A starring role for NASA in Biden’s push to end cancer

NASA astronaut Serena Auñón Chancellor is conducting research for the AngieX Cancer Therapy study aboard the International Space Station (ISS), which is situated 250 miles above Earth, as part of an ambitious mission to find a cure for cancer. The microgravity conditions on board are allowing for rapid aging of cells, which is speeding up development of potential treatments. Such findings could contribute to President Joe Biden's 'cancer moonshot' initiative, seeking to halve the cancer mortality rate over a quarter of a century, boosted by the swift development of new drugs. However, the budget-sensitive Congress will need convincing to back the research by providing funding for public-private collaborations and supporting a shift to commercial space stations.

Increasingly, pharmaceutical companies are recognizing the potential benefits of space for enhancing drug development processes and patent longevity. NASA Administrator Bill Nelson, who experienced early cancer experiments as a Space Shuttle astronaut in 1986, told POLITICO, “We’re right on the brink of significant new advancements.” The list of researchers on the ISS incorporates biotech startup MicroQuin and Bristol Myers Squibb and Merck, all making great strides in cancer research.

Nelson went on to describe how the microgravity environment allows for the growth of protein crystals which could play a pivotal role in the under-skin formulation of Merck's cancer drug, Keytruda. Although yet to be tested on humans, this breakthrough could transform the experience of receiving Keytruda treatment.

While this remains speculative, scientists are hopeful, with Michael Roberts, Chief Scientific Officer of the ISS National Laboratory, noting that if Merck can enhance the safety and efficacy of its primary cancer drug, it could save more lives and make the drug more widely available. Nonetheless, increasing NASA's budget isn't currently a priority for Congress, with the Republican-lead House and Democratic-lead Senate both expressing intentions to cut NASA funding.

Beyond 2030, the plan is to retire the ISS due to deteriorating components, and for commercial labs to take over. However, it's unclear if they will be ready in time. Meanwhile, researchers see great opportunities for cancer prevention and stem cell research in space. Despite this, a relatively small portion of the ISS budget is dedicated to cancer research. Even so, with an eventual goal of lowering costs and expanding experiments, the shift to commercial labs after 2030 looks promising.