Microdosing: the new pharmacokinetic paradigm?

Numerous market factors have converged to create a need for change in the drug development process. Public scrutiny, high failure rates for investigational agents, and concern about the use of animals in research, are just a few. In response, some changes in this process are being made. Microdosing--administering very small, radiolabeled doses of investigational agents to humans--is one change that has the potential to save time and money. It is used to elucidate the pharmacokinetic profile of agents. Not all experts agree that it will live up to its promise, but the potential is great.