Strategy advancements in placental pharmacokinetics: from in vitro experiments to in silico prediction

Research Overview

The placental barrier governs drug transport between mother and fetus and is central to assessing fetal exposure risk — yet because pregnant women are usually excluded from clinical trials, pharmacokinetic data on placental transport are scarce. In vitro experiments and in silico simulation are therefore the primary tools.

This systematic review evaluated cell monolayer models, ex vivo placental perfusion, organ-on-a-chip platforms, and model-based computational simulations, weighing the strengths, limitations, and future potential of each. The literature base included seven cell-model studies, 28 ex vivo perfusion studies, and six organ-on-a-chip studies, among others.