Category Archives: Psychedelics

Among the leading contenders in the race to pioneer new blockbuster psychiatric drugs is Vancouver-headquarteredXPhyto Therapeutics Corp.This small opportunity-driven life sciences accelerator that operates a range of R&D projects in both Canada and Germany.

They include XPhytos new psychedelics division called XPhyto Laboratories. The companys near-term focus entails the formulation of psychedelic compounds such aspsilocybin derived from various psychoactive mushrooms and mescaline derived from peyote and other cactus species into mood-improving and therapeutic pharmaceutical drugs.

In particular, its expertise in using sublingual and transdermal therapeutics to deliverprecise dosing of very dose-specific drugs, like fentanyl, will prove invaluable in this opportunity-driven undertaking.

XPhytos psychedelic research is led by Professor Raimar Lbenberg. Although he developed his professional expertise in Germany, he is nowone of the few medical scientists working in North America who has the necessary government-level clearance to develop experimental pharmaceutical psychedelic drugs in a leading university laboratory.

LbenbergsHealth Canada licences for research and analytical testing allow him to work with LSD,psilocybin, MDMA, and other psychotropic molecules.

Professor Lbenberg explains: Our initial focus is to develop standardised drug formulations with precise, predictable, and efficient delivery of their active pharmaceutical ingredients for clinical study and therapeutic use. We see a lot of potential therapeutic value in psychedelic compounds for their ability to positively influence neural networks through growth and reorganisation.

As a founder and director of the Drug Development and Innovation Centre at the University of Alberta and the former president of the Canadian Society for Pharmaceutical Sciences, ProfessorLbenbergis a hard-nosed scientist with many years of expertise in pharmacology.

In addition to DrLbenbergs laboratory, team, and drug development expertise,one of the companys German subsidiaries Vektor Pharma TF GmbH has globally recognised drug delivery technology and manufacturing capabilities. Vektor specialises in the use of proprietary oral/transmucosal strips to optimise the uptake of orally administered drugs.

It is well worth noting that most drugs that are delivered via this method are shown to have especially high bioavailability. They also provide a faster onset and more predictable level of efficacy because the drug does not need to be metabolised via the liver. Dosage-control will be vital to the judicious administration of such powerfully potent drugs as psychedelics, ProfessorLbenberg adds.

XPhyto intends to first produce psychedelic active pharmaceutical ingredients, which can then be incorporated into our novel sublingual and transdermal delivery systems. This is our competitive advantage, from production of API to drug formulation to clinical validation, he said.

In this regard, XPhyto is doing pre-clinical laboratory work with a focus on the following psychotropic compounds: psilocybin, mescaline, LSD, MDMA, and DMT.

All of these mind-expanding compounds are known to modulate neurotransmitters such as serotonin and dopamine, which regulatecognition, perception, and mood. This makes them well suited to treating a variety of mental conditions, which also include post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), according to several early-stage clinical trials.

There have been few meaningful advances in the development of psychiatric drugs since the late 1980s. This was whenselective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs) the healthcare industrys go-to antidepressant of choice were first commercialised.

Yet antidepressants fail to help up to 30% of those prescribed. And they can be highly addictive among people who do find them therapeutic.So, according to many mental health experts, the arrival of a new paradigm in breakthrough psychiatric drugs is long overdue.

Nonetheless, annual sales of antidepressant drugs keep surging higher every year. They currently total more than US$14bn, according to a study by Allied Market Research. Other estimates range as high as US$50bn worldwide.

In total, anxiety disorders and/or persistent depression affect up to 25% of the population in Europe, and a similar percentage of people in the USA. That is 250 million people combined the majority of which experience chronic anxiety. Yet they are commonly treated with anti-depressants due to a scarcity of effective medicine to treat people with frayed nerves.

