NASA's International Space Station has become a hub for groundbreaking medical research that's set to revolutionize cancer treatment. The unique conditions of microgravity have enabled scientists to grow larger, more uniform crystals than ever before, which could lead to significant improvements in medication delivery.
In collaboration with pharmaceutical giant Merck, researchers on the space station have been studying protein crystal growth. This work has provided early insights into the structure and size of particles that are best suited for developing a new formulation of pembrolizumab - a cancer medicine approved by the FDA in September.
The new subcutaneous injection method promises to save patients time and money, reducing treatment time from up to two hours to just one minute every three weeks. This is a major breakthrough for those who currently rely on intravenous infusion therapy, which can be a lengthy and costly process.
Merck has been conducting crystal growth experiments on the space station since 2014, working to better understand how crystals form - including the monoclonal antibodies used in cancer treatments. The absence of gravity's physical forces in microgravity allows scientists to grow higher-quality crystals than ever before, making it possible to develop more effective medication formulations.
The research aboard the space station has provided valuable insights into how gravity influences crystallization, which could lead to significant improvements in drug development and structural modeling. As NASA continues to push the boundaries of human knowledge, its partnership with private industry is growing a commercial economy in low Earth orbit - one that will pave the way for future human exploration of the Moon and Mars.
In collaboration with pharmaceutical giant Merck, researchers on the space station have been studying protein crystal growth. This work has provided early insights into the structure and size of particles that are best suited for developing a new formulation of pembrolizumab - a cancer medicine approved by the FDA in September.
The new subcutaneous injection method promises to save patients time and money, reducing treatment time from up to two hours to just one minute every three weeks. This is a major breakthrough for those who currently rely on intravenous infusion therapy, which can be a lengthy and costly process.
Merck has been conducting crystal growth experiments on the space station since 2014, working to better understand how crystals form - including the monoclonal antibodies used in cancer treatments. The absence of gravity's physical forces in microgravity allows scientists to grow higher-quality crystals than ever before, making it possible to develop more effective medication formulations.
The research aboard the space station has provided valuable insights into how gravity influences crystallization, which could lead to significant improvements in drug development and structural modeling. As NASA continues to push the boundaries of human knowledge, its partnership with private industry is growing a commercial economy in low Earth orbit - one that will pave the way for future human exploration of the Moon and Mars.
I'm loving this space age breakthroughs 
, cancer treatment's about to get a major upgrade! The microgravity thingy is like magic 
for growing those crystals, it's crazy to think how that's gonna change medication delivery. And can you imagine saving patients time and cash with a subcutaneous injection method? It's all about convenience now 
. I'm fascinated by how NASA's working with private industry to build this commercial economy in space – we're one step closer to humans exploring the Moon and Mars! 
! The fact that scientists can grow larger crystals in space is totally mind-blowing #SpaceAgeHealing. I'm loving how NASA's collaboration with Merck is paving the way for more effective meds & saving patients a ton of time & cash 
. The subcutaneous injection method sounds like a total game-changer - who wouldn't want to skip the IV lines? 
This is all thanks to the power of space research & the willingness of scientists to think outside the box (or in this case, the space station) 
#SpaceReform #CancerResearch #FutureOfMedicine
.
it's wild how space research is paving the way for huge improvements in cancer treatment! I'm all about innovation, but this stuff is LIFE.CHANGING 
. It just goes to show that space research can have real-world benefits.
. Who knows what other life-changing breakthroughs we'll see come out of space research? The possibilities are endless! 
to create life-saving meds 
That's progress right there 
. This new subcutaneous injection method will save time and money, and reduce treatment time from 2 hrs to just 1 min every 3 weeks 
. The fact that Merck has been collaborating with NASA since 2014 is just amazing - who knew space travel could lead to better meds 
. One minute every three weeks is a huge difference - can you even imagine how much easier it'll make treatment days? 
And who knows, maybe one day we'll have kids growing up in space and benefiting from all this innovation 
. also, think about how many ppl could benefit from this new subcutaneous injection method - saving them time and money is a big deal 
. nasa and merck are on fire with their collab, pushing the boundaries of what's possible in space 
And let's not forget about all the patients still stuck in lengthy & costly infusion therapy. Not exactly the most uplifting news. 
And now we gotta wait 3 whole months for a subcutaneous injection instead of an hour or so for IV infusion... still, a slight improvement! 
