporting more confident and data-driven development decisions throughout the preclinical stage.
For more information about Viva Biotech's Pharmacology & DMPK services, please visit: https://www.vivabiotech.com/cro/pharmacologydmpk
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