As to whether psychedelics represent a prospectively better alternative, the public perception has always been that any therapeutic value they may have is outweighed by the dangers that they supposedly pose. However, 21st century observational studies conducted by healthcare professionals in controlled environments have consistently shown that participants have reported few or no negative side effects. Studies also show that psychedelics have low potential for abuse or dependence.

According to drug-harm experts, thepsilocybin in psychoactive mushrooms, mescaline in certain cactus, as well as the synthesised compounds in LSD and MDMA, rank among the least harmful drugs when factoring-in damage to health, drug dependency, economic harm, and the societal cost of crime.

Then there is a whole array of other anti-psychotic medications that might one day be replaced by psychedelics. As previously mentioned, the mental health market is worth an estimated $70bn a year globally, according to Bloomberg. Psychedelics stand to earn a sizeable share of this enormous market.

The market intelligence firm,Data Bridge Market Research,forecasts the psychedelic pharmaceuticals market could grow to almost $7bn by 2027 from almost a standing start. Meanwhile, a prominent Canadian investment bank, Canaccord Genuity, estimates that this nascent industry could eventually be worth $100bn.

Not surprisingly, Big Pharma is already beginning to get serious about this new frontier of medical science. After all, the industry has made massive profits from the sale of SSRIs while also becoming increasingly sensitive to the dangerous drawbacks of these controversial drugs.

Hence, an opportunity to help launch a new generation of more effective, yet less problematic mental health drugs must seem very appealing. Which is why Big Pharma will be keenly watching the progress of these biotech innovators in psychedelic medicine with a view to acquiring the best of the bunch for big-dollar sums.

Psychedelic drugs have at last shrugged off the stigma of the 1960s and are finally coming of age as a highly disruptive form of medical therapy. Besides a diversity of mental health ailments already mentioned, psychedelics are proving in observational trials to be especially effective at treating drug and alcohol addictions, too.

Additionally, they are even being developed to treat chronic pain and to help cigarette smokers quit for good. All of this means that up to two billion people may eventually benefit from access to these non-addictive, non-toxic, new drugs.

In summary, XPhyto has entered into two psychedelic agreements: first, for the development of industrial scale biotechnology processes for the production of psilocybin, and second, for research and development related to multiple psychedelic compounds, including psilocybin, mescaline, LSD, MDMA, DMT, among others.

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XPhyto Therapeutics diversifies into psychedelics with new labs - Health Europa

NEW YORK, March 24, 2021 /PRNewswire/ --The push for psychedelic medicine is surging across North America and around the world. Scientific evidence supports the life-changing impact this safe and natural alternative has in treating mental illness of all types. New research from a number of organizations, including Johns Hopkinsin Baltimore and Imperial Collegein London, which revealed that patients with depressive disorders had a clinically significant positive response to psilocybin-assisted therapy may represent a therapeutic breakthrough in treating multiple neurological disorders. As research expands, so does support for the revolutionary treatment, which has actually been around for centuries. As seen before, anecdotal opinions often trigger scientific research which then, with validation, drives growth in the industry as well investor interest. That's exactly what's occurring in the psychedelic therapeutics space, major upticks in both new companies entering the space as well as investors excited about the possibilities. Potential stakeholders in this game-changing new market are looking for companies that can weather the complex and expensive process of running clinical trials and bringing a drug to market. A leader in psychedelic therapeutic research and drug development, Cybin Inc. (NEO: CYBN) (OTCQB: CLXPF)(Profile)has a strong clinical pipeline with phase 2 trials underway, holds ten provisional patents,and boasts a proven leadership and a time-tested tradition. Other companies vying for position in the psychedelics medicine space include COMPASS Pathways Plc (NASDAQ: CMPS), Mind Medicine Inc (OTCQB: MMEDF) (NEO: MMED), Numinus Wellness Inc. (OTCPK: LKYSF) (NEO: NUMI) (TSX.V: NUMI) and Field Trip Health Ltd.(OTCQX: FTRPF) (CSE: FTRP). Each of these companies is focused on providing better treatments for the millions suffering from mental health issues.

