Issue 53 / Wednesday June 8, 2022 |
Here’s what’s in store for you in today’s issue:
🍄 6 year olds take ayahuasca
🍄 Promising findings from psilocybin study for binge eating
🍄 Psychedelic treatments for ADHD and social anxiety
🍄 Pro athletes form functional mushroom company
🍄 And more.
A new study suggests that children in the Incan empire took psychedelics to ease stress before being sacrificed.
Archaeologists discovered the 500 year old remains of two Incan children who were sacrificed as part of a ritual called capacocha.
Capacocha was a common ceremony performed to appease the gods for a variety of purposes, such as to prevent natural disasters.
Toxicology samples revealed that the children, who were around the age of 6, consumed coca leaf and ayahuasca in the final weeks of their lives.
According to the study authors, “the Incas may have consciously used the antidepressant properties of (ayahuasca) to reduce the anxiety and depressive states of the victims.”
While psychedelic research is rapidly advancing, there’s still a lot we don’t know.
For instance, there’s little research on a rare but scary side effect of magic mushrooms called wood lovers paralysis – a condition causing muscle weakness or paralysis for several hours.
The phenomenon only seems to occur after ingesting mushroom species that grow on wood like Psilocybe azurescens, Psilocybe cyanescens, and Psilocybe subaeruginosa.
Luckily, companies like Lexston Life Sciences (LEXT) and CaaMTech are beginning to study the genetic makeup of various mushroom species to better understand what causes the condition.
Tryp Therapeutics (TRYP) and University of Florida initiated the first-ever psilocybin therapy study on binge eating disorder, and the results are already showing promise.
Just 4 weeks after receiving Tryp’s psilocybin formulation, TRP-8802, the first patient experienced:
“We believe that the improvements witnessed in this patient following a single intervention with TRP-8802 in combination with tailored psychotherapy are on par with what might be possible in 12 months of extensive psychotherapy alone,” says Tryp’s Interim CEO and Chief Scientific Officer Jim Gilligan.
Researchers will follow up with the patient again in 8 weeks to see if the benefits are sustained. Up to 9 more patients will participate in the study as well.
Filament Health (FH) announced several exciting updates this week.
First, the company shared that it has successfully developed a pharmaceutical-grade ayahuasca extract that can be administered in a capsule.
Filament also announced that it cultivated its 70th variety of psilocybin mushrooms and is conducting research to determine the most potent and effective variety.
Additionally, the Vancouver-based company is partnering with Jaguar Health to develop natural psychedelic medicines for neurodegenerative diseases, addiction, and mental health disorders. The partners are currently identifying plant candidates to treat ADHD and social anxiety disorder.
Small Pharma (DMT) announced year-end financial results including $40.7M in cash and a $22.2M net loss. The company is preparing for several DMT trials later this year.
Awakn Life Sciences (AWKN) shared Q1 financial highlights including $2.8M in cash and $253K in revenue, up 24% over the previous quarter.
Cybin (CYBN) received a ‘Buy’ rating from two major analysts, Roth Capital and Canaccord Genuity, following the announcement that it will acquire Entheon’s DMT study. Shares are currently priced at $0.60, but the firms predict price targets of $10 and $7.50, respectively.
Numinus Wellness (NUMI) completed its acquisition of Novamind (NM). Numinus now owns 13 wellness clinics, 4 clinical research facilities, and a dedicated psychedelics research lab. Novamind has ceased trading on the CSE, but two execs were appointed as Numinus’ Chief Science Office and Chief Clinical Officer.
“We believe that functional mushrooms have as much, if not more, potential to help humanity than psilocybin, and that’s coming from me, who is dedicating my life to advancing psilocybin mushrooms and psychedelics as a whole,” says Del Jolly, co-founder of the psychedelic research non-profit Unlimited Sciences.
That’s why he recently co-founded a functional mushroom company called Umbo alongside pro athletes Jake Plummer and Rashad Evans.
Plummer, former Denver Broncos quarterback, says he’s found a lot of healing through mushrooms, using them to counteract the harm that football injuries can have on the brain. He’s also noticed that his allergies symptoms and quality of sleep have improved since introducing functional mushrooms to his diet.
You can explore Umbo’s functional mushroom snack bars and capsules here or become an early investor in the company here.
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