Development of a novel physiologically based biopharmaceutics modeling (PBBM) framework using the open systems pharmacology suite, part 2: in vivo pharmacokinetic modeling of vericiguat.

This manuscript introduces a novel, free and open-source physiologically based biopharmaceutics modeling (PBBM) workflow to support decision-making during oral drug product development. Developed within the Open Systems Pharmacology (OSP) framework, this workflow combines three open-source tools to predict in vivo absorption by integrating solubility, dissolution, and systemic pharmacokinetics. The PBBM workflow was successfully applied by 1) deriving solubility and dissolution parameters for vericiguat from in vitro experiments as detailed in the accompanying Part 1 publication (Vrenken et al., 2025); 2) then integrating these parameters into a physiologically based pharmacokinetic (PBPK) model. This model incorporates updates to luminal parameters, including pH and bile salt concentration, and employs a new dissolution model accounting for bile salt effects and hydrodynamics. Simulations of vericiguat pharmacokinetics in fasted, fed, and proton pump inhibitor (PPI)-treated states showed good agreement with observed clinical data. Further refinements that could enhance the PBBM workflow's capabilities were identified. However, the successful application to vericiguat highlights its potential for PBBM applications, including virtual bioequivalence assessments, formulation bridging, and dose selection. While validation across additional case studies is necessary, this free and open-source approach provides a robust foundation for advancing PBBM.