Click hereto view the custom infographic of theCybin editorial.

The Psychedelic Answers

More than 700 million people worldwide struggle with some form of mental illness, be it depression, addiction or post-traumatic stress disorder and the people counted are just those who seek help. The actual number is likely much higher, given the high frequency of nondiagnosis as well as stigmas and lack of effective treatments. One in four people will face a mental or neurological disorder at some point in their lives, yet "current treatments and the dominant model of mental health care do not adequately address the complex challenges of mental illness, which accounts for roughly one-third of adult disability globally."

More and more people are looking outside conventional protocols for solutions, and they're finding those solutions in the world of psychedelic medicine, specifically psilocybins. Psilocybins are a hallucinogenic substance found in certain types of mushroom, dubbed magic mushrooms, and used for centuries by indigenous cultures for religious, spiritual and health-related purposes. As is often the case, the modern world is learning from the ancient as mounting evidence points to these prolific fungi as a source for long-sought-for help in mental health and neurological disorders.

A Legacy of Success

Cybin Inc. (NEO: CYBN) (OTCQB: CLXPF)is intent on becoming the leader in this exciting breakthrough for mental well-being. The company is at the forefront of the revolution in mental health therapeutics and is developing a new class of psychedelic medicines and treatment protocols. Driving its commitment to excellence is the company's impressive leadership team of experienced professionals with a combined 80-plus years in the pharmaceutical industry.

CEO Doug Drysdale has three decades in the health-care sector, successfully building and turning around three pharmaceutical companies, and co-founder Eric So has raised hundreds of millions for various companies, directing value creation and strategic exits. Cybin's executive team has the experience and critical insights to navigate through the complexities the promising psychedelics industry offers.

Staffed with luminaries, the company's scientific team,helped develop widely used drugs such as Allegra, Sabril, Anzemet and Vaniqa, and is the only scientific team to have successfully commercialized a psychedelic drug to date.In addition, the team has facilitated more than $2 billion in pharmaceutical sales alongside being collectively involved in 37 exits across the biotech sector and various other verticals. Cybin's leadership team has a rich legacy of success and has the proven ability to both guide the company and maximize opportunity.

Tested, Proven Fundraising Ability

The importance of being well funded can't be overlooked and is especially important for research and drug development. Cybin and its leadership team have demonstrated ability to raise funds for key, strategic steps necessary for success. Most recently, Cybin raised C$45 million in the largest go-public capital raise in the Canadian psychedelic sector and a total of C$88 million across Seed, Series-A and Series-B financing rounds.

Part of that capital was used in the company's strategic acquisition of Adelia Therapeutics Inc., whose novel psychedelic molecules allowed Cybin to diversity its portfolio and provided access to multiple future indications. The acquisition also resulted in Cybin obtaining a range of technologies related to novel therapeutic delivery methods and therapeutic regimens, along with six patent applications. The acquisition also brought with it an expanding library of psychedelic derivative drug development candidates, with the first lead compounds expected to enter clinical studies this year.

A Three-Pillar Pipeline

Cybin is committed to a strong, well-established IP portfolioand clinical pipeline, as indicated by the Adelia acquisition. The company leads the industry in therapeutic development programs and innovative drug delivery systems using a three-pillar strategy with its novel drug-discovery platform, optimal novel and proprietary drug-delivery systems, and an innovative treatment regimen.

The company's IP model is diverse, covering chemically synthesized molecules, delivery mechanisms, screeners, protocols and new drug formulations alongside a merger and acquisition strategy focused on acquiring proprietary technologies and novel compounds and molecules. In addition, Cybin holds worldwide exclusive rights to sublingual film delivery technology from Intelgenx for the delivery of psilocybin and other psychedelic molecules.

