The Rundown: Imagine: Can drugs be made in space? See below

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VARDA SPACE💊 Varda snags $187M to make drugs in spaceImage source: Varda Space

The Rundown: Varda Space, a California-based startup, just nabbed $187M in Series C funding to pioneer pharmaceutical manufacturing in microgravity — enabling the creation of drugs impossible to produce under Earth’s gravitational constraints.

The details: Varda aims to launch automated space factories in low Earth orbit to manufacture pharmaceuticals, then return them to Earth in reentry capsules. In space, the absence of gravity allows for purer crystal formation and novel chemical reactions, which can lead to more innovative drug compounds.Varda will use its new funding to build a 10K-square-foot California lab, where scientists will identify the best compounds for space-based crystallization.Varda has successfully completed three space missions since 2023 and expects to launch four more this year.

Why it matters: Varda, alongside rivals like SpacePharma and Redwire, is turning space into biotech’s next battleground, where microgravity could unlock breakthrough drugs, accelerate development, and spark a new wave of industry-defining IP.

And, with the backing of Peter Thiel and Khosla Ventures, its promise carries serious weight.
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About michelleclarke2015

Life event that changes all: Horse riding accident in Zimbabwe in 1993, a fractured skull et al including bipolar anxiety, chronic fatigue …. co-morbidities (Nietzche 'He who has the reason why can deal with any how' details my health history from 1993 to date). 17th 2017 August operation for breast cancer (no indications just an appointment came from BreastCheck through the Post). Trinity College Dublin Business Economics and Social Studies (but no degree) 1997-2003; UCD 1997/1998 night classes) essays, projects, writings. Trinity Horizon Programme 1997/98 (Centre for Women Studies Trinity College Dublin/St. Patrick's Foundation (Professor McKeon) EU Horizon funded: research study of 15 women (I was one of this group and it became the cornerstone of my journey to now 2017) over 9 mth period diagnosed with depression and their reintegration into society, with special emphasis on work, arts, further education; Notes from time at Trinity Horizon Project 1997/98; Articles written for Irishhealth.com 2003/2004; St Patricks Foundation monthly lecture notes for a specific period in time; Selection of Poetry including poems written by people I know; Quotations 1998-2017; other writings mainly with theme of social justice under the heading Citizen Journalism Ireland. Letters written to friends about life in Zimbabwe; Family history including Michael Comyn KC, my grandfather, my grandmother's family, the O'Donnellan ffrench Blake-Forsters; Moral wrong: An acrimonious divorce but the real injustice was the Catholic Church granting an annulment – you can read it and make your own judgment, I have mine. Topics I have written about include annual Brain Awareness week, Mashonaland Irish Associataion in Zimbabwe, Suicide (a life sentence to those left behind); Nostalgia: Tara Hill, Co. Meath.
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