Microgravity Crystal Formation

Abstract

The benefits of crystallization in a microgravity environment have been documented. Herein, we update the community on the results of a retrospective meta-analysis and data curation of 507 unique crystallization experiments that have been disseminated in the literature over a broad diversity of substrates. The analysis variables in the dataset that were evaluated include individual success metrics such as size, structural improvement, improved uniformity, increased resolution limit, and improved mosaicity. The overall databases were evaluated over time and by molecular complexity. Compared to ground experiments, crystals grown in a microgravity environment continue to show improvement across all metrics evaluated. The retrospective analysis demonstrates that success rates of crystallization experiments in microgravity improved over time. There also seems to be no correlation between complexity of molecule, using molecular weight as a surrogate for complexity, and successful crystallization under microgravity conditions. The microgravity environment provides improvement to crystal fabrication across metrics utilized for evaluation and molecular types, and the datasets utilized for this investigation are excellent tools for this evaluation.

Monoclonal Antibodies from Space: Improved Crystallization Under Microgravity During Manufacturing in Orbit

“…9 Reports in the literature over the last three decades indicate that the microgravity environment can be used to create novel protein crystalline polymorphs with physicochemical properties significantly different from protein crystals grown on Earth at 1g (one g is the force per unit mass due to gravity at the Earth's surface; this standard gravity is defined as 9.8 meters per second squared), thus enabling the production of low-viscosity, highly concentrated colloidal protein crystal suspensions. [10][11][12] These physiochemical characteristics are essential for developing therapeutic mAb and ADC formulations that are suitable for simple SC injection. These high-concentration crystalline mAb formulations could then ideally be administered at a regular doctor's office or even by patients themselves as home therapy, thereby avoiding the traditional, hospital-based, day-long, IV infusion treatment protocols.…”