In addition, the company has key partnerships in place. Cybin recently partnered with neurotech pioneer Kernelto leverage its Kernel Flow, an innovative technology designed to detect hemodynamic changes in the brain that pulses light through the skull and into the bloodstream to measure how much oxygen the blood is carrying at any given time. Cybin anticipates that the quantitative measurements enabled by Flow may improve the development, delivery and scaling of its psychedelic therapeutics.

"Access to Kernel's innovative Flow technology adds another exciting dimension to the investigative work that Cybin is doing to develop breakthrough treatments for mental health disorders such as depression and addiction," said CEO Doug Drysdale. "Currently, clinical investigators rely on limited subjective information from patients. The ability to collect quantitative data from our sponsored drug development programs is potentially game-changing in terms of our ability to measure where psychedelics work in the brain in real time, and how we ultimately design our future therapeutics. . . . This new cornerstone component of our sponsored clinical programs follows a record-setting capital raise, listing on the NEO Exchange and the acquisition of Adelia Therapeutics Inc., which added significant scientific capabilities, novel molecules, delivery mechanisms and intellectual property."

Just this week Cybin announced that it had signed a drug-development agreement with Catalent Inc., the leading global provider of advanced delivery technologies, development, and manufacturing solutions for drugs, biologics, cell and gene therapies, and consumer health products. Cybin will be applying Catalent's proprietary Zydis(R)orally disintegrating tablet technology for the delivery of its novel deuterated tryptamine, or CYB003, a potential therapy for treatment-resistant psychiatric disorders.

"We are excited to partner with the team at Catalent with the aim of developing fast-acting, shorter-duration formulations of CYB003, recently acquired as part of our acquisition of Adelia Therapeutics," Drysdale said. "Our focus on reducing the need for health system resources, such as in-clinic therapist time, is an important part of our goal to create scalable, more accessible treatments for mental health disorders."

There's little doubt about the lack of effective treatments for mental health and neurological disorders. Scientific research is revealing a new, more effective approaches to address the massive unmet medical need. Leaders in this new frontier of medicine will likely be both appreciated by patients and rewarded by the markets.

Making a Profit and a Difference

Cybin isn't alone in the quest to make a difference in the mental health space. Savvy companies see an opportunity in psychedelic therapeutics and are jostling for position in an industry destined to make a mark.

COMPASS Pathways Plc (NASDAQ: CMPS) intends to accelerate patient access to evidence-based innovation in mental health. "We focus our efforts on those who are not helped by current treatments," states the company, which is developing its COMP360 psilocybin therapy designed to offer relief for the millions of people who suffer with treatment-resistant depression (TRD). The company is pioneering the development of this therapy, in which its proprietary formulation of synthetic psilocybin, COMP360, is administered in conjunction with psychological support.

Mind Medicine Inc (OTC: MMEDF) (NEO: MMED)is a psychedelic medicine biotech company that discovers, develops and deploys psychedelic-inspired medicines and therapies to address addiction and mental illness. The company is assembling a compelling drug development pipeline of innovative treatments based on psychedelic substances including psilocybin, LSD, MDMA, DMT and an Ibogaine derivative, 18-MC.

MMED is also actively pursuing the development of LSD-assisted therapies through its Project Lucy, including a Phase2btrial for anxiety disorders planned to be conducted fully through the FDA pathway.

Numinus Wellness Inc. (OTC: LKYSF) (NEO: NUMI) (TSX.V: NUMI)supports access to psychedelic-assisted psychotherapy through ketamine-assisted psychotherapy and special access and compassionate trials. Numinus partners with practitioners in providing clients with access to psychedelic-assisted psychotherapy, and through its recent acquisition of Mindspace, a Quebec-based psychedelic programming leader, Numinus now supports practitioners across three clinic locations.

Field Trip Health Ltd.(OTCQX: FTRPF) (CNX: FTRP), a global leader in the development and delivery of psychedelic therapies, recently partneredwith WHOOP, a human performance company, to measure the biometric effects of Field Trip's psychedelic therapies. Field Trip is opening Field Trip Health centers across North America and Europe for the delivery of psychedelic therapies, which have demonstrated significant efficacy in treating mental health conditions such as depression, anxiety and PTSD.

