Here’s what’s in store for you in today’s issue:
🍄Autistic children try microdosing
🍄 Group psychedelic therapy cures depression
🍄 Psychedelic farmer’s markets?
🍄 DMT granted innovative medicine designation
🍄 And more.
You’ll want to stay till the end to learn how someone found enlightenment on a trippy hike.
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Julia Joyes is a neuroscientist and research director at TheraPsil, a leading non profit organization making a difference to mental health in Canada. In this episode, we take a closer look at psilocybin’s impact on the brain.
According to preclinical research conducted by Nova Mentis (NOVA), psilocybin has potential to reduce anxiety in autistic patients and could improve cognitive function in patients with fragile x syndrome (FXS), a genetic condition that causes learning impairments.
Now, the company is forming a joint venture with Mycrodose Therapeutics to accelerate R&D into the treatment. The partnership will use Mycrodose Therapeutics’ patented systems to deliver a self-administered and non-invasive microdose.
The joint venture plans to conduct human clinical trials on a broad range of patients with FXS and autism, including pediatric patients. This will be the first study investigating psilocybin’s impact on children.
On Tuesday, Compass Pathways (CMPS) received a US patent for COMP360, its proprietary formulation of crystalline psilocybin. On Wednesday, the company announced positive findings from an open-label study using the formulation to treat depression in cancer patients.
Thirty patients were administered COMP360 in group therapy sessions of two to four people. Twenty-four people experienced at least a 50% reduction in depression symptoms within three weeks of treatment, which was sustained at week eight, and fifteen people were in total remission from depression.
The average depression score dropped from 25.9 to just 6.8!
The company notes that the study was not blinded or placebo-controlled, so the findings are subject to expectancy bias, but the results show promise that both COMP360 and group therapy models are effective.
Psychedelics improve mental health, but can that translate into better physical health too?
A recent study found that people who have tried psychedelics at least once in their life had a 23% lower chance of heart disease and a 12% lower chance of diabetes in the past year.
Other research indicates that psychedelic use is tied to healthier lifestyle choices such as increased exercise, reduced smoking and alcohol consumption, and a balanced diet.
Researchers also theorize that psychedelics could stimulate brain receptors that are linked to both mental and cardiometabolic health.
DMT-assisted therapy could be approved in the UK sooner than expected!
Yesterday, Small Pharma (DMT) received an Innovation Passport Designation for its DMT-assisted therapy program for depression – a status given to promising medicines to expedite development. The passport gives the company access to the Innovative Licensing and Access Pathway (ILAP) to reduce time to market and facilitate patient access to the treatment.
The designation is essentially the UK’s version of a Breakthrough Therapy Designation, which the FDA granted to Compass Pathways (CMPS) and Usona Institute in 2018 and 2019, respectively, for their psilocybin-assisted therapy programs.
Small Pharma also launched a Phase 2a clinical trial for DMT-assisted therapy on Tuesday and began trading on the OTCQB market on Wednesday under the symbol “DMTTF”.
Curious about the latest advancements in psychedelic medicine, psychedelic retreats, microdosing, or the role of technology in the psychedelics sector? Then you won’t want to miss Microdose HQ’s Wonderland: Miami – the largest psychedelic medicine business event to date!
The two-day event on Nov. 8-9 will have keynote presentations from some of the biggest names in the psychedelic sector including including Robin Carhart-Harris, Matthew W. Johnson, Rick Doblin, and David Nutt.
(Mike Tyson and Lamar Odon will also share their experiences with psychedelic healing!)
The speakers will cover a vast range of unique topics:
Get your your ticket or virtual access pass here!
Want to be an early investor in a psychedelics company? Now’s your chance!
Ei.Ventures is currently looking to raise $50M through a Regulation A+ Framework – a type of offering that allows the general public, not just institutional or accredited investors, to buy shares in a company before it goes public.
“I’m really passionate about democratizing investment opportunities so any investor can reap the rewards, and take all of the risks of early investment in game-changing companies,” said David Nikzad, the company’s founder, who was an early investor in Airbnb , Betterment, and Vidyard.
Ei.Ventures is developing a transdermal psilocybin patch and is preparing to launch a functional mushroom line early next year. Shares are selling for $4.94 each with a minimum purchase of 101 shares, and the company has already raised $20M. Take advantage of the offer here.
Field Trip Health (FTRP) just got one step closer to reaching its goal of running 75 psychedelic therapy clinics by 2024.
The company opened three new treatment centers in Seattle, Vancouver and Fredericton. It now administers ketamine-assisted therapy at eight clinics across North America and one in Amsterdam.
The treatment is proving to be effective with clients’ depression scores dropping from an average of 17 (severe) to 6 (mild) and benefits lasting at least 120 days.
This week, Cybin Inc. (CYBN) completed its 74th preclinical study to advance its proprietary molecules, CYB003 and CYB004, toward clinical research.
The company has evaluated 50 novel compounds in its preclinical research, narrowing it down to four lead candidates. including CYB003 for alcohol use disorder and CYB004 for anxiety disorders.
Compared to classic psychedelics, the formulations are showing:
Human clinical trials are expected to begin early next year to work toward an Investigational New Drug (IND) status.
Oakland could legalize the sale of psychedelics as early as next year!
The city decriminalized the use and cultivation of many psychedelics back in 2019, and now, activists are building on their progress with a “Go Local” Legislative Initiative. The initiative would create a community-based model to allow people to legally purchase natural psychedelics like psilocybin and ayahuasca from local producers.
The initiative will gather research on how best to implement the model over the next year and will introduce a legislation in the summer of 2022.
Some possible reforms being considered include allowing commercial agriculture in residential zones, creating “sacred plant adult farmer’s market permits,” and allowing cannabis dispensaries with 100% local ownership to sell entheogens, among many others.
All products would have to be grown, produced, and tested locally.
After yet another unanimous vote, Easthampton became the fourth city in Massachusetts to decriminalize possession and cultivation of psychedelics!
Malta may legalize cannabis, but residents don’t want the reforms to stop there.
In a recent survey, 447 people in Malta were asked if they think the country should legalize any other substances beyond cannabis. Magic mushrooms was the most popular response with 45% in favour of its legalization.
LSD was the next most common response at 27%, but 56% did not see a need for any other drugs to be legalized.
Oct 18 – Johns Hopkins Receives $4M from the NIH – The First Federal Grant for Psychedelic Research in 50 years Read more…
Oct 19 – FSD Pharma (HUGE) Signs Agreement With Covar Pharmaceuticals To Support The Development Of Lucid-Psych Read more…
Oct 19 – Psyched Wellness (PSYC) says preliminary data reveals potential new functional property of Amanita mushroom for treating skin conditions Read more…
Oct 19 – Bank Of America Shuts Down Account Of Cannabis & Psychedelics Research Institute Registered With DEA Read more…
Oct 19 – atai Life Sciences (ATAI) Launches atai Impact, a Philanthropic Program to Harness the Power of Innovative Mental Health Approaches for Positive Social Change Read more…
Oct 20 – Tryp Therapeutics (TRYP) Reports Clinical Hold on Proposed Phase 2a Study in Eating Disorders Read more…
Oct 20 – LOVE Pharma (LUV) Announces Development of Muco-Adhesive Sublingual Psilocybin Strip Read more…
Oct 21 – Journal of the Royal Society of Medicine Publishes New COVID-19 Suicide Research Led by Braxia Scientific (BRAX) CEO Dr. Roger McIntyre Read more…
Oct 22 – Novamind (NM) Unveils Stealth Mode Investment in Alto Neuroscience Read more…
