Indian startups are advancing efforts to manufacture pharmaceuticals in space, leveraging microgravity conditions in low-Earth orbit to create drugs and advanced materials. Companies like Serendipity, Ethereal, AnduraX, and Akashalabdhi are developing technologies including autonomous pharma factories, reusable upper stages, spaceplanes, and modular habitats to enable these experiments, according to inc42.com.
The startups are capitalizing on microgravity's unique environment, which reduces convection, sedimentation, and buoyancy, allowing for more uniform protein crystals and novel biological processes. Serendipity recently tested a satellite prototype with an autonomous pharma factory, while Ethereal is working on reusable stages for microgravity experiments. AnduraX focuses on reusable spaceplanes, and Akashalabdhi is building inflatable habitats in low-Earth orbit, as reported by inc42.com.
Globally, companies such as Merck and Redwire are already exploring space-based drug crystallization and protein folding, which are seen as near-term commercial opportunities. India’s space pharma sector is emerging but still trails these international players. Government initiatives like IN-SPACe, the Technology Adoption Fund, and ISRO’s Bharatiya Antariksha policy aim to support this nascent industry, according to inc42.com.
The sector’s development is marked by recent prototype tests and infrastructure projects by Indian startups, positioning India to participate in the global space manufacturing market. These efforts align with ISRO’s broader goals to foster space-based research and commercialization, with ongoing projects expected to expand through 2026 and beyond, inc42.com reports.