Skip to content

What is QSP Modeling?

Quantitative systems pharmacology (QSP) integrates traditional pharmacological modeling (e.g., PK/PD modeling) and mechanistic systems biology modeling (e.g., biochemical network modeling) to better understand how drugs interact with biological targets, affect biochemical pathways, and how biological systems and diseases respond to drug intervention. The resulting mathematical models can thus integrate knowledge and data on drug pharmacokinetics, drug mechanism-of-action (MoA), biological pathways, and disease processes to better understand drug effects and treatment potential.

QSP models are particularly useful for in silico hypothesis testing and prediction, supporting drug discovery and development decisions in areas such as target selection, dose optimization, and precision medicine.

The following diagram gives a reasonable overview of QSP models and an associated modeling workflow:

Figure 1 from Helmlinger et al. [Figure 1 of Helmlinger et al. 2019, Quantitative Systems Pharmacology: An Exemplar Model‐Building Workflow With Applications in Cardiovascular, Metabolic, and Oncology Drug Development, CPT Pharmacometrics Syst. Pharmacol., 8: 380-395 | reproduced here without modification under Creative Commons License]

This diagram shows a systems biology modeling workflow, which is also highly applicable to QSP modeling:

Figure 2 from Guimera et al. [Figure 2 of Guimera et al., Systems modelling ageing: from single senescent cells to simple multi-cellular models, Essays Biochem (2017) 61 (3): 369–377. | reproduced here without modification under CC BY License]


Learn More

External Resources on QSP: