Great demand for expertise in ADME profiling

2022-04-19

With high-quality ADME-profiling, UDOPP provides Sweden's pharmaceutical researchers the data to decide whether their molecules are ready for the next level. The platform has already paved the way for numerous high impact publications and new companies, but now the team identify future challenges.

(Image removed) UDOPP combines well-established technology with the latest research

Of the many millions of molecules that pharmaceutical researchers tests, very few make the entire journey to approved drug. The earlier the potential to actually reach the market can be determined, the more efficiently scientific resources can be used. To assist Swedish researchers in identifying candidates of optimal quality, Per Artursson, Professor at the Faculty of Pharmacy, launched UDOPP - Uppsala University Drug Optimization and Pharmaceutical Profiling Platform. Thirteen years later, the platform is one of the field's foremost with extensive demand for its services.

(Image removed) Pawel Baranczewski, Head, UDOPP

“We offer complete project support and preclinical profiling of potential drug candidates – with focus on absorption, distribution, metabolism and excretion (ADME) within the body. We perform screening using in vitro models and generate experimental data to determine solubility, permeability, plasma protein binding and metabolic stability of the substances, but also carry out more complex studies. We also provide expertise in optimising ADME properties as well as bringing the substance closer towards patient and treatment,” says Pawel Baranczewski, Head of the platform.

UDOPP is part of the SciLifeLab Drug Discovery and Development Platform (DDD) since 2014. This connection has meant increased focus on academic drug development, and today more than 90 percent of UDOPP's clients are researchers at Swedish universities. Every year, up to 15 projects are granted support at the platform, and it is a service that generates great value. To date, the operation have been central to both several high impact publications and in the founding of numerous successful companies.

(Image removed) Richard Svensson, Project manager, UDOPP

“Many Swedish research teams have cutting-edge knowledge in drug modeling, but without accurate data, the risks of costly miscalculations are significant. Since the early 1990s, our nation has lost important ground in the development and export of pharmaceuticals. At the same time, access to competence in ADME profiling is becoming increasingly limited, and for me the connection is obvious,” states Richard Svensson, Project Manager at UDOPP.

Today, few courses are given in ADME profiling, making the inflow of new competence virtually non-existent. The UDOPP-team personally trains new employees, offers guest lectures when time allows and has welcomed many – at least until the pandemic – degree workers. But despite the high level of ambitions, Pawel and Richard are clear that their efforts are not enough to cover the country's rapidly growing needs.

“There are discussions about creating a PhD course with focus on ADME profiling, which would likely give Swedish drug development completely new conditions. Meanwhile, we continue to expand and work within the framework of SciLifeLab and various EU projects. We also look forward to a central position in the future development in ADME, and are currently introducing assays with focus on biological drugs and oligonucleotides, where we will help Sweden's academics and industry to select the most promising drug candidates.”

FACTS UDOPP

Is a local platform at Uppsala University's Department of Pharmacy and a national ADME infrastructure within SciLifeLab DDD.
Provides support in ADME, bioanalysis and pharmacokinetics to academic researchers, biotechnology- and major pharmaceutical companies.
Contributes to drug discovery projects for small molecules, biological drugs, oligonucleotides and protein degraders.
Combines well-established technology with the latest research with regulatory quality to help preclinical projects optimise their series and generate drug candidates of the highest quality.
Adds value to all stages of pharmaceutical and ADME-related research. Thus, increasing the number of successful drug candidates with potential to reach the market.

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CONTACT

(Image removed) Pawel Baranczewski
Head, UDOPP
pawel.baranczewski@farmaci.uu.se

(Image removed) Richard Svensson
Project leader, UDOPP
richard.svensson@farmaci.uu.se

Text: Magnus Alsne, photo: Mikael Wallerstedt, UDOPP