Axiom Mission 4 to study cancer drug response in space

With cancer accounting for nearly one in six deaths globally, according to the World Health Organisation, researchers are turning to space to gain new insights into its treatment. The upcoming Axiom Mission 4, scheduled to be launched on June 10, will study how cancer cells behave in microgravity aboard the International Space Station (ISS).

A key focus of the mission is to test Rebecsinib, a cancer drug that has received FDA approval to enter clinical trials under Investigational New Drug (IND) status. Earlier tests during Axiom Missions 2 and 3 showed that Rebecsinib could arrest the growth of cancer tumour organoids, particularly in colorectal cancer.

This time, the crew will explore how triple-negative breast cancer cells respond to the drug in space, where cancer cells tend to grow rapidly and exhibit altered drug responses due to microgravity.

The research is part of the Integrated Space Stem Cell Orbital Research (ISSCOR) collaboration between the Sanford Stem Cell Institute, JM Foundation and Axiom Space. It aims to harness microgravity to better understand cancer, stem cells and aging — paving the way for more accurate disease prediction and improved therapies on Earth.

“This research is crucial for space missions as it examines the impact of microgravity and radiation in low Earth orbit on cancer cell growth compared with growth in a terrestrial environment. The findings could lead to better cancer treatments on Earth,” Axiom Space said in a statement.

The research aims to obtain reliable results that will pave the way for a quicker clinical transition of experimental drugs.