London-based BioOrbit has raised £9.8 million ($13.2 million) in seed funding to advance its approach to manufacturing pharmaceutical drugs in space. The round was co-led by LocalGlobe and Breega, with participation from Seedcamp, 7 percent, Type One, Auxxo, and angel investors. The company plans to use the funding to accelerate its transition from research to industrial deployment and secure contracted pharmaceutical programs.
BioOrbit’s platform centers on a proprietary microgravity crystallization process conducted in low-Earth orbit באמצעות its compact hardware system, BOX. Roughly the size of a microwave, the autonomous unit is designed to operate in space and transform protein-based drugs into highly ordered crystalline structures. According to the company, this process reduces drug viscosity, potentially enabling therapies traditionally administered intravenously to be reformulated into subcutaneous, self-injectable formats.
This capability could have implications for treatments such as oncology therapies, allowing certain drugs to be administered outside of hospital settings. The company also states that its platform may enable new drug formulations and extend the lifecycle of existing therapies by opening manufacturing pathways not feasible under Earth’s gravity conditions.
The broader pharmaceutical and space sectors are increasingly exploring microgravity as an environment for drug development. Research conducted aboard the International Space Station, including collaboration between NASA and Merck, has demonstrated how microgravity can influence protein crystal growth. This work contributed to the development of a subcutaneous version of pembrolizumab, an oncology therapy originally delivered via intravenous infusion.
"In-orbit manufacturing is a priority capability for this government, and BioOrbit – a company we have been proud to support – is a compelling example of what world-leading UK innovation looks like in practice," said Liz Lloyd, space minister of the UK. "By harnessing the unique environment of space to make pharmaceutical-grade materials, BioOrbit is not only advancing the UK's position at the forefront of the global space economy, but doing so in a way that could transform outcomes for cancer patients."
Other companies operating in this emerging segment include Varda Space Industries and SpacePharma, both of which are developing infrastructure for pharmaceutical research and production in microgravity environments.
Click here for the original news story.
