Pharmacokinetics: Theory and Application in Drug Discovery and Development

Pharmacokinetics (PK) is the study of kinetics of drugs, following administration in the body, and includes the quantitative study of the physiological processes of absorption, distribution, metabolism and excretion (ADME). This chapter provides an introduction to these processes; specifically, we describe how ADME processes play a critical, often decision-making role in the discovery and development of new chemical entities as prospective drugs. It describes qualitative and quantitative aspects of these processes in a pragmatic style and shares current knowledge that enable one to appreciate principles and concepts of PK and contextualise its application in model informed drug development.