Surging interest in psychedelic therapeutics has sparked rising involvement from savvy companies interested in making both a profit and a difference as well as investors looking for the next space to strategically make a move. Companies such as Cybin that offer the science, the leadership and the expertise needed to succeed have a good chance of making a real difference in the nascent industry.

For more information about Cybin, please visitCybin Inc.

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Science Drives Surging Interest in Psychedelic Therapeutics - PRNewswire

MIAMI, March 22, 2021 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- 20/20 Global, Inc. dba Mycotopia Therapies, (OTC Pink: TWGL) (the Company), a company focused on psychedelic therapies, announced today it has formed PsyBioMed Australia and entered into a letter of intent to jointly conduct clinical trials in Australia using psychedelics to treat mental illness. PsyBioMed Australia will be a joint venture between Mycotopia Therapies and Melbourne, Victoria based psychedelic research and development company Natural MedTech. It is expected that PsyBioMed-Australia will build and develop a R&D laboratory and a manufacturing facility in Victoria using technology to be provided by Ehave, Inc. (OTC: EHVVF) to capture and analyze data.

According to data released by the Australian Institute of Health and Welfare 4.3 million Australia patients (17.1% of the Australian population) received a mental health-related prescription in 201819 with 70.9% (27.6 million) of those being antidepressant medications. With anti-depressant usage on the rise over the years and currently with over 3 million Australians on anti-depressants, there are hundreds of thousands of patients that meet the criteria for psychedelic assisted therapies in Australia.PsyBioMed aims to close the loop in the broken supply chain and produce Current Good Manufacturing Practice (cGMP) psychedelics in Australia, while researching various other molecules that can be translated into clinical practice.

Medicallysupervised, legal access to evidence-based Psychedelic-Assisted Psychotherapy is becoming increasingly available through clinical trials for multiple conditions throughout Australia. The Australian government through the Medical Research Future Fund (MRFF) has allocated $15 million to fund clinical research into Ketamine, Psilocybin and MDMA Assisted therapies in order to fully ascertain the safety and impacts of these kinds of drugs compared to existing drugs. This research by the Australian government into whether psychedelic drugs are more effective than existing treatments sets the stage for large-scale clinical trials.

PsyBioMed-Australia intends to obtain licences and permits to legally possess, supply, sell and manufacture Schedule 8 & 9 Drugs (Schedule 9 is equivalent to Americas Schedule 1) in order to produce cGMP psychedelics in Australia. PsyBioMed-Australias Victoria, Australia based facilities will have the capabilities to undertake genetic approaches and apply both mycology and synthetic biology techniques in both R&D and full GMP environments. PsyBioMed-Australia plans to produce medicine at a standard for human consumption, develop IP and supply upcoming clinical trials, as well as health institutions and physicians when appropriate.

The partnership with Natural MedTech provides PsyBioMed access to various forms of intellectual property, an expert team of local scientists, medical professionals, university, and industry partners that are pioneers in their respective fields and are passionate about developing novel therapies for the unmet need that is mental ill health.

Mycotopia Therapies, through its relationship with Ehave, provides PsyBioMed with IP access to digital therapeutic blockchain technology that allows for the secure and compliant capture of in-depth data sets. This data capture will be used to clinically validate some of these more experimental forms of therapy including psychedelic and ketamine treatments whilst allowing patients to own their own data and do what they want with it.

This type of data capture will allow for effective N-of-1 type studies in alignment with the Royal Australian and New Zealands College of Psychiatrist Clinical Memorandum Therapeutic use of psychedelic substances.

Ben Kaplan, CEO of Mycotopia Therapies, said, It is estimated 4 million Australians experience a mental health disorder every year, and almost half of all Australians will be affected at some point in their lifetime. PsyBioMed-Australia will provide the opportunity to boost local research into potentially lifesaving therapies while creating a supply chain for their distribution.

