Posted on

atai Impact Donates to the Multidisciplinary Association for Psychedelic Studies (MAPS) to Support Pioneering Work in Psychedelic Medicine

atai Impact Donates to the Multidisciplinary Association for Psychedelic Studies (MAPS) to Support Pioneering Work in Psychedelic Medicine

– Leading non-profit and commercial organizations in psychedelic science united in visions to heal mental health conditions

– Donation is from atai Impact, the philanthropic arm of mental health company, atai Life Sciences

– Funds will help support the general operations of MAPS, including its Health Equity Program to increase diversity, equity and inclusion in psychedelic healthcare

NEW YORK and BERLIN, Feb. 16, 2022 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — atai Impact, the philanthropic program of atai Life Sciences (Nasdaq: ATAI) (“atai”) and the Multidisciplinary Association for Psychedelic Studies (MAPS) today announced a $500,000 donation from atai Impact to MAPS. This donation is an important demonstration of the synergy and collaboration across the leading non-profit and commercial organizations to advance psychedelic medicine and tackle the escalating mental health crisis affecting over one billion people worldwide.1

“We were already facing a global mental health crisis, but the pandemic has escalated this even further. To solve this crisis requires innovation, passion and collaboration,” said Florian Brand, CEO and Co-Founder, atai Life Sciences. “MAPS has been the driving force of the psychedelic renaissance over the last 35 years, promoting healing and well-being through education and research into psychedelics and their potential to revolutionize mental health for those in need. Their work has been an incredible source of inspiration and motivation to all of us at atai, and we’re pleased to work alongside them.”

“Mental health is a fundamental human right – one that today’s healthcare systems are not equipped to provide for. The sheer scale of the global mental health crisis calls for a large-scale response from nonprofit, public benefit, and for-profit organizations working together to meet the collective need. With this gift, atai Impact is demonstrating their commitment to our shared values of healing and health equity,” added Rick Doblin, Ph.D., Founder and Executive Director, MAPS.

The $500,000 donation from atai Impact is for multi-year support of MAPS’ ongoing initiatives, including its Health Equity Program. The program aims to optimize access and healing through the development of a diverse network of therapy providers reflecting the diverse experiences of those who experience trauma and mental health conditions.

“We launched atai Impact, our philanthropic arm, because we know there must be a cross-sector approach to healing mental health conditions for everyone, everywhere,” said Rae Richman, Vice President of atai Impact. “It’s an incredibly exciting and pivotal time for psychedelic medicine and atai Impact is committed to ensuring that, as the field grows, it promotes equitable, sustainable and effective practices.”

The donation from atai Impact to MAPS was issued through the atai Impact Fund at Vanguard Charitable.

Live media briefing and Q&A

Florian Brand, CEO of atai Life Sciences, and Rick Doblin, founder and executive director of MAPS will host an online press briefing and live media Q&A at 11.00am ET on Wednesday, February 16.

To pre-register and secure your attendance please visit: https://us02web.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_Ndd2dIznSKyFKe9D0RSnUw.

After registering, you will receive a confirmation email with joining information for the call.

About atai Impact

atai Impact was launched by atai Life Sciences, in October 2021, to harness the power of innovative mental health approaches for positive social change.

The key pillars of atai Impact’s activities are: advancing education, expanding access, and supporting the wider ecosystem of mental health care. atai Impact has an initial focus on the psychedelics sector, given its emerging potential in tackling the growing mental health crisis.

The establishment of atai Impact is based on atai Life Sciences’ position that harmonization across commercial and non-profit entities represents the best path forward to address all aspects of the escalating global mental crisis.

About atai

atai is a clinical-stage biopharmaceutical company aiming to transform the treatment of mental health disorders. atai was founded in 2018 as a response to the significant unmet need and lack of innovation in the mental health treatment landscape. atai is dedicated to acquiring, incubating, and efficiently developing innovative therapeutics to treat depression, anxiety, addiction, and other mental health disorders.

atai’s business model combines funding, technology, scientific and regulatory expertise with a focus on psychedelic therapy and other drugs with differentiated safety profiles and therapeutic potential. By pooling resources and best practices, atai aims to responsibly accelerate the development of new medicines across its companies, seeking to effectively treat and ultimately heal mental health disorders.

atai’s vision is to heal mental health disorders so that everyone, everywhere can live a more fulfilled life. atai has offices in New York, London, and Berlin. For more information, please visit www.atai.life.

