Franklin 1 · protein crystallization

ADHD

Franklin 1 flies sealed crystallization experiments. ADHD actives (~$15–20B+ a year) look almost unstudied in microgravity despite being small-molecule formulation problems: polymorph, particle size, release kinetics.

No clear published crystallization campaigns on methylphenidate, amphetamine salts, lisdexamfetamine, atomoxetine, or guanfacine. The same convection-free growth that helps other small molecules applies here.

Design: dual-reservoir cartridge, ultrasonic mixing, thermal control, optical monitoring, data-first downlink. Pathfinder targeted 2027, partner- and funding-gated.

Global category scale · 2025 public reports

ADHD medicines$14–22B
Diabetes medicines$75–100B+
Cardiovascular drugs$140–185B+
OncologyHundreds of billions

Order-of-magnitude only. A $15–20B+ ADHD category still has almost no published microgravity crystallization work.

Download ADHD research brief (PDF)