Application
ADME/DMPK
In drug development, Absorption, Distribution, Metabolism, and Excretion (ADME) and Drug Metabolism and Pharmacokinetics (DMPK) are critical for understanding how drug products interact with the body to ensure their efficacy and safety.
ADME explains the journey of a drug through the body: absorption into the bloodstream, distribution to tissues, metabolism into active or inactive compounds, and excretion.
DMPK expands on ADME by analyzing detailed metabolic pathways, tracking drug movement, and evaluating drug-drug interactions and safety profiles, all of which guide optimal dosing and regulatory approval.
ADME Concepts in detail
- Absorption: How the drug enters the bloodstream, for example, through the gastrointestinal tract.
- Distribution: How the drug is transported throughout the body to reach its intended site of action.
- Metabolism: How the drug is chemically modified in the body, primarily by enzymes in the liver.
- Excretion: How the drug and its metabolites are eliminated, among others, through urine and feces.
How Hamilton supports your ADME/DMPK workflows
ADME and DMPK studies have traditionally relied heavily on analytical chemistry techniques, such as Liquid Chromatography-Mass Spectrometry (LC-MS), to quantify drug concentrations and metabolites in biological samples.
Hamilton offers a variety of automated liquid handling solutions that can be customized to automate ADME/DMPK studies. These include precise and reproducible sample preparation methods before LC-MS analysis. The same instrument can be used to run multiple assay types, such as plasma protein binding, hepatocyte metabolic stability, and partition coefficient studies.
Moreover, we offer automation solutions with low-volume capabilities and standardized solutions or assay-ready workstations for genomic applications, pre-analytics, and primary sample processing. For laboratories conducting manual workflows, Hamilton’s portfolio includes fixed and adjustable-volume manual pipettes, enabling accurate and efficient liquid handling.
Explore Our ADME/DMPK Solutions and Applications in Detail
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The Hamilton Microlab Prep is an affordable liquid handler perfect for automating workflows. This entry-level liquid handler supports automated PCR setup and serial dilution.
Assay Ready Workstations
NGS STAR Line
Hamilton NGS STAR helps streamline next-generation sequencing in labs. Achieve full NGS automation for library prep, optimized for NGS assays and genome sequencing. Enhance efficiency, precision, and reliability in your workflows. Explore the Hamilton NGS STAR for seamless sequencing today!
Assay Ready Workstations
NGS STARlet
Compact and efficient, the entry-level NGS STARlet from Hamilton includes all the devices you need to automate sequencing library preparation of up to 24 samples at once with detailed precision, accuracy, and reliability.
Assay Ready Workstations
NGS STAR V
Automate NGS library preparation with the Hamilton NGS STAR V Assay Ready Workstation—optimized for demanding high-throughput genomic research.
The Hamilton Microlab STAR is a reliable and versatile automated liquid handling platform. With advanced features like multi-probe heads, pipetting technologies, and VENUS software, this premier liquid handling system fits your laboratory needs. Revolutionize your workflows with the STAR today!
Hamilton STAR V, a cutting-edge liquid handling robot, unites Microlab STAR flexibility with Microlab VANTAGE high-performance capabilities to boost efficiency. The Microlab STAR V offers speed, precision, and technology for automated liquid handling. Upgrade your lab—explore the Microlab STAR V!
Hamilton VANTAGE 2.0 is a cutting-edge liquid handling system with automated precision. Optimize workflows with the VANTAGE robot, all while boosting performance, safeguarding samples, and maximizing walk-away time. Discover the Hamilton VANTAGE liquid handler for your current & future needs.
Automated workstation
BIOSPOT® Workstation
Specializes in microplate applications, achieving unparalleled accuracy in dispensing nanoliter volumes or compound screening and assay miniaturization.
Good to Know About ADME/DMPK Workflows
This section provides a selection of additional resources related to the application described on this page. It includes helpful articles, videos, and blogs that offer deeper insights into the topic.
Useful Links
External resources not written by Hamilton but valuable for understanding the topic, such as industry guidelines, explanatory videos, or relevant tools.
| Everything you need to know about Adme - Cyprotex | Read Guide |
Hamilton Products in Action
A collection of videos showcasing Hamilton products in use, providing practical insights into their functionality and benefits.
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Solutions for the Top 3 Challenges for ADME/DMPK Workflows
Complex Sample Handling
Challenge: Handling dozens of samples with varying characteristics, such as different volumes, dilutions, or quenching times, is error-prone and time-consuming.