Dr. Manideep Gopishetty, CMO of Mycotopia Therapies, said, Increasingresearch evidencesuggests MDMA, commonly known as ecstasy, could be an effective adjunct to psychotherapy for people with post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). Meanwhile, clinical trials of psilocybin, the psychoactive component of magic mushrooms, show it could assist psychotherapy in the treatment of anxiety, depression, addiction and other mood-based disorders all of which aligns with our research and drug development roadmap. We strongly believe Australia would be a pivotal point for global distribution of psychedelics and special access program of Australia designed for medical consumption of psychedelics in chronic mental health conditions is a perfect model created by the Australian government to enable this drug delivery process very seamlessly by having all regulatory protocols in place.

Mark Hestermann, CEO of Natural MedTech, said, Australia is often considered a lucky country, but we have one of the highest rates of mental ill health globally. Something is wrong. I believe that people deserve better than to live with symptom management when there are more promising treatment options at our doorstep. Our mission is to break the symptom management cycle thats all too prevalent in mental healthcare and offer alternative and meaningful solutions for people who are suffering.

Dr Jamie Rickcord, Founder of Ananda Clinics, said, In order for us to safely introduce psychedelic assisted therapy into Australian practice, having access to GMP grade psychedelic medicines is an urgent need. Recent announcements from the Australian government of $15 million to fund research into psychedelic therapies highlights the need for these medicines to be available. Australia will soon be on the leading edge of the renaissance and as we build data and experience in psychedelic medicine it will be another leap to have access to locally produced medicines. The combination of local research and production will allow suffering Australian's to access these therapies safely and in timely manner. This partnership is the innovation and forward thinking required at this crucial stage in the introduction of psychedelic medicine in Australia.

About Mycotopia Therapies

Mycotopia Therapies focuses on helping you heal and reclaim your life. Your journey of healing is an understanding of the causes and works to mental wellness through psychedelic enhanced psychotherapy, integrated with a professional team of mental wellness practitioners and cutting-edge technology. Psychedelic therapy is a holistic and spiritual approach providing healing and has shown successful treatment for many years. Additional information on Mycotopia Therapies can be found on the Companys website at: https://www.mycotopiatherapies.com.

About Natural MedTech

Natural MedTech is a biotech company driven by a passion to bring optimum health and wellness by translating modern advancements into meaningful action. Natural MedTech conducts drug development, engages and supports clinical trials with the goal of advancing clinical application of psychedelics and other scheduled compounds of therapeutic relevance. Our initial focus is to manufacture GMP psilocybin in Australia and provide innovative solutions to address current public health challenges of today.

We are focused on psychedelic advancements, but we understand that psychedelics arent the whole picture. Natural MedTech promotes its Seven (7) pillars of health, which are in Personalized Nutrition, Exercise, Personalized Medicine, Mindfulness Meditation, Breathwork, Sleep, and Psychedelic Medicines. https://www.naturalmedtech.com

