title: A4S: a user-friendly graphical tool for pharmacokinetic and pharmacodynamic (PK/PD) simulation.
abstract: Effective communication of PK/PD principles and results in a biomedical research environment remains a significant challenge which can result in lack of buy-in and engagement from scientists outside the modeling and simulation communities. In our view, one of the barriers in this area is a lack of user-friendly tools which allow "non experts" to use PK/PD models without the need to develop technical skills and expertise in advanced mathematical principles and specialist software. The costs of commercial software may also prevent large-scale distribution. One attempt to address this issue internally in our research organizations has resulted in the development of the A4S ("Accelera for Sandwich") software, which is a simple-to-use, menu-drive Matlab-based PK/PD simulator targeted at biomedical researchers with little PK/PD experience.
authors.affiliation: Pharmacokinetics and Modeling, Accelera S.r.l., Viale Pasteur 10, 20014 Nerviano (MI), Italy. massimiliano.germani@accelera.org
authors.forename: Massimiliano
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Germani
authors.forename: Francesca
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Del Bene
authors.forename: Maurizio
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Rocchetti
authors.forename: Piet H
authors.initials: PH
authors.lastname: Van Der Graaf
mesh_terms: D000042:Absorption; D000465:Algorithms; D003196:Computer Graphics; D003198:Computer Simulation; D015195:Drug Design; D004353:Drug Evaluation, Preclinical / Q000379:methods*; D006801:Humans; D016014:Linear Models; D009369:Neoplasms / Q000473:pathology*; D010599:Pharmacokinetics; D011381:Programming Languages; D012984:Software; D013269:Stochastic Processes