BioOrbit completes ISS mission for space-based cancer drug research

UK biotechnology startup BioOrbit has completed a mission to the International Space Station (ISS) to test the manufacturing of medicines in microgravity. The mission utilized the company’s Baby BOX-E pharmaceutical research platform, which was launched to the ISS via SpaceX in May.

During the six-week mission, BioOrbit produced what it describes as the largest-scale production of protein crystals in space to date. The company aims to leverage microgravity to create highly concentrated and uniform protein crystals that are difficult to manufacture on Earth. These crystals could lead to the development of injectable cancer therapies that are more stable and easier for patients to administer at home, potentially reducing drug administration costs by up to 90 percent.

The mission follows a £9.8 million seed funding round, noted by UK Research and Innovation as the largest investment secured by a startup focused on in-space pharmaceutical manufacturing. The protein crystals returned from the ISS will undergo further analysis to evaluate their potential for precise and scalable drug formulations.