Exploring the Final Frontier: Pharmaceutical Companies Sending Drugs into Space for Testing

Advancements in Space Exploration Enable Drug Testing in Orbit

Global warming has led to an increase in disease outbreaks, prompting countries to urgently develop drugs to combat pathogens. As the world grapples with an aging population, medicine has become indispensable in alleviating and treating various diseases. The National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine highlight the role of global warming in making these outbreaks more prevalent today, resulting in substantial investments in the pharmaceutical industry.

In addition to drug experiments conducted on Earth, several pharmaceutical companies are investing millions of dollars in testing drugs in outer space. One may wonder why they choose to conduct these experiments in an environment lacking oxygen and posing transportation challenges. However, space offers unique benefits that the Earth cannot provide.

Space: An Ideal Testing Environment?

The US National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) reveals valuable information regarding the advantages of space for drug testing. The state of weightlessness in space, particularly in satellite orbits, combined with increased radiation from the sun, enhances the effectiveness and efficiency of drugs produced. These factors have spurred the emergence of space startups, such as Varda Space Industries, aiming to capitalize on this opportunity to revolutionize drug testing in space.

Varda, in collaboration with German pharmaceutical company Merck, transports their experimental drugs into space for testing. The process involves storing the drugs in a capsule vehicle weighing 90 kilograms, which is then attached to the company’s satellite. SpaceX, a renowned space exploration company, facilitates the journey by launching the satellite into orbit. This enables the drugs to float around the world for days or months, while robots within the capsule conduct the necessary tests. Upon completion, the capsule detaches from the satellite and hurtles towards Earth at speeds exceeding 30,577 kilometers per hour. It safely lands on the ground with the aid of parachutes.

Trials, Risks, and Opportunities

The Varda company embarked on its first mission by successfully launching its vehicle into deep space on June 12, 2023, from the California launch center in the United States. However, a significant challenge lies in safely returning the vehicle to Earth. As the spacecraft re-enters the Earth’s atmosphere, the extreme heat poses a risk to the experimental drugs. Despite this uncertainty, Varda’s Chief Executive Officer, Will Bruey, remains optimistic, stating that returning the capsule to Earth is the simplest solution, albeit with less than a 90% chance of success.

Various other companies, including Space Pharma and MicroQuin, are actively researching drug testing in space. By investigating the behavior of drugs like Ritonavir, Paxlovid, and Pembrolizumab (Keytruda) in microgravity conditions, they have discovered increased absorption rates and enhanced effectiveness compared to Earth-based testing. However, these endeavors come with high costs, particularly when considering the experiments conducted on the International Space Station, which amount to approximately $7.5 million or 260 million baht.

Looking ahead, NASA plans to transfer the responsibilities of operating the International Space Station to private companies, marking a shift towards commercial liberalization. Although drug testing in space presents unique challenges and risks, its potential for more efficient and comprehensive experiments makes this progress worth careful monitoring.

References: National Academies, Varda, NASA, CNN, CNBC, The Guardian

Key Points

Global warming has made epidemics occur more easily and more frequently. Countries are now in a race against time to develop drugs to catch up with the pathogen. sending drugs into space for testing From drugs to treat ovarian cancer, breast cancer, brain injury, Parkinson’s disease and flu. drug experiments on the International Space Station until returning to Earth The total cost was about 7.5 million dollars or about 260 million baht.

after the world went through a pandemicCOVID 19 “medicine” is becoming more and more important to humans. As the world moves into an aging society medicine is indispensable. in alleviating and treating disease

According to the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering and Medicine, global warming has made disease outbreaks more common today. Many countries have to race against time to develop drugs to keep up with pathogens. leading to huge investment in the pharmaceutical business

In addition to the drug experiments that are carried out on Earth, Many pharmaceutical companies spend millions of dollars testing drugs “in space.” The question is, why would they invest to test it in outer space? which lacks oxygen and is difficult to transport

Space has things that the human world cannot offer.