About MAPS 

Founded in 1986, MAPS is a 501(c)(3) non-profit research and educational organization that develops medical, legal, and cultural contexts for people to benefit from the careful uses of psychedelics and marijuana. MAPS is sponsoring the most advanced psychedelic therapy research in the world: Phase 3 clinical trials of MDMA-assisted therapy for PTSD. Since its founding, MAPS has raised over $130 million for psychedelic and marijuana research and education and has earned both the Guidestar Platinum Seal of Transparency and a 4-Star Rating from Charity Navigator.

References:

  1. Rehm J, Shield KD. Global Burden of Disease and the Impact of Mental and Addictive Disorders. Curr Psychiatry Rep. 2019;21(2):10.

Forward-Looking Statements

This press release contains forward-looking statements within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. Any express or implied statements contained in this press release (including without limitation, the atai Impact program and any other future philanthropic endeavors by atai) that are not statements of historical fact may be deemed to be forward-looking statements. Forward-looking statements are neither promises nor guarantees, but involve known and unknown risks and uncertainties that could cause actual results to differ materially from those projected, including, without limitation, the important factors discussed under the caption “Risk Factors” in atai’s prospectus pursuant to Rule 424(b) filed with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (“SEC”) on June 21, 2021, and in atai’s other filings with the SEC. atai disclaims any obligation or undertaking to update or revise any forward-looking statements contained in this press release, other than to the extent required by applicable law.

Contact Information

For atai Impact:
Email: Impact@atai.life

Media Contact:
Camilla Dormer
VP, Communications
Email: camilla@atai.life

Investor Contact:
Chad Messer
VP, Investor Relations
Email: chad@atai.life

Posted on

The Chopra Foundation Announces Partnership with Cybin Inc. to Increase Education and Awareness of the Potential Use of Psychedelics in Supporting Well-Being and Mental Health

The Chopra Foundation Announces Partnership with Cybin Inc. to Increase Education and Awareness of the Potential Use of Psychedelics in Supporting Well-Being and Mental Health

– Cybin’s holistic and innovative approach to developing improved treatment options for patients aligns with the goals of the Foundation’s NeverAlone Initiative –

– Fireside chat featuring Deepak Chopra, M.D., FACP, The Chopra Foundation Founder, and Doug Drysdale, Cybin’s Chief Executive Officer, scheduled for Wednesday, February 23, 2022 at 12:00 p.m. ET – 

February 15, 2022– The Chopra Foundation (the “Foundation”), a not-for-profit organization founded by Dr. Deepak Chopra, dedicated to improving health and well-being, today announced a partnership with Cybin Inc. (NEO:CYBN) (NYSE AMERICAN:CYBN) (“Cybin”), a biopharmaceutical company focused on progressing “Psychedelics to Therapeutics™”. The Foundation is working closely with Cybin to support education and awareness about its groundbreaking research to harness the potential of psychedelic therapies in mental health. Emerging research shows that psychedelic-assisted therapy can potentially improve the quality of life for people suffering with mental illnesses, including those specific indications that Cybin is targeting, such as Major Depressive Disorder, Alcohol Use Disorder and Anxiety Disorders.

“The need for new and more effective treatments across the mental health spectrum is more urgent today than ever. Through our NeverAlone movement, we aim to combine forces with the best and brightest across businesses, policymakers, mental health professionals, and others – all with the goal of building awareness, advancing scientific research, and creating a global community to ensure widespread access to well-being resources. As the number of companies pursuing psychedelic-based therapies continues to grow, the Foundation is particularly excited about partnering with Cybin based on its commitment to global well-being and mental health,” said Dr. Deepak Chopra, The Chopra Foundation Founder, Chairman of the Board and Director. 

The Chopra Foundation is dedicated to improving the world’s well-being, cultivating spiritual knowledge, expanding consciousness, and promoting world peace to all members of the human family. The Foundation’s NeverAlone Initiative is focused on reframing the conversation around mental health by forging an alliance of people and organizations dedicated to lighting the path for the world to proactively pursue joy, the ultimate measure of well-being.

