The Role of Pharmacokinetics in Personalized Medicine

Abstract

Pharmacokinetics plays a crucial role in the advancement of personalized medicine by optimizing drug therapy based on individual patient characteristics. This review explores the fundamental principles of pharmacokinetics, including absorption, distribution, metabolism, and excretion (ADME), along with the factors influencing drug disposition. Genetic variability, particularly polymorphisms in drugmetabolizing enzymes such as CYP450 and UGTs, significantly affects drug response and toxicity, highlighting the importance of pharmacogenomics in personalized therapy.
Pharmacokinetic variations across different patient populations, including differences due to age, sex, ethnicity, and comorbidities, further necessitate individualized drug dosing strategies. Therapeutic drug monitoring (TDM) and pharmacokinetic-guided dosing have proven effective in various therapeutic areas, such as oncology, cardiology, and infectious diseases. Advances in artificial intelligence, machine learning, and bioinformatics are enhancing pharmacokinetic modeling and precision dosing, while biomarkers are emerging as valuable tools for predicting drug responses.
Despite these advancements, challenges remain in the clinical implementation of pharmacokinetics-based personalized therapy, including variability in drug response, high costs, and limited accessibility. Future research should focus on integrating pharmacokinetics with other omics technologies to enhance precision medicine. This review highlights the potential of pharmacokinetics in revolutionizing individualized drug therapy and improving patient outcomes.