UK startup launches drug crystallisation unit to International Space Station

A British startup launched a microwave-sized device on 15 May aboard a SpaceX rocket from Kennedy Space Center. The unit, called Box-E, is headed to the International Space Station to grow protein crystals under microgravity conditions. BioOrbit developed the technology at its London laboratories.

The crystals formed in orbit are expected to be more pure and stable than those produced on Earth, allowing concentrated drug formulations that can be stored in a refrigerator and self-injected.

Orbital testing phase The Box-E unit will remain in orbit for about six weeks.

Upon return, the crystals will be processed into medications that could replace lengthy intravenous infusions currently given in hospitals. Dr Katie King, co-founder and chief executive of BioOrbit, said the orbital tests represent a step toward large-scale production of protein crystals in space.

She noted that gravity interferes with crystallisation of large, flexible protein molecules used in antibody drugs.

Funding and partnerships BioOrbit raised £9.8 million last month from investors including LocalGlobe and Breega. The company also secured a £250,000 contract from the UK Space Agency in March. The startup plans to partner with pharmaceutical companies to produce the crystals at scale.

It has already received interest from several multinational firms in the UK and the US. King said it will take at least five years before any new formulations reach the market, as they must complete clinical trials and obtain regulatory approval.