Rasmus Jansson-Löfmark

I lead the drug metabolism and pharmacokinetics (DMPK) department within cardiovascular, renal and metabolism (CVRM). Our work helps us to understand how new medicines will interact with the human body by assessing absorption, distribution, metabolism and excretion (ADME), pharmacokinetics and pharmacodynamics, and performing human dose prediction based on non-clinical data. Additionally, we identify metabolites that form from drugs in the body, quantify drug levels in pre-clinical experiments and assess drug-drug interaction risks. Our work spans the R&D pipeline, supporting projects from early ideas into the clinical phase. Part of my role is to ensure that we are always focused on the areas of greatest need and consistently produce high-quality data to support informed decision making, progression of the best candidates and alignment to regulatory standards.

For me, one of the most exciting developments in recent years has been microphysiological systems (MPSs) – laboratory models that replicate the functions of several different organs and allow them to interact in a way that is similar to how they behave in the body.

I joined AstraZeneca in 2009 direct from a PhD in pharmacokinetics-pharmacodynamics at the University of Gothenburg and have held several roles in DMPK. I love working in this area because it combines my desire to help people by developing effective medicines with my love for maths and physics, which we use extensively to be able to interpret data and eventually make detailed predictions about how medicines will act.