“Cybin has cultivated a leadership position in this space based on their proprietary scientific approach that delivers the healing properties of classic psychedelics while reducing variable side effects that have prevented these natural compounds from becoming therapies in the past. This differentiated method is thoughtful and ethical and Cybin is one of the only companies that may truly address the needs of patients and providers. Their vision for improving the landscape of mental illness perfectly aligns with our goals and we look forward to a productive partnership to further both of our missions,” concluded Dr. Chopra.

Cybin’s team of talented industry experts and scientists are working to bring revolutionary psychedelic-based treatment options to patients in need. Cybin’s core values center on its holistic approach to therapeutics and its commitment to transforming the standard of care in mental health.

In addition to its ongoing preclinical, clinical and investigative drug development programs, Cybin shares the Foundation’s commitment to ensuring access to well-being resources for all, including those in underserved communities. 

“We are honored to partner with The Chopra Foundation, and specifically, to be part of the NeverAlone Initiative. Much is understood about psychedelics, as they have been studied in academia for decades, but there is still much investigative work to be done. At Cybin, we are using medicinal chemistry and drug delivery technologies to build on existing clinical data and improve the patient experience by overcoming the limitations of current treatments for mental illness. We share the Foundation’s pioneering spirit with regard to mental health and well-being and its goal of ensuring accessibility to much-needed treatment options to those in need,” said Doug Drysdale, Cybin’s Chief Executive Officer.

The Chopra Foundation and Cybin plan to host a fireside chat featuring Dr. Chopra and Mr. Drysdale to discuss the current status and future of psychedelics as therapeutics on Wednesday, February 23, 2022 at 12:00 p.m. ET. To register for online access to the fireside chat, please click here.

About The Chopra Foundation and Never Alone

The Chopra Foundation is a 501 (c) (3) organization (#36-4793898) dedicated to improving health and well-being, cultivating spiritual knowledge, expanding consciousness, and promoting world peace to all members of the human family. The Foundation’s Never Alone movement will be providing the world with the tools to proactively pursue their path to joy and freedom from suffering.

Media Inquiries:

Kristen Marion

kristen@marionpr.com

623-308-2638

Posted on

atai Impact Establishes the atai Fellowship Fund in Psychedelic Neuroscience with Massachusetts General Hospital’s Center for the Neuroscience of Psychedelics

atai Impact Establishes the atai Fellowship Fund in Psychedelic Neuroscience with Massachusetts General Hospital’s Center for the Neuroscience of Psychedelics

atai Impact’s first major initiative will support promising academics in researching the therapeutic potential of psychedelic compounds to address unmet needs in mental health

The Fund aims to help unlock the mysteries of the brain, improve the treatment of mental health conditions and positively change the future of brain health through psychedelic research

Fellows will be selected with a focus on diversity, equity and inclusion and mentored by leading scientists from across this world-class teaching hospital

NEW YORK and BERLIN, Dec. 16, 2021 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — atai Impact, the recently launched philanthropic program of atai Life Sciences (Nasdaq: ATAI) (“atai”), today announced its first major initiative, the establishment of the atai Fellowship Fund in Psychedelic Neuroscience (“atai Fellowship Fund”) in collaboration with Massachusetts General Hospital’s (MGH) Center for the Neuroscience of Psychedelics.

atai Impact was launched in October 2021 by atai Life Sciences, a clinical-stage biopharmaceutical company, to harness the power of innovative mental health approaches for positive social change. atai Impact is committed to advancing education, expanding access, and supporting the wider ecosystem of mental health care, with an initial focus on psychedelics.

The $2 million atai Fellowship Fund will facilitate further research into the potential of psychedelics to address unmet patient needs in mental health and support promising graduate students in furthering their professional careers in this emerging field.

Massachusetts General Hospital was selected as the ideal partner for the atai Fellowship Fund due to its global reputation as a leading academic medical center and position as the largest teaching hospital of Harvard Medical School. This Fellowship builds on existing collaborations between atai Life Sciences and the Center for Neuroscience of Psychedelics, announced in January 2021, to accelerate discovery of the mechanisms underlying the therapeutic effects of psychedelic agents.1

Fellows will have access to MGH’s cutting-edge resources and expertise in neuroimaging technologies, cognitive neuroscience, cellular and molecular neurobiology, and clinical trial design. The Fund will enable them to pursue the discovery, optimization, and translation of novel experimental psychedelic neurotherapeutics. The ultimate objective of the Fund will be to investigate and unlock the potential of psychedelics to improve brain health and reduce the burden of mental health conditions, which affect over a billion people worldwide.2

Fellows will be selected with a focus on diversity, equity and inclusion and mentored by leading scientists from across key departments of Massachusetts General Hospital, including Neurology, Psychiatry and Radiology. Fellows will be equipped to explore a variety of therapies and neurotherapeutics, and their potential to address key mental health needs, in a world-class educational environment.

