Biotech Values

[WorstLuck]

Hypothetically, If two drugs have the same exact efficacy but one has a half life twice as long, wouldn't you need more of the shorter half life drug to have the same effect? Assuming half life was linear, wouldn't you need exactly twice as much of the shorter half life drug? Even if the relationship is not linear would you not need more of the shorter half life basis?

The half life would affect how often to dose to achieve either a minimum level of the drug or a steady state at re-dosing. Doubling the dose would theoretically add one half life of time to the dosing schedule to maintain that level. Patient preferences are for 'convenient' dosing schedules so that's what they shoot for given tolerance and efficacy issues.

Also, not all drugs require that there be drug present (could already be eliminated) at the time of re-dose to be 'clinically effective'.


Here is some reading material that may be of interest
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3581066/