Adaptability and aptitude for learning — essential traits for future pharmacometricians

Pharmacometrics, a relatively young discipline using model-based methods for drug development, plays a vital role in internal decision-making and health authority interactions. However, the demand for skilled pharmacometricians currently exceeds the supply provided by academic institutions. Elodie Plan and Mats Karlsson took part in a group of experts, assembled by Peter Bonate, to provide insights in a publication in the Journal of Pharmacokinetics and Pharmacodynamics.

“As an industry, we recognize that even with more specialized academic programs, the demand for pharmacometricians is increasing beyond the access due to the broadening scope of applications”, says Elodie Plan, Chief Business Development Officer, and one of the founders of Pharmetheus.

Until recently she herself was to some extent involved in a great deal of the recruitments at the company:

“Building a company is as much about competence as it is about character. The culture we cherish is one of continuous learning, and sharing of knowledge. The ability to grow will be facilitated by recruiting people with potential to do just that: grow their scope, be agile and adapt to new circumstances.”

Mats Karlsson, who was the world’s first ever professor in pharmacometrics, agrees:

“Our field has evolved tremendously, and with new technologies, we can evolve even faster. This requires a new mindset and an aptitude for increased complexity.”

Since first acknowledged in the 70’s, pharmacometrics has expanded its toolbox from population pharmacokinetic & pharmacodynamic modeling to physiological-based pharmacokinetics (PBPK) and quantitative system pharmacology (QSP). Data sources have expanded to include literature, real-world data/electronic health records, genomics and information from digital and wearable devices. This requires a certain level of standardization across academic institutions, a process just initiated:

“With this paper we wanted to raise awareness about the shortage in pharmacometric modelers, to start conversations with various stakeholders such as academia, pharmaceutical companies, regulatory agencies, and payers. By collaborating with different stakeholders, we can collectively shape adaptive training programs to meet the growing needs of the field”, says Mats Karlsson.

The Lumi building in the center of Uppsala is Pharmetheus new head office. The building is constructed using recycled materials and refurbished interior design.

Academic institutions are and will remain the main sector providing pharmacometric modelers with relevant education and training. The unique field of pharmacometrics attracts professionals from various quantitative backgrounds, ranging from pharmacists and clinicians to engineers and statisticians. It is essential to develop curricula that support the training of this diverse talent pool to equip them with the skills and tools necessary to further learn and build upon their educational background.

“But even with a strong education, mastering all the skills directly is nearly impossible. Reflecting on our entry into pharmacometrics after graduation, I believe maintaining the right mindset is crucial for leveraging our skills, facilitated by a lifelong learner attitude.”, says Elodie Plan.

Her current role at Pharmetheus as Chief Business Development Officer, and deputy CEO, allows her to focus on client needs, develop new services and to understand the competitors and the market.

“It is quite interesting, to go from research and service delivery as a consultant, to actually working with trying to match the skills and services we choose to develop at Pharmetheus, with the future needs of clients. It definitely requires other skillsets than I had 15 years ago, but at the same time, those skills serve as a crucial complement.”

The integration of increasingly sophisticated software tools and the potential of artificial intelligence is requiring new skills, and are offering new ways of working. It’s clear that there is a need for skilled users with specific technical know-how to navigate the wealth of tools effectively. But the importance of a solid scientific background remains: new and smarter modalities in companies’ pipelines, such as biologics and cell-based therapies are increasing. This means the ability of modeling to utilize new data, as well as leveraging prior knowledge, has expanded the scope of modeling activities to play a key role in decision making at every stage of drug development.

Dr. Elodie Plan finished her MBA studies from Stockholm School of Economics in 2024, and is now the Chief Business Development Officer at Pharmetheus.

“New modalities is a good example of how a fundamental knowledge, like familiarity with various modeling methods, their implementation in software, and their application in drug development is a definite strength for a pharmacometric researcher. But an equal strength is to be curious and keep developing methods for new applications, as each new development can require tweaking or adjusting to serve its purpose”, says Mats Karlsson.

His work at Uppsala University, where he has been teaching a great deal of many of the active pharmacometricians from all around the globe, has been rewarding to say the least. Teaching applied sciences like pharmacometrics requires not only a mastery over theoretical aspects, methodologies, and relevant software but also a deep understanding of how pharmacometrics is practically applied in drug development and usage. Unfortunately, in today’s pharmacy education, there is a low emphasis on the pharmaceutical industry behind dispensary pharmacy and clinical pharmacy. 

“Pharmetheus bridges this gap by sharing case-based experiences and investing in on-the-job training. A comprehensive onboarding program and ongoing learning sessions facilitate knowledge exchange among experts and inspire to learn more”, says Mats Karlsson. 

Last year, Prof. Mats Karlsson received the Uppsala University Innovation and Entrepreneurship Award for having “…successfully transformed the academic excellence of a world-unique research environment into a prominent and viable consulting company”.

Pharmacometrics is a team sport: The importance of other skills than purely technical, like communication, problem-solving, critical thinking and collaboration are of growing importance.

As a modeler, the ability to work efficiently within multidisciplinary teams alongside clinical pharmacologists, experimentalists, clinicians, pharmacists, statisticians, and others is crucial. Skills such as effective listening, interpretation, and a curious and problem-solving mindset are essential for success. Pharmacometricians must be adept at appropriately communicating the interpretation of quantitative approaches to inform diverse audiences. The communication of pharmacometrics data can play a decisive role in challenging situations, significantly influencing regulatory decisions. 

“We actually dedicated a few days together, the entire company, in real life, with a trained coach and speaker to train on how to communicate successfully, and we have since followed up with presentation technique training. And we will revisit this topic”, says Elodie Plan.

Recent development emphasizes the need for skilled pharmacometricians, such as the ICH M15 (Draft Guidance Principles for MIDD), and the plan to phase out animal testing for mAbs and other drugs. With the increasing adoption of Artificial Intelligence and use of Machine Learning in the pharmaceutical industry, the skill gap is likely to persist, or even increase in the future.

“This is why we decided to write this publication, to focus on where we are at and what can be done to ensure we meet the demand, and to understand the potential of the profession, the field, and ultimately to influence drug development”, says Mats Karlsson.

Interested in learning?

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