LambdaVision and Helogen Partner to Advance Space-Based Biomaterial Manufacturing

First LambdaVision mission outside of the ISS supports next phase of scalable, regulated biomaterial production in low-Earth orbit

WOODBRIDGE, Conn.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--LambdaVision, a pre-clinical-stage biotech advancing on-Earth and microgravity bioprocesses, today announced a strategic partnership with Helogen Corporation to launch a joint orbital manufacturing mission of LambdaVision’s artificial retina protein aboard Helogen’s fully autonomous manufacturing system in low-Earth orbit. The mission is targeted for launch in the second half of 2026.

As this planned mission will mark LambdaVision’s first flight outside of the International Space Station (ISS), the partnership represents an important step in LambdaVision’s long-term strategy to translate more than a decade of research in microgravity into a scalable space-based manufacturing approach for anticipated commercialization of its artificial retina. In addition to evaluating technological capabilities for low-Earth orbit manufacturing of high-quality biomaterials for LambdaVision’s artificial retina, the mission also aims to demonstrate that the platforms developed by LambdaVision and Helogen represent operational and custody frameworks required for future GMP-compliant production in space that can be utilized by future companies and is able to meet the consistency, traceability, and rigor required to bring a range of transformative therapies to patients.

“The space-based research we have been conducting on the ISS over the past decade has allowed us to make significant strides in our development of manufacturing technologies to prepare us for this moment,” said Nicole Wagner, PhD, Co-Founder and CEO of LambdaVision. “Helogen offers us the great opportunity to extend our work beyond the ISS and validate the full operational chain required for regulated production of our artificial retina in low-Earth orbit, which is a critical step as we more closely consider our commercialization plans.”

The mission builds on LambdaVision’s extensive prior work on the ISS demonstrating the benefits of microgravity for layer-by-layer protein deposition. While the artificial retina can be produced on earth, the microgravity environment offers reduced sedimentation and fluid-driven disturbances, which enable improved uniformity, stability, and performance of multilayer thin films.

"Partnerships like this one with LambdaVision reflect what the future of biological manufacturing looks like: autonomous, GMP-oriented production systems with end-to-end traceability and real-time oversight, operating in orbit. Every mission on HEL-IOS is built around the operational rigor that regulated manufacturing demands, and the trust placed in us by partners like LambdaVision and NASA, through winning the 2025 NASA TechLeap Prize, reflects that commitment,” said Shishir Bankapur, CEO, Helogen Corporation. “This mission is an important step toward transforming orbital biological manufacturing from research into trusted industrial infrastructure and advancing the next evolution of manufacturing in America."

The mission is designed as a full operational validation, from ground preparation and flight qualification through in-orbit manufacturing, sample return, and custody transfer. This approach supports the development of traceability and handling standards required for regulated biological manufacturing. Data will be collected remotely in real time, beginning days after launch, which will help the company prepare for other long-term or non-return space flights.

LambdaVision’s artificial retina is designed as a small, flexible implant composed of multilayered protein films that restore light sensitivity in the retina. The company has completed 9 spaceflight missions demonstrating the feasibility of manufacturing and producing these 200-layer films in microgravity. Production is being explored both on Earth and in commercial low-Earth orbit.

This partnership reflects a shared vision that space can serve as a platform for regulated, scalable biological manufacturing. The mission will support the development of infrastructure and processes required for future commercial production, including integration with GMP-compliant ground facilities.

“Forming strong partnerships and building a global ecosystem is essential to advancing the future of space-based biomanufacturing,” said Jack Lim, Executive Director, Strategic Business Division, Boryung. “Through our Humans in Space challenge, we are proud to support the connections that bring together innovators like LambdaVision and Helogen. It’s especially meaningful to see this collaboration, first initiated through conversations at our 2023 event, progress to a mission that advances scalable, regulated biomaterial evaluation in low-Earth orbit, with the potential to transform healthcare both in space and on Earth.”

Rather than a standalone demonstration, this effort represents a repeatable step toward establishing a reliable manufacturing pipeline in low-Earth orbit. It advances LambdaVision’s broader goal of leveraging space to improve product quality, enable scalable production, and ultimately bring its artificial retina to patients affected by retinal degenerative diseases.

LambdaVision has recently closed a $7M seed funding round co-led by Seven Seven Six and Aurelia Foundry Fund, with additional support from Seraphim Space, providing runway into 2027. To date, LambdaVision has secured $23.0 million in funding.

About LambdaVision

LambdaVision is leveraging space to develop a protein-based artificial retina to restore meaningful vision for the millions of patients blinded by retinal degenerative diseases, including retinitis pigmentosa (RP) and age-related macular degeneration (AMD). The patent-protected artificial retina technology developed by LambdaVision uses photoactive proteins to naturally mimic the light-absorbing properties of human photoreceptor cells and activate neuroreceptors still present in degenerated retinas of blind patients. LambdaVision’s artificial retina is one of the first technologies being evaluated on the International Space Station that has potential for clinical use, and the established microgravity manufacturing processes, quality control methods, and laboratory techniques provide a foundation for future clinical research in space. To learn more, visit lambdavision.com.

About Helogen Corporation

Helogen is an American orbital industrial automation platform industrializing space by enabling scalable, regulatory-grade manufacturing of high-value biomaterials. Helogen deploys autonomous orbital automation systems powered by its proprietary operating system, HEL-IOS™, integrating biological cultivation, processing, and real-time analytics into a continuous in-space workflow. For more information, visit www.helogen.com.