Mechanistic Modeling - a Means of Knowledge Management and Independent Decision Support in Drug Development

Efficient knowledge management and exploitation is a major challenge in pharmaceutical R&D programs. A lack of understanding of clinical consequences of already collected information may lead to biased decisions with high impact on attrition rates. Mechanistic computational models of biological, pharmacological and medical knowledge and data help to reveal inconsistencies between common assumptions and experimental evidence. They prevent erroneous investments into non-promising development candidates and help to select better drug candidates. Once established, mechanistic models accompany the whole R&D chain from discovery to approval as a powerful tool with high impact for back-up and follow-up programs and applications in the clinic after a drug's approval.