US National Aeronautics and Space Administration or NASA revealing information that Because space is a state of weightlessness. or almost negligible if in satellite orbit and received more radiation from the sun than in the world environment in this way helping to make the drugs produced more effective and take less time

As a result, space startups were born. United States citizenship came up with the name “Varda Space Industries“Seizing this opportunity by opening a space trial drug business, the German pharmaceutical company Merck is also interested.

Transporting Varda’s drug into space for testing Starting from bringing the experimental drug stored in a capsule vehicle with a total weight of 90 kilograms, which is carried with the company’s satellite. Then use the carrier rocket service of SpaceX, a famous space exploration company. to send satellites up to float around the world in satellite orbit

– Varda capsule attached to a company satellite (Credit: Varda) –

When combining the capsule’s weight with the company’s satellite Varda Shipping up to around 300 kilograms and there is a shipping fee through the company. SpaceX less than $2 million

floating for days or months Robots in capsule ships controlled from Earth will test the drug instead of humans. and when it is time to return to the world the capsule will detach from the satellite. and descends to the Earth at a speed of more than 30,577 kilometers per hour Ready to throw off the parachute to land on the ground.

– The Varda capsule, once separated from the company’s satellite, fell to Earth (Credit: Varda) –

first trial to win with the risk

company trials Varda This is a first for the company. By launching the vehicle into deep space on June 12, 2023 from the launch center in California, United States, the results were successful. Experimental craft can float in satellite orbit.

However, Varda faces a challenge back to Earth. Because the spacecraft has to rub against the Earth’s atmosphere to become extremely hot. became concerned that Will the returned experimental pills remain in their original state?

“It might be less than a 90% chance of success, but it’s higher than a coin flip, and I think it’s the simplest solution,” said Will Bruey, Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of the Varda company

Bruey added that “Medicine testing services in space Although not as attractive as space tourism. But it will be a great business in the future. And we can profit from this business.”

Many companies are researching drugs in space.

for experimental drugs in the company’s first mission Varda It is investigating the HIV drug Ritonavir and the COVID-19 pill Paxlovid from US pharmaceutical giant Pfizer. when experimenting with growing protein crystals in space to make medicine They found that it was easily absorbed. and produce results that are more effective than on Earth.

Varda is fully invested in space drug testing. From the process of building a vehicle Until sending the vehicle into space, it is $ 40 million or about 1,400 million baht, and the company still has enough reserves for three more experiments in case the this experiment was successful.

In addition to drug trials on Varda capsule ships, trials oninternational space station (International Space Station), where the experimental drug belongs to the German pharmaceutical company Merck and the US pharmaceutical company, Bristol Myers Squibb. Conducting experiments by astronauts The experimental drugs, such as cancer drugs called Pembrolizumab (Keytruda)

– International Space Station (Credit: NASA) –

company Space Pharma is another drug research company in space conditions. SpacePharma CEO Yossi Yamin said, “This is no longer science fiction. last year we have successfully tested drugs in space. We’ve tried life-extending drugs and brain medicines.”

in addition MicroQuin biotech company sent the drug to be tested in space It has been tested since the drug to treat ovarian cancer, breast cancer, brain injury, Parkinson’s disease and the flu.

Although many pharmaceutical companies are turning to experimental drugs in space But it comes with a relatively high cost challenge. From experiments on the International Space Station to return to Earth. The total cost was about 7.5 million dollars or about 260 million baht.

in addition NASA announced that it would cease operation of the International Space Station in 2030 and force the station to Fall back to earth in a safe location. to transfer the burden of space from NASA to commercial liberalization to private companies instead which will be replaced by the private company Space Axiom space station company American Nationality

in short arising from developments in space Making interplanetary travel easier Pharmaceutical companies took advantage of this opportunity to send drugs to be tested in satellite orbit in space. with a weak gravity environment and near weightlessness This allows experiments to be more efficient and complete than on Earth.

However, this experiment was followed by a high cost. And there are risks that could arise during the process of launching drugs into space and landing on Earth. Therefore, this progress must be carefully monitored.

refer to: national academies, varda, nasa, cnn, cnbc, theguardian

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