DoseShield Packaging for Improved Pharmaceutical Protection in Space

The availability of pharmaceuticals necessary to crews during spaceflight is critical to mission success. This need becomes more significant for long-duration missions where the range of physiological and adaptive alterations on the body, in addition to the isolation and distance from Earth, can present additional challenges. Lunar and planetary exploration missions beyond low Earth orbit (LEO) in particular will require an expanded pharmacy that maintains appropriate stability throughout long-term 24- or 36-month durations. Studies have begun to evaluate the stability of pharmaceuticals in space, and a subset of drug products have been demonstrated to fail USP requirements prior to labeled expiration dates when flown in space. The environmental conditions of space introduce additional factors, and space radiation has been shown to significantly differ in the types, dose, and length of exposure compared to that experienced terrestrially. Select medications are currently repackaged outside of manufacturerrsquo;s packaging to conserve mass and volume on the spacecraft, and this will also affect the shelf-life of the drugs if the new package is not protective. To address this critical need, Luna Labs USA, LLC is developing DoseShield packaging. This protective packaging system includes two components. The first component provides protection of susceptible solid doses against environmental exposures known to affect stability (e.g. moisture, oxygen) without the typical costs to mass and volume. Additionally, a radiation-protective casing is under development to address the concerns of radiation exposure during spaceflight. The technology is expected to strengthen readiness for upcoming long-duration space missions.