Pharmaceutical companies develop cancer drug manufacturing in space

Pharmaceutical companies are running experiments to make cancer drugs in space. Scientists have found that gravity on Earth causes problems when making medicines. Heavy particles sink, and temperature differences move fluids around. This makes it hard to produce consistent drugs. In space, crystals grow more evenly and with fewer defects.

Merck tested its cancer drug Keytruda on the International Space Station in 2014 to study these effects. Now, a company called BioOrbit is working to build systems for producing biologic drugs in low Earth orbit. It has recently hired two senior leaders from Redwire to lead this work.

Experts believe the best model will involve making small batches in space, then copying those results on Earth, because large-scale orbital manufacturing costs too much.