Failure to launch: FDA nixes motion sickness drug for astronauts

Private company Defender Pharmaceuticals has had its submission for a new motion sickness treatment rejected by the US Food and Drug Administration.

Based in Missouri, USA, the firm is working on an intranasal formulation of scopolamine, known as DPI-386, for the prevention of nausea and vomiting induced by motion in adults.

The therapy, which is designed for astronauts and people in the navy, is being developed in collaboration with the US Naval Medical Research Unit (NAMRU-D) and the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA).