The Potential Use of Piglets as Human Pediatric Surrogate for Preclinical Pharmacokinetic and Pharmacodynamic Drug Testing

Title:The Potential Use of Piglets as Human Pediatric Surrogate for Preclinical Pharmacokinetic and Pharmacodynamic Drug Testing

Volume: 22 Issue: 26

Author(s): Elke Gasthuys, Tim Vandecasteele, Pauline De Bruyne, Johan Vande Walle, Patrick De Backer, Pieter Cornillie, Mathias Devreese and Siska Croubels

Affiliation:

Keywords: Animal model, anatomy, drug design, ontogeny, pediatric, pharmacokinetic, physiology, piglet.

Abstract: Pediatric drug research is still substandard, not reaching the same quality level as adult drug research. Despite the efforts made by the Food and Drug Administration and European Medicines Agency to reduce off-label use in children, the lack of clinical studies involving the pediatric population still stands. Pharmacokinetic and pharmacodynamics studies (PK/PD) taking growth and maturation into account are necessary to rationalize dosing strategies in children. Currently, traditional animal models such as rats, mice, dogs and primates are used to conduct pharmacokinetic and pharmacodynamic studies, however age-related trials are rather uncommon. Moreover, these species have several shortcomings as animal models, such as a different physiology and anatomy of the gastrointestinal tract in dogs or the ethical aspects for the use of primates. In contrast, piglets might be potential biomedical pediatric animal models because of the good resemblance with humans, anatomically, physiologically and biochemically.

This review summarizes the comparative anatomy and physiology and postnatal development of piglets and infants, focusing on six major topics, namely growth, cardiovascular system, gastrointestinal tract, liver, kidney and integument. Furthermore, the application of piglets as animal model in pediatric PK/PD research is discussed.

Cite this article as:

Gasthuys Elke, Vandecasteele Tim, Bruyne De Pauline, Walle Vande Johan, Backer De Patrick, Cornillie Pieter, Devreese Mathias and Croubels Siska, The Potential Use of Piglets as Human Pediatric Surrogate for Preclinical Pharmacokinetic and Pharmacodynamic Drug Testing, Current Pharmaceutical Design 2016; 22 (26) . https://dx.doi.org/10.2174/1381612822666160303111031