Solution: Hamilton liquid handlers can process individual sample requirements via Excel-driven worklists. This ensures consistent, reproducible results and enables efficient scaling of experiments.
Precise Timepoint Harvesting
Challenge: Harvesting timepoints with short intervals between samples poses a challenge for manual workflows, as it risks delays that compromise data accuracy.
Solution: Hamilton automated liquid handlers enable high-throughput sampling with precise timing, allowing researchers to collect data at more time points without sacrificing accuracy.
Low-Volume Dispensing and Miniaturized Assays
Challenge: Miniaturization of assays requires accurate, low-volume dispensing to conserve reagents and reduce sample consumption, a common challenge for manual workflows.
Solution: Hamilton offers a dedicated liquid handler for low-volume, non-contact dispensing that can dispense as low as two nL. Moreover, the Microlab STAR, STAR V, and VANTAGE platforms can be equipped with our MagPip channels, enabling precise jet dispensing down to 750 nanoliters, ensuring reliable performance for low-volume assays.
Are ADME and DMPK the same?
ADME refers to the processes a drug undergoes after administration. ADME studies focus on understanding drug pharmacokinetics (PK)—how drugs move to the body over time—to optimize dosing, enhance efficacy, and minimize side effects.
DMPK expands on ADME by exploring additional studies to dive deeper into aspects such as the study of metabolism pathways and toxicological implications. DMPK ensures that drugs are safe, effective, and behave predictably in both humans and animals. This critical discipline supports regulatory approval and the development of accurate dosing regimens.
What is the difference between Pharmacokinetics and Pharmacodynamics?
PK examines how the body absorbs, distributes, metabolizes, and excretes a drug (ADME). It focuses on the time course of drug concentrations in the bloodstream and tissues. Pharmacodynamics (PD) explores how a drug affects the body, analyzing its mechanisms of action, biological effects, and the relationship between drug concentration and effect.
In simple terms, PK describes what the body does to the drug, while PD explains what the drug does to the body.
What are the Main Pharmacokinetic Parameters Measured in ADME and DMPK Studies?
- Cmax: Maximum plasma concentration of the drug after administration.
- Tmax: Time to reach Cmax.
- Bioavailability (F): Fraction of the administered dose that enters systemic circulation.
- Ka: Absorption rate constant, describing the speed at which a drug is absorbed.
- Volume of Distribution (Vd): Theoretical volume indicating how extensively the drug reaches and distributes into tissues relative to the plasma.
- Protein binding: Percentage of the drug bound to plasma proteins, which affects its free (active) action and concentration time.
- Clearance (CL): Rate at which the drug is removed from the plasma, including metabolism and excretion.
- Intrinsic Clearance: The Liver’s metabolic efficiency without the influence of blood flow.
- Metabolite identification: Identifying and quantifying the chemical byproducts of drug metabolism.
- Renal clearance: Portion of clearance attributed to the kidneys.
Biliary clearance: Portion of clearance through the bile. - Half-Life (t½): Time required for the plasma concentration to decrease by 50%.
- Excretion rate: The amount of drug or metabolite excreted over time.
Pharmacokinetics (PK)-related:
- Area Under the Curve (AUC): Total drug exposure over time.
- Steady-State Concentration (Css): Plasma drug level when input and elimination are balanced, which is an important parameter to determine for repeated dosing.
- Trough and peak levels: Minimum and maximum concentrations achieved during a dosing interval.
Drug-Drug Interaction (DDI) Parameters:
- Impact of co-administered drugs: Effects on metabolism, such as inhibition or induction of cytochrome P450 enzyme systems.
Toxicokinetics (TK):
- No Observed Adverse Effect Level (NOAEL): The highest dose at which no observable toxic effects occur.
Minimum Anticipated Biological Effect Level (MABEL): The lowest dose expected to show biological activity.
Special Population Studies:
- Genetic, physiological, or disease-related factors: including CYP450 polymorphisms and hepatic/renal impairment.
ADME/DMPK Case Studies and Application Notes
Other ADME/DMPK Resources
Browse app notes, user guides, specification documents, and more in our Knowledge Center.
Browse app notes, user guides, specification documents, and more in our Knowledge Center.
Browse app notes, user guides, specification documents, and more in our Knowledge Center.
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