BioOrbit launches ISS mission to explore space-based cancer drug manufacturing

UK biotechnology start-up BioOrbit has completed a mission to the International Space Station (ISS) to test whether medicines manufactured in microgravity could lead to new forms of cancer treatment that patients can administer at home.

The mission comes alongside a £9.8 million seed funding round, which UK Research and Innovation said marks the largest investment secured by a start-up focused on in-space pharmaceutical manufacturing.

The public funding agency said the startup launched its Baby BOX-E pharmaceutical research platform to the ISS aboard a SpaceX mission in May. During the six-week mission, BioOrbit produced what it says is the largest-scale production of protein crystals in space to date.

BioOrbit believes microgravity can produce highly concentrated and uniform protein crystals that remain difficult to manufacture on Earth. The company says these crystals could support the development of injectable cancer therapies that replace intravenous treatments delivered in hospitals.

Founded by scientist Dr Katie King and oncology researcher Dr Leonor Teles, the company aims to use space-based manufacturing to create cancer therapies that are more concentrated, stable and easier to administer. BioOrbit estimates the approach could cut drug administration costs by up to 90 per cent while supporting growth in the antibody therapeutics market.

BioOrbit joined the European Space Agency Business Incubation Centre UK in 2023 through the Science and Technology Facilities Council’s DeepTech Catalyst programme. Since then, it has developed the systems needed to carry out pharmaceutical manufacturing experiments in orbit.

The company says the protein crystals returned from the ISS will undergo further analysis to determine whether they can support more precise and scalable drug formulations for future cancer therapies.

King, founder and chief executive of BioOrbit, said: “This mission marks the beginning of a new era in how medicines can be manufactured.

“By manufacturing therapies in microgravity, we can unlock formulations that have the potential to make cancer treatment more accessible, more effective and far easier for patients to receive.

“Our vision is simple: to help move cancer treatment from the hospital ward to the home.”