Bio in Space

Concept

Space provides a unique environment for biomanufacturing and research.

Longer Description

NASA’s own R&D in space has led to transmitters for monitoring fetus development, LED’s used in brain surgery, and digital imaging tech used in biopsy analysis.

Companies such as Novartis, Merck and Eli Lilly have contracted bio experiments in space since the 2000’s. Due to these experiments and several others, we have a clearer picture of the opportunities of life sciences in space. Findings from the experiments have shown that:

• Protein structure characterization works better in space as the formation of the crystal structure is slower leading to higher resolution images
• Cell cultures behave more like organs (by growing in 3D) and create opportunities for more predictively valid drug screening in space
• Biomanufacturing of complex films (such as retina replacements) work better in space than on earth due to homogenous solutions that aren’t possible in Earth’s gravity. [LambdaVision has even made the process completely autonomous with Space Tango CubeLabs hardware which is specifically designed for use on the International Space Station.]
• Space can serve as a way to model diseases such as osteoporosis and muscle atrophy since the lack of gravity leads to difficulty in retaining muscle and bone mass.

There could be many other interesting disease modeling, manufacturing, and research use-cases. As these expand there will be increased pressure on the ISS to have more room or even pushes to a public/private Biology Space Station (BSS). Cost is a major deterrent but in a future where space travel becomes significantly and lab automation becomes more commonplace, the age of bio in space will blossom.

Other Thoughts

• Lab automation of R&D processes (as opposed to CDMO/CMO) will be a bellwether for the field of autonomous labs, and may be where closed loop systems are implemented at scale, first. This is primarily due to personnel constraints of biologist astronauts.
• Companies such as Zero-G (which only fly in space and aren’t permanently stationed there) could be ways to conduct shorter term experiments for less money
• Partnerships with Blue Origin, SpaceX, and NASA are important signaling while space flights are still infrequent but will be less important as the industry commoditizes

Comparable Companies

• Space Tango - CubeLab - standardized hardware platform for R&D on the International Space Station
• Firefly Biotech - simulate microgravity on earth and molecular monitoring and remote diagnostic hardware
• Yuri Gravity - on earth microgravity and pods for space-based research
• Astrogenetix - access to a designated U.S. National Laboratory aboard the International Space Station for research, development and industrial bio-manufacturing processes
• M4PM (not for profit) - 3D Tumour, Organoid and Spheroid growth in microgravity to enable the development of space-based personalized Medicine
• Leap Biosystems - combine clinical medicine with innovation and disruptive technologies for human space exploration

Related Reading

• https://www.biopharmadive.com/news/outer-space-the-final-frontier-of-biopharma-rd/408522/
• https://spaceflow.org/index.php/contact/
• https://www.biospace.com/article/releases/front-range-biosciences-to-send-hemp-and-coffee-tissue-culture-samples-to-space-to-study-effects-of-microgravity/
• https://www.the-scientist.com/bio-business/pharma-looks-to-outer-space-to-boost-drug-rd--68183
• https://www.synbiobeta.com/read/space-lab-3-0-imagining-the-future-of-science-in-space
• https://techcrunch.com/2019/11/19/luna-is-a-new-kind-of-space-company-helping-biotech-find-its-footing-in-microgravity/