This startup wants to make drugs in orbit. If it succeeds, it could transform the space economy

Varda Space Industries is developing automated in-orbit experimentation capabilities for microgravity drug research. The company sends capsules into space to manipulate small molecules, aiming to create novel crystal seeds that can be grown into larger, more perfect, and more uniform crystals than those achievable on Earth. Varda’s technology is designed to support economical small-molecule development by producing crystal forms in space and returning them to Earth for further use. United Therapeutics will primarily test its small molecule drugs using Varda’s in-orbit technologies. Varda expects broader applications beyond small molecules, including biotechnologies such as monoclonal antibodies, potentially enabling more convenient subcutaneous administration.

"United Therapeutics will primarily test its small molecule drugs with Varda's in-orbit technologies, Reilly says. But he believes that applications will expand beyond United Therapeutics' drugs to a range of biotechnologies, such as monoclonal antibodies, which, he believes, could eventually transform from primarily intravenously administered treatments to subcutaneous shots."

"For the past few years, the Los Angeles Countybased Varda has been sending capsules into space to develop its technology for performing automated experiments that it says can only be done in microgravity. These include the manipulation of certain kinds of small moleculesthe backbone of many different types of medicines, from antibiotics to corticosteroids."

"Surprisingly it's very economical for things like small molecules, where you're able to create novel crystal seeds in space, and then bring them back down to Earth, says Michael Reilly, Varda's chief strategy officer."

"Varda's goal is to provide an in-orbit environment to develop crystals for drugs under conditions that can never be achieved on Earth. In space, you can get bigger crystals, more perfect crystals, and they can be more uniform, says Anne Wilson, a Butler University chem"

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