Low Gravity Drug Stability Analyzer

The overall goal of this proposed program (through Phase III) is to build a space-worthy Drug Stability Analyzer that can determine the extent of drug degradation. It will be able to monitor the drug active pharmaceutical ingredient (API) and its degradation product concentrations as a function of time, as well as determine if a drug is suitable for use (likely based on the presence of 90% or more of the original API concentration). This will be accomplished by designing and building a rugged, small, light weight, low power, easy to use analyzer with appropriate software, which can identify and quantify API and degradation products with little or no sample handling in 1 minute. Feasibility will be demonstrated during Phase I by successfully measuring acetaminophen, azithromycin, epinephrine, lidocaine, and their degradation products at percent level concentrations. The overall goal of the Phase II program is to build a working prototype Drug Stability Analyzer that is suitable for space deployment (e.g. aboard the ISS) and capable of monitoring drug degradation. The ability of the analyzer to nondestructively quantify the amount of the API and the degradation products, would also allow assessing drug potency at the time of use to ensure crewmember safety. The Drug Stability Analyzer will be transitioned from a Technology Readiness Level 3 to a 7 (ground tested) from the beginning to the end of the program.

The proposed Drug Stability Analyzer is specifically being designed to monitor degradation of pharmaceutical drugs that are used by astronauts, so that drug types, formulations, and packaging can be improved, and supplies can be selected to match mission length. It will also have the capability of determining if a drug is suitable at the time of use (effective and safe).

Successful development of the Drug Stability Analyzer will have great value to pharmacies worldwide. It will allow more accurate determination of whether a product on the shelf can be safely sold to customers, or whether it must be discarded, compared to a simple expiration date.

This is a mature technology (TRL 7) — the realistic path in is usually NASA's Technology Transfer Program: licensing an existing NASA patent, or a Space Act Agreement to use NASA facilities/expertise directly. NASA also runs a startup licensing program with no upfront fee for companies formed to commercialize a specific NASA technology.

None of these are guaranteed paths for this specific project — TechPort itself doesn't have an "apply" button. Reaching out to the contact(s) above with a specific question is usually the fastest way to find out what's actually open.