Space pharmaceutical company SpaceLynTec has successfully conducted protein crystallization experiments aboard the International Space Station (ISS) that could advance new drug research. This marks the first time a Korean company has secured protein crystals in the ISS's microgravity environment and completed experimental operations.
SpaceLynTec's "BEE-PC1" is a space pharmaceutical research module designed to minimize direct astronaut intervention and automatically conduct protein crystallization experiments according to preset conditions. Microgravity environments offer advantages for observing and improving protein crystallization quality, as convection and sedimentation are suppressed, allowing crystal growth conditions to remain stable. Through BEE-PC1's automated operations, SpaceLynTec confirmed that protein crystallization experiments could be conducted reliably in space and completed normally through termination.
SpaceLynTec conducted the crystallization experiments on USP7 (Ubiquitin-Specific Peptidase 7) in collaboration with the Korea Institute of Science and Technology (KIST). USP7 is known as a deubiquitinating enzyme involved in intracellular protein degradation and signal regulation, and is being studied as a therapeutic target in multiple cancer types.
SpaceLynTec believes protein crystallization validation and analysis can help reduce trial-and-error in repeated experiments and candidate compound optimization during drug development. The company explains that faster and more accurate identification of target protein characteristics through high-quality crystals and precise analysis can accelerate decision-making in early research stages, potentially reducing development time and costs. SpaceLynTec plans to conduct detailed analysis of the protein crystals obtained in space to evaluate USP7's structural characteristics and crystal growth conditions, building foundational data for follow-up research.
Additionally, through the recovery and analysis of BEE-PC1, the company plans to complete full-cycle verification spanning launch, operation, return, and analysis, establishing a foundation for advancing repeated operations and standardization levels in subsequent missions.
