An introduction to quantitative systems pharmacology for chemical engineers

Abstract Quantitative systems pharmacology (QSP) is a discipline that integrates experimental and mathematical modelling practice to perform a variety of analysis in the pharmaceutical research and development space. As the pharma industry strives for leaner product development, reduction of time and costs, and the implementation of the personalized medicine ambition, modeling and simulation approaches are recognized as pivotal components to achieve these goals. Since there are notable similarities between chemical engineering modelling approaches and those of QSP, our aspiration for this chapter is setting the stage for further contribution by engineers in this space. To this end, we provide a concise overview of the various modelling applications currently employed across the pharmaceutical research and development value chain. We then focus on QSP, detailing specific research areas that benefit from its use, the relevant mathematical modelling techniques, and emphasizing its parallels with chemical engineering modelling. Finally, we illustrate two concrete examples of QSP applications in oncological drug development.