Pros and cons of methods used for the prediction of oral drug absorption.

Oral drug administration can be problematic owing to the specific physicochemical characteristics of new chemical entities. Assessment of the possibility of a new active compound to be administered orally, as well as of the requirements for a successful oral administration (type of dosage form, dosing conditions), constitute a substantial burden during the drug-discovery and drug-development process. Throughout drug development, in silico, in vitro, in vivo and integrated dynamic models play an important role for the decision making in absorption-related issues. In this review, the most common methods used for the prediction of oral drug absorption as a stage development approach are discussed.