3 Startups leading the way in Space Medicine

Why is Space interesting for Medicine?

Space is a harsh environment that poses a number of challenges to human health. These challenges include microgravity, radiation, and isolation. Studying the effects of these challenges on the human body can help us to better understand and treat diseases on Earth.

The future of medicine in space is likely to be very promising. As we learn more about the effects of space on the human body, we will be able to develop new treatments and cures for diseases. We may also be able to use space to develop new medical technologies that can be used on Earth.

3 startups leading the way in Space Medicine

There are a number of companies and startups that are leading the way in space medicine. Some of these companies include:

• MicroQuin aims to better understand the onset and progression of cancer. The startup was created in 2017. In 2022 they launched on the ISS and used 3D cell culture to examine cell signalling pathways involved in tumorigenesis (the process by which normal cells transform into cancer cells). They develop solutions for: traumatic brain injuries, lung cancer, ovarian cancers, rare cancers and more.

• SpacePharma leverages the miniaturized microgravity lab technology, enabling the development of new drugs in Space. They claim that their miniaturized labs have a lower cost and have higher success rates than traditional labs. The company was created 10 years ago and recently launched their 4th microgravity lab to the ISS on board of SpaceX. You can read more about the missions they conducted here.
  Space Tango is a competitor to SpacePharma, they develop CubeLab which allows to conduct microgravity R&D on the ISS.

• Revbio is dedicated to the exploration of the ability of Tetranite, a synthetic bone material that can adhere bone to metal within minutes, accelerating bone repair. Microgravity and osteoporosis both affects the growth of bone cells and bone healing in similar ways. Revbio is researching how Tetranite impacts bone renewal. Their research can provide insight into bone healing response after fracture and assist in the development of more effective treatments for patients with osteoporosis.

Most of the biotech startups in Space were founded around 10 years ago. There are bigger companies that are also conducting research in Space such as AstraZeneca and Sanofi but I chose to tell you about younger and less known startups and companies that I find very cool.

If you’re interested, you can have a look at all the projects and programs set to launch on the ISS National Lab here.

Genes in Space is a very cool organisation that allows students from grade 7 to 12 to imagine a DNA experiment and test it in the ISS!

Overall, the potential of commercial space in medicine is huge. The research that is being done in space can help us better understand and treat diseases on Earth, and it can also lead to the development of new medical technologies that can improve the lives of people all over the world.

N.B: I also wanted to talk about Solar Foods which is a startup that produces Solein, a protein that is created from air and electricity. Its production is not dependent on soil nor weather while reducing CO2 emissions and water use in food production. The reason why I chose to talk about this startup is because they won the NASA Deep Space Food Challenge in May 2023. The characteristics of this protein makes it great to feed astronauts during long space missions.