Conference report: a hitchhiker's guide to outsourcing ADME studies: the inside of outsourcing.

ABSTRACT

This report gives a summary of the key points raised during a roundtable discussion convened at the American Association of Pharmaceutical Scientists 2012 Annual Meeting and Exposition held in Chicago on 17 October 2012. The science of ADME continues to grow, as does the impact of these studies on drug development. Understanding ADME requires efforts from several scientific specialties. With reductions in pharmaceutical company R&D staff there has been a corresponding growth in CROs with the capabilities and expertise to perform ADME work. This roundtable explored the challenges inherent in understanding ADME and the issues that arise when ADME studies shift from in-house study directors to external scientists working within the business model of a CRO. Pharmaceutical industry scientists and procurement specialists can satisfy their expectations by awareness of the growing expertise within CROs and the need for open communication among all partners involved in outsourced work.