Through the collaboration, Varda and United Therapeutics will conduct pharmaceutical processing of small molecule medicines for pulmonary disease aboard Varda's orbital manufacturing and reentry platform during multiple missions to low Earth orbit.

The companies will utilize microgravity's influence on the structure and crystallization properties of therapeutic compounds in pursuit of novel formulations that may improve stability, bioavailability, and other delivery characteristics. The first compounds to be analyzed onboard Varda spacecraft will likely be focused on therapies for patients living with life-threatening pulmonary diseases.

Why formulate medicines in microgravity?

On Earth, gravity can affect how molecules assemble during manufacturing. Sedimentation and convection currents can disrupt the formation of uniform crystal structures, sometimes limiting the performance of pharmaceutical compounds.

Decades of research on the International Space Station have shown that microgravity allows molecules to assemble more slowly and uniformly, producing highly ordered crystal structures that are difficult or impossible to create on Earth. These differences can have meaningful implications for how medicines behave in the body.

Improved formulations made in microgravity could translate into several potential benefits:

  • Improved bioavailability, allowing drugs to dissolve and be absorbed more consistently.
  • Enhanced stability, which can extend shelf life or reduce the need for cold-chain storage.
  • Improved delivery methods, including inhaled or controlled-release therapies.
  • Enabling formulations that deliver the drug more efficiently to the intended site of action.

"Microgravity gives us a fundamentally different environment to manufacture pharmaceuticals that are otherwise impossible on Earth." said Will Bruey, CEO of Varda Space Industries. "Our collaboration with United Therapeutics strives to pioneer a new era in clinical development by completing the bridge from microgravity science to patient benefit on Earth. We're honored to be united in that goal.

"United Therapeutics has long focused on developing innovative therapies that improve outcomes for people living with rare pulmonary diseases. The collaboration with Varda will allow us to explore how space-based manufacturing could contribute to significant improvements for rare pulmonary disease treatments," said Martine Rothblatt, Ph.D., Chairperson and Chief Executive Officer of United Therapeutics.

The work will leverage Varda's end-to-end space manufacturing platform, which launches pharmaceutical payloads to orbit, processes materials in microgravity, and returns the finished products safely to Earth using Varda's W-series reentry capsules. By combining Varda's orbital manufacturing capabilities with United Therapeutics' expertise in drug development, the collaboration aims to expand the possibilities for drug manufacturing in space.

"The collaboration between our companies brings United Therapeutics' expertise in drug development and formulation together with Varda's ability to develop designs and processes not available under terrestrial conditions," said Varda Chief Science Officer Adrian Radocea. "We're focused on delivering differentiated formulations and building the foundation of a new generation of manufacturing."

As the global space economy grows, space-based manufacturing is emerging as a powerful new tool for industries ranging from materials science to pharmaceuticals. The collaboration between Varda and United Therapeutics highlights how microgravity research can translate into tangible benefits for patients on Earth.