The potential of in silico approaches to streamline drug development
This position paper highlights the potential of in silico medicine, using computational modelling and simulation to aid drug discovery, development, and delivery. It calls for adaptation of in silico technology to be a standard practice to complement in vivo and in vitro approaches in healthcare through a collaborative ecosystem of stakeholders.
The application of in silico methods before animal testing or clinical trials to obtain insights can inform decision making and thus optimise clinical trial design and patient safety. In silico methods have been suggested to complement traditional evidence with digital evidence and therefore to reduce time, cost, and environmental footprint of the regulatory approval process. However, the impact of in silico methods in regulatory decision-making and post-market surveillance remains limited. There is a strong need to develop industrial infrastructure and regulatory framework to actively incorporate CM&Sto foster medical innovation and overcome current socio-economic and technological barriers in the drug development process. We invite all the stakeholders to join arms to promote adequate use of these methods.
