The Nanodropper Bottle Adaptor, the flagship product and namesake of Nanodropper, Inc., is scheduled to launch into space with NASA’s SpaceX Crews-8 mission to the International Space Station (ISS).
Start with this company.
Based in Rochester, Minnesota, Nanodropper is a micro-volume ophthalmic delivery device company focused on providing solutions to adherence barriers for chronic ocular disease management.
The company’s products and educational content are designed to help patients with issues like access to vision insurance and eyecare appointments, with the primary goal of reducing financial burdens.
And this flagship product?
Originally launched in 2020, the Nanodropper Bottle Adaptor is currently the first and only FDA-listed, volume-reducing adaptor for eye drop bottles, with a “one-size-fits-most” compatibility (see here for compatibility options).
By reducing eye drop volume to just what the eye can absorb, the intended resulting impact is a significant reduction in medication waste and financial barriers for both patients and clinics.
Before we get to space … what’s the clinical data on it?
Back in June 2023, a study published in Medical Devices: Evidence and Research investigated the impact of the Nanodropper adaptor in reducing the number of dispensed eye drops compared to those from stock bottles.
The purpose: to potentially limit the ocular toxicity of the drops and prolong bottle use.
And the findings: use of the Nanodropper adaptor resulted in a significant reduction in drop volume as well as an increase in the overall number of drops dispensed when compared to stock bottle-delivered drops.
Click here for our coverage.
Now let’s talk about this NASA mission.
The Nanodropper adaptor will be involved in one of 200+ experiments while on the ISS, with the Crew-8 astronauts focusing specifically on studying the effects of microgravity and ultraviolet (UV) radiation on plants at a cellular level, according to the company.
Other testing will include determining if wearing pressure cuffs on the legs could prevent fluid shifts and reduce health issues in astronauts.
Ahead of the launch, Glance President Jaclyn Garlich, OD, FAAO, spoke with Nanodropper's co-founder and CEO Allisa Song on what led to the company working with NASA and the testing the adaptor will undergo.
Why microgravity?
Microgravity—a measure of the degree to which an object is subjected to acceleration (translation: a condition where gravity appears very small)—is often used synonymously with the terms “zero gravity” and “weightlessness.”
For astronauts, microgravity has also been found to play a role in the development of spaceflight-associated neuro-ocular syndrome (SANS), a “constellation of findings and symptoms that have been found in astronauts who have undergone long duration space flight (LDSF) missions in microgravity environments.”
And in relation to eye drops?
With a microgravity-based environment, the standard application of topical eye drops doesn’t cut it for astronauts.
Per Robbie Spencer, Nanodropper’s communications director, previous space flights have found that, if a medicine bottle is squeezed slowly in microgravity, a “globule” of medication forms on the dropper tip—which typically contains 3 to 6 normal-sized eye drops.
As such: “dispensing medications as globules can result in astronauts overdosing on their eye drops, in addition to wasting limited medication resources,” Spencer stated. “The Nanodropper adaptor could help alleviate this issue.”
Go on …
On Earth, use of the Nanodropper adaptor reduces the size of an eye drop by 70%, reports have noted.
According to Nanodropper co-founder and CEO Allisa Song, “By reducing that droplet down, we allow each bottle to last three times as long, making sure people don’t run out of their precious medications.”
And in space—since the drop size can be 3 to 6 times larger in microgravity—"the savings could be exponentially higher,” Spencer said. “Perhaps 20-40x higher.”
Gotcha. So give me some details on this flight.
Scheduled for March 3, 2024, the SpaceX Crew-8 mission will board the Endeavor, a SpaceX Dragon spacecraft, at approximately 10:53 p.m. EST from the Kennedy Space Center in Florida.
Click here to watch the launch live.
And lastly … where can I find this adaptor for myself?
The adaptor is currently available in 2,200+ clinic locations across the country (including all 50 states, Washington DC, Puerto Rico, and the U.S. Virgin Islands
Per the Nanodropper website, it can be found online for $19.99, as well as at Amazon and DryEyeRescue.
Editors’ note: This article was updated on March 3, 2024, to reflect an updated launch date and time.