Forward-Looking Statement Disclaimer

This press release contains forward-looking statements within the meaning of the PrivateSecurities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. Such statements may be preceded by the wordsintends, may, will, plans, expects, anticipates, projects, predicts, estimates, aims, believes, hopes, potential or similar words. Forward-looking statements are based on certain assumptions and are subject to various known and unknown risks and uncertainties, many of which are beyond the Company's control, and cannot be predicted or quantified and consequently, actual results may differ materially from those expressed or implied by such forward-looking statements: (i) the initiation, timing, progress and results of the Companys research, manufacturing and other development efforts; (ii) the Companys ability to advance its products to successfully complete development and commercialization; (iii) the manufacturing, development, commercialization, and market acceptance of the Companys products; (iv) the lack of sufficient funding to finance the product development and business operations; (v) competitive companies and technologies within the Companys industry and introduction of competing products; (vi) the Companys ability to establish and maintain corporate collaborations; (vii) loss of key management personnel; (viii) the scope of protection the Company is able to establish and maintain for intellectual property rights covering its products and its ability to operate its business without infringing the intellectual property rights of others; (ix) potential failure to comply with applicable health information privacy and security laws and other state and federal privacy and security laws; and (x) the difficulty of predicting actions of the USA FDA and its regulations. All forward-looking statements included in this press release are made only as of the date of this press release. The Company assumes no obligation to update any written or oral forward-looking statement unless required by law. More detailed information about the Company and the risk factors that may affect the realization of forward-looking statements is contained under the heading "RiskFactors" in 20/20 Global, Inc.s RegistrationStatement on Form F-1 filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) onSeptember 24, 2015, as amended, which is available on the SEC's website, http://www.sec.gov.

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Psychedelic Joint Venture Between Mycotopia Therapies and Natural MedTech Brings Research and Drug Development to Test Active Ingredient In...

DUBLIN--(BUSINESS WIRE)--The "Global Psychedelic Drugs Market: Size & Forecast with Impact Analysis of COVID-19 (2021-2025)" report has been added to ResearchAndMarkets.com's offering.

"Global Psychedelic Drugs Market: Size & Forecast with Impact Analysis of COVID-19 (2021-2025)", provides an in depth analysis of the global psychedelic drugs market by value, by indication, etc. The report also provides a detailed analysis of the COVID-19 impact on the psychedelic drugs market.

Recently, the use of psychedelics is evolving for the treatment of a variety of mental illnesses, including anxiety, depression, post-traumatic stress disorder, etc.

Some psychedelic drugs are extracted from plants or mushrooms, and some are synthetic (human-made). These drugs are now considered effective for patients with treatment-resistant depression, as they are fast-acting and long-lasting.

The most common psychedelic substances include: Ketamine, Psilocybin, Ibogaine, LSD, Dimethyltryptamine (DMT), or MDMA. The majority of psychedelic drugs under development are targeting mental and/or behavioral health indications. This is an area with significant unmet need.

The psychedelic drugs market can be segmented on the basis of indication (ADHD, MDD, Bipolar, Migraine, Anxiety, Parkinson's Disease, OUD, Alzheimer's Disease, AUD, TUD, Eating Disorder, and Narcolepsy); and drug type (Lysergic Acid Diethylamide (LSD), Ketamine, Psilocybin, 3,4-MethylEnedioxyMethamphetamine (MDMA), Ibogaine, and Others).

The global psychedelic drugs market has increased significantly during the years 2018-2020 and projections are made that the market would rise in the next four years i.e. 2021-2025 tremendously. The psychedelic drugs market is expected to increase due to rising prevalence of depression and mental disorders, regulatory reforms, developments relating to psychedelics, changing perceptions, little severe side effects and cost effective, etc. Yet the market faces some challenges such as uncertainty around getting the FDA approval, early stage in lifecycle of the psychedelics industry, stigma associated with psychedelic drugs use, etc.

The report also assesses the key opportunities in the market and outlines the factors that are and will be driving the growth of the industry. Growth of the overall global psychedelic drugs market has also been forecasted for the period 2021-2025, taking into consideration the previous growth patterns, the growth drivers and the current and future trends.

The global psychedelic drugs market remains at a early stage in its life cycle, with most companies currently developing their go-to-market strategy. The market players of psychedelics are involved in the clinical trials of several psychedelic drugs to address mental health, which continues to present significant unmet need.

The key players of the psychedelic drugs market are COMPASS Pathways Plc, Mind Medicine (MindMed) Inc., Numinus Wellness Inc., and Johnson & Johnson are also profiled with their financial information and respective business strategies.

