Product 11 of 14
Dried spores, each programmed to make one medicine on request within about 24 hours.
Medicines expire. Most medicines flown to the ISS have a shelf life under 24 months, and biologics last about 6 months even when refrigerated, which is far short of a Mars mission.
The On-Demand Peptide Library flips the problem. It stores dried spores of Bacillus subtilis, each programmed to make one medicine, such as a bone-building peptide, and produces the medicine on request within about 24 hours. The spores keep far longer than the finished medicine.
It is built with Theertha Biopharma's peptide expertise and supported by Cosmion's design and developability checks, so each peptide is checked against what can actually be manufactured and purified.
The problem
Most medicines flown to the ISS have a shelf life under 24 months, and biologics last about 6 months even when refrigerated.
Source: published spaceflight studies and NASA planning figures; refers to work by other groups.
Months of usable shelf life. Missions to Mars last years, with no resupply and no quick return home.
The science
Why this approach.
Most medicines are made centrally, shipped and stored until needed. Most medicines flown to the ISS have a shelf life under 24 months, and biologics last about 6 months even when refrigerated, both shorter than a Mars mission. A peptide drug that expires on the way to Mars is no use.
The On-Demand Peptide Library stores the instructions rather than the medicine. Each dried spore of Bacillus subtilis is programmed to make one peptide and, when activated, produces it within about 24 hours. Theertha Biopharma's peptide know-how helps ensure designs are manufacturable and purifiable, and the Cosmion Peptide and Protein Design Studio checks stability, aggregation, protease-cleavage sites and predicted immunogenicity.
In use
Across the length of a mission.
How this product is intended to fit into a crew's routine, from loading to return.
A library of dried spores, each labelled for one medicine, stored at room temperature.
A medicine is requested; the matching spores are activated and purified over about a day.
Medicines can be made fresh on the surface, long after supplies would have expired.
Quality-release data and unused spores inform the next library revision.
Design
Four decisions that shape it.
One spore, one medicine
Each strain is programmed to make a single peptide, which keeps quality control simple.
Fast production
Designed for output on request within about 24 hours of adding water and nutrients.
Purification and release testing
Every batch must meet quality criteria before use.
Computational design
Cosmion structure prediction and developability checks guide each candidate.
Risks
What could go wrong, and what we do about it.
| Risk | How we address it |
|---|---|
| Purity and potency | Defined purification steps and release testing for every batch. |
| Regulatory pathway | Early regulatory strategy; nothing here is approved or available for sale. |
| Hardware and workflow | A compact, low-step production system designed with partners. |
Test plan
Ground, analog, orbit.
A staged programme: ground first, then analog crews, then flight.
Ground testing
Spore storage, production yield, purity and potency of each peptide.
Isolated-crew studies
Operational testing of the production procedure.
Flight testing
Production experiment on a station.
Partnerships
Pharma and regulatory-science partners; Theertha Biopharma.
Questions
FAQ.
Which medicines?
Bone-building peptides are a first example. Candidates are chosen by evidence, need and manufacturability.
Is it regulated?
Any medicine would require appropriate regulatory pathways. Nothing here is approved or available for sale.
Related
Works well with.
Bone-Support Probiotic
A probiotic aimed at the gut-bone connection.
Research programmeRead more02Exosome Wound-Care for Microgravity
Exosome-based wound care for the slow wound healing seen in space.
Research programmeRead more03Radiation Recovery Vesicles
Protective vesicles from radiation-tolerant microbes, to help tissues recover.
Research programmeRead moreAll products on this site are under research and development. They are not approved or cleared by any regulator and are not available for sale. Nothing here is medical advice, and no product is intended to diagnose, treat, cure or prevent any disease. Descriptions of research refer to published studies by other groups and do not claim that our products have been proven in space. On-Demand Peptide Library is a product under research and development and is not available for sale.
Let's build the next shield together.
Space agencies, station builders, research institutes and sustainable-construction partners: we would like to hear from you.