“We are very proud to kick off the atai Impact initiatives with such an important contribution to drive robust psychedelic medicine research and to do so with the eminent team at Massachusetts General Hospital,” said Florian Brand, Chief Executive Officer and Co-founder of atai Life Sciences.

“Through the atai Impact Fellowship Fund, we are excited to be fostering the next generation of neuro-innovators. We look forward to the future findings of their research, and its important contribution to the emerging psychedelic renaissance and the future of global mental health care.”

“The current development of psychedelics as psychiatric therapeutics is the beginning, not the end of the story,” said Jerrold F. Rosenbaum, MD, Director, Center for the Neuroscience of Psychedelics at Massachusetts General Hospital.

“These agents are forerunners to a future of novel compounds that will depend on the advance of science to lead to deeper understanding of the underlying neuroscience to deliver enhanced and more precise treatments. For this we need a new generation of scientists and for this goal, the atai Fellowship will be an essential contribution.”

About atai Impact

atai Impact was launched by atai Life Sciences, in October 2021, to harness the power of innovative mental health approaches for positive social change.

The key pillars of atai Impact’s activities are: advancing education, expanding access, and supporting the wider ecosystem of mental health care. atai Impact has an initial focus on the psychedelics sector, given its emerging potential in tackling the growing mental health crisis.

The establishment of atai Impact is based on atai Life Sciences’ position that harmonization across commercial and non-profit entities represents the best path forward to address all aspects of the escalating global mental crisis.

About atai Life Sciences

atai is a clinical-stage biopharmaceutical company aiming to transform the treatment of mental health disorders. atai was founded in 2018 as a response to the significant unmet need and lack of innovation in the mental health treatment landscape. atai is dedicated to acquiring, incubating and efficiently developing innovative therapeutics to treat depression, anxiety, addiction, and other mental health disorders.

atai’s business model combines funding, technology, scientific and regulatory expertise with a focus on psychedelic therapy and other drugs with differentiated safety profiles and therapeutic potential. By pooling resources and best practices, atai aims to responsibly accelerate the development of new medicines across its companies, seeking to effectively treat and ultimately heal mental health disorders.

atai’s vision is to heal mental health disorders so that everyone, everywhere can live a more fulfilled life. atai has offices in New York, London, and Berlin. For more information, please visit www.atai.life.

References:

  1. atai Life Sciences to Collaborate with Massachusetts General Hospital to Accelerate Discovery of Mechanisms Underlying Therapeutic Effects of Psychedelic Agents. [Press Release] https://ir.atai.life/news-releases/news-release-details/atai-life-sciences-collaborate-massachusetts-general-hospital. Published January 26, 2021. Accessed November 12, 2021.
  2. Rehm J, Shield KD. Global Burden of Disease and the Impact of Mental and Addictive Disorders. Curr Psychiatry Rep. 2019;21(2):10. 

Forward-Looking Statements

This press release contains forward-looking statements within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. Any express or implied statements contained in this press release (including without limitation, the atai Impact program and any other future philanthropic endeavors by atai) that are not statements of historical fact may be deemed to be forward-looking statements. Forward-looking statements are neither promises nor guarantees, but involve known and unknown risks and uncertainties that could cause actual results to differ materially from those projected, including, without limitation, the important factors discussed under the caption “Risk Factors” in atai’s prospectus pursuant to Rule 424(b) filed with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (“SEC”) on June 21, 2021, and in atai’s other filings with the SEC. atai disclaims any obligation or undertaking to update or revise any forward-looking statements contained in this press release, other than to the extent required by applicable law.

Contact Information

For atai Impact:
Email: Impact@atai.life

For atai:
Media Contact:
Camilla Dormer
VP, Communications, atai Life Sciences
Email: camilla@atai.life

Investor Contact:
Chad Messer
VP, Investor Relations, atai Life Sciences
Email: chad@atai.life