Fusion IP plc : Simcyp releases virtual Chinese patient population as China increases its dominance in the world pharmaceutical market

Sheffield, UK, 9th January 2012.  With China poised to become the world's third largest market for pharmaceuticals, Simcyp Limited today announces the addition of a virtual Chinese patient population to the portfolio of virtual human populations within the Simcyp Simulator - the industry's most sophisticated tool for the simulation of drug-drug interactions and pharmacokinetic outcomes.

The Chinese population library was initially developed in response to a request from a major pharmaceutical company who, like many of their peers, identifies China as a strategically important market.  The virtual Chinese population accounts for significant differences in the genetic and physiological determinants of drug disposition between Chinese and Caucasian patient groups.  Incorporation of these differences into the mathmatical models of drug metabolism and disposition within the Simcyp Simulator leads to a better estimation and understanding of those factors that may influence differences in drug response between ethnic groups.

Simcyp's virtual patient population libraries currently allow the simulation and the prediction of the fate of new and established medicines in healthy adults and children as well as patients with liver cirrhosis, renal impairment and obesity.  Ethnic differences in drug disposition between Japanese and North European Caucasian populations can also be studied.  Simulations conducted in whole populations, rather than an 'average' individual, provide more information about how a drug will fare in clinical trials and beyond.

Professor Amin Rostami, Director of Scientific Research and Development at Simcyp Limited, said: "This latest addition extends our existing Asian library designed for the Japanese population to the Chinese population which will facilitate bridging studies and will help in determining dosage changes required for Phase III trials in China.  Simcyp has strong links with researchers in Japan, Korea and China and we continue to integrate the latest information into the Simcyp Simulator to provide the most up-to-date tools for pharmaceutical research.  We hope, in the future, to extend our modelling and simulation capabilities to other Asian populations under the recommendation and guidance of the Symcyp Consortium."

Commenting on the development, Dr Steve Toon, Executive Director at Simcyp, said: "Like the majority of our pharmaceutical industry clients, Simcyp also sees China as a major territory for commercial growth.  The release of our virtual Chinese population and our Shanghai educational workshop in February signifies our intent to continue our expansion in this market."