Nanofiber production in space for drug delivery applications

TruSpin is developing a platform process to manufacture custom nanofibers using alternating current electrospinning (ACES) for scalable and cost-efficient drug delivery applications. Design of this platform for in-space manufacture would enhance the controllability and speed of the process, supporting the discovery and development of nanofiber-based drug delivery systems. Nanofiber-based drug delivery has the potential to improve patient outcomes by providing enhanced bioavailability and targeted and controlled drug release while minimizing toxicity and dosage frequency, exactitude that is currently lacking from conventional enteral and parenteral routes of drug delivery. Despite these benefits, advancement beyond the proof-of-concept stage has been challenged by their biopharmaceutical performance and ensuring that nanofiber production generates the necessary morphological, mechanical, and chemical properties. When working in gravity environments on Earth, changes in any of these parameters can modulate the diameter of the nanofiber while also carrying the potential for jet breaking and the formation of beads. Recognizing these limitations, TruSpin proposes to leverage the low-gravity environment on the International Space Station (ISS) to speed up the development and discovery of optimal parameters for nanofiber fabrication and drug loading. The controlled environment has the potential to significantly advance drug-loading rates while also increasing the manufacturing output rate. Toward this goal, this proposal seeks to design the nanofiber production platform for efficient implementation on the ISS. Our process would advance capabilities in drug delivery, and R&D on the ISS holds promise in providing the ideal environment for manufacturing a clinically relevant nanofiber-based drug delivery system. As such, our technology will serve medical applications with the target market being pharmaceutical and drug development companies.