Redwire Corporation Wins Contract from Aspera Biomedicines to Investigate Cutting-Edge Cancer Treatment in Space

Published: 2025-06-03 11:38:15 ET RDW

Published on 06/03/2025 at 11:38

Redwire Corporation announced that it has been awarded a contract from Aspera Biomedicines Inc. to conduct space-based research and analysis on a new cancer treatment using Redwire's Pharmaceutical In-space Laboratory (PIL-BOX) technology. Aspera will use this mission to advance development of rebecsinib, a small molecule ADAR1 inhibitor recently approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration to begin first-in-human trials. On Earth, scientists have noted an upregulation - or increased rate of expression - of the ADAR1 protein in cancer stem cells as being linked to the accelerated progression of some types of cancer.

Researchers at Aspera have analyzed data from two previous spaceflight experiments that showed that rebecsinib can inhibit expression of ADAR1, halting the progression of cancer stem cell propagation in triple-negative breast cancer organoid models. Results from Aspera's prior experiments indicate that rebecsinib could behave as a cancer "kill switch." On this mission, Aspera researchers will analyze the crystal structure of ADAR1p150 with and without rebecsinib or intermediates. The results of this analysis could enhance opportunities to develop new drug formulations and a broader array of ADAR1 inhibitors.

With 28 units flown and processed to date, PIL-BOX is the premier platform for pharmaceutical researchers, leveraging the microgravity environment to grow small-batch crystals of protein-based pharmaceuticals and other key pharmaceutically relevant molecules. Previous PIL-BOX investigations conducted with partners including Bristol Myers Squibb, ExesaLibero Pharma, Eli Lilly and Company, and Butler University have focused on unlocking insights to improve treatments for cardiovascular disease, obesity, and diabetes. The Aspera cancer treatment investigation is slated to launch later this year.