Key Topics Covered:

1. Executive Summary

2. Introduction

2.1 Psychedelic Drugs: An Overview

2.1.1 History of Psychedelic Drugs

2.1.2 Pros and Cons of Psychedelic Drugs

2.1.3 Major Types of Psychedelic Drugs

2.1.4 Potential Treatment Indications for Psychedelic Molecules

2.1.5 Psychedelic Classification

2.2 Psychedelic Drugs Segmentation: An Overview

2.2.1 Psychedelic Drugs Segmentation by Indication

2.2.2 Psychedelic Drugs Segmentation by Drug Type

3. Global Market Analysis

3.1 Global Psychedelic Drugs Market: An Analysis

3.1.1 Global Psychedelic Drugs Market by Value

3.1.2 Global Psychedelic Drugs Market by Indication (ADHD, MDD, Bipolar, Migraine, Anxiety, Parkinson's Disease, OUD, Alzheimer's Disease, AUD, TUD, Eating Disorder and Narcolepsy)

3.2 Global Psychedelic Drugs Market: Indication Analysis

3.2.1 Global Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) Psychedelic Drugs Market by Value

3.2.2 Global Major Depressive Disorder (MDD) Psychedelic Drugs Market by Value

3.2.3 Global Bipolar Disorder Psychedelic Drugs Market by Value

3.2.4 Global Migraine Psychedelic Drugs Market by Value

3.2.5 Global Anxiety Psychedelic Drugs Market by Value

3.2.6 Global Parkinson's Disease Psychedelic Drugs Market by Value

3.2.7 Global Opioid Use Disorder (OUD) Psychedelic Drugs Market by Value

3.2.8 Global Alzheimer's Disease Psychedelic Drugs Market by Value

3.2.9 Global Alcohol Use Disorder (AUD) Psychedelic Drugs Market by Value

3.2.10 Global Tobacco Use Disorder (TUD) Psychedelic Drugs Market by Value

3.2.11 Global Eating Disorder Psychedelic Drugs Market by Value

3.2.12 Global Narcolepsy Psychedelic Drugs Market by Value

4. Impact of COVID-19

4.1 Impact of COVID-19

4.1.1 Impact of COVID-19 on Healthcare Sector

4.1.2 Impact of COVID-19 on Psychedelic Drugs Industry

5. Market Dynamics

5.1 Growth Driver

5.1.1 Rising Prevalence of Depression and Mental Disorders

5.1.2 Regulatory Reforms

5.1.3 Developments Relating to Psychedelics

5.1.4 Changing Perceptions

5.1.5 Little Severe Side Effects and Cost effective

5.2 Challenges

5.2.1 Uncertainty around Getting the FDA Approval

5.2.2 Early Stage in Lifecycle of the Psychedelics Industry

5.2.3 Stigma Associated with Psychedelic Drugs Use

5.3 Market Trends

5.3.1 Rising Approval for Additional Psychedelic Drugs

5.3.2 Growing Popularity of Psilocybin

5.3.3 Rising Number of Potential Candidates for Breakthrough Therapy Designation (BTD)

5.3.4 Surging popularity of Micro-dosing in Psychedelics

5.3.5 Emergence of Psychedelic-assisted Psychotherapy (PAP)

5.3.6 Increasing Potential Treatment Indications for Psychedelic Drugs

6. Competitive Landscape

6.1 Global Psychedelic Drugs Market Players by Drug TAM

6.2 Global Psychedelic Drugs Market Players by Psychedelic Related Businesses

6.3 Global Psychedelic Drugs Market Players by Psychedelic-related Clinical Trials

6.4 Global Psychedelic Drugs Market Players by Breakthrough Therapy Designations (BTD) for Psychedelic Substances

7. Company Profiles

7.1 COMPASS Pathways Plc

7.2 Mind Medicine (MindMed) Inc.

7.3 Numinus Wellness Inc.

7.4 Johnson & Johnson

For more information about this report visit https://www.researchandmarkets.com/r/eke13d

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Global Psychedelic Drugs Market 