Certara’s COVID-19 vaccine model can be used to investigate dose selection for different populations and determine optimal timing for second vaccine dose
PRINCETON, N.J.—February 5, 2021. Certara, the global leader in biosimulation, today announced that it has published a white paper on how biosimulation can be used to optimize the world’s limited supply of COVID-19 vaccines. The new white paper is available for download online.
Certara’s models allow researchers to study how a drug or biologic is handled by the human body in computer-generated, virtual patients. They enable virtual computer-based trials to be conducted that may be impractical or unethical to perform with real subjects due to a range of recruitment challenges such as age, concurrent diseases, or comedications.
As the pandemic rapidly escalated, Certara quickly adapted and extended one of its validated biosimulation models for COVID-19. That model is now being applied to critical questions around dosing variables, such as differences between the elderly and young people, optimal intervals between doses, mixing of vaccines, and antibody response.
“Speed is critical when it comes to COVID-19, and with biosimulation we can quickly answer many important questions that may be impractical or too time-consuming via traditional clinical trials,” Piet van der Graaf, Pharm.D., Ph.D., senior vice president of quantitative systems pharmacology at Certara. “We are seeing health experts and scientists around the world grapple with determining vaccination tactics. A biosimulation solution that can provide the intelligence needed to support this decision-making can play a critical role in driving optimal solutions to address this pandemic.”
The Certara COVID-19 vaccine model has replicated all published data on COVID-19 vaccines using virtual trials. In the white paper, Certara presents a hypothetical case suggesting that there is more optionality in the time interval between the first and second vaccine doses. The model can answer other key dosing questions, which is especially important as recruitment for ongoing clinical trials diminishes in some parts of the world.
This model is currently being used by several Certara partners to investigate COVID-19 vaccine dose selection for different populations and determine optimal timing for the second vaccine dose. Results from the model have already been submitted to a global regulatory agency to support clinical trial designs.
For more information about, please visit https://www.certara.com/services/quantitative-systems-pharmacology/.
About Certara
Certara accelerates medicines to patients using proprietary biosimulation software and technology to transform traditional drug discovery and development. Its clients include 1,600 global biopharmaceutical companies, leading academic institutions, and key regulatory agencies across 60 countries.
Certara Contact:
Jieun Choe
Chief Strategy and Marketing Officer
jieun.choe@certara.com
Media Contact:
Elizabeth Tang, Ph.D.
Finn Partners
elizabeth.tang@finnpartners.com