Non-compartmental analysis (NCA) is a subdivision within pharmacokinetics (PK) that calculates PK parameters without deciding on a particular compartmental model and with minimal prior assumptions. qPharmetra has developed the open source R package qpNCA package. It performs all essential PK calculations and comes with a validation suite.
Unique for any NCA tool is the ability of qpNCA to correct for sampling time deviations and missing concentrations. Those imputations are both logged and visualized. Furthermore, the user can select the preferred LOQ substitution rule, AUC integration method and half-life calculation settings. The output of the package includes PK parameter datasets, regressions plots and summary sheets. Both extra- and intra-vascular (bolus/infusion) administration after single dose or at steady state are adequately processed. Comes with a user guide and full documentation of the equations used for calculating the PK parameters are described in separate document.
Winner features of qpNCA:
- Open source (free!)
- Fully documented and validated
- Automatic handling and documentation of sampling time deviations and missing concentrations
- A detailed log of all analysis steps, imputations
