On-Demand Flexible Pharmacy Manufacturing in Extreme Environments

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The world's space agencies have formed the Global Exploration Roadmap for the long-term human habitation of Mars. Achieving this goal requires adventurous manufacturing solutions across interdisciplinary boundaries of the engineering, physical and health sciences.When taken ill, it is a quick trip to the pharmacy...unless you are in space. For short space missions, it is feasible for an astronaut to carry general medicines to alleviate symptoms until they can return to Earth. 'Med Kits' for the Space Shuttle included small supplies of painkillers, antibiotics, antiemetics, etc. and the ISS has on board a reasonable assortment of medications, including IV and IM injectables, to cover an increased range of medical problems. A medical emergency and the necessary pharmaceutical intervention of an astronaut in Earth orbit can be accommodated by an aborted mission and early return. Such is not possible from planetary transit or from lunar or planetary habitation.What if small quantities of pharmaceuticals could be made onsite, in space and on demand; an "Astropharmacy"? Health systems in space need self-sufficiency - such as the ability to manufacture and test pharmaceuticals. They also need to be efficient, limiting waste and recycling materials where possible. Here, we propose to create and develop the innovative manufacturing capability of flexible on demand pharmaceutical production. Using the protein machinery of cells we will develop cell-free drug production in microfluidic system that can operate in the extreme conditions of space flight. We will incorporate novel in process quality control methods to ensure purity and functionality of the pharmaceutical. We propose the innovative use of paper to create a 'drug factory' which can be applied to the skin to delivery of the drug directly to the patient as it is made. Finally, we will demonstrate the concept of telepharmacy, where the design of a biopharmaceutical can be transmitted from one site and the drug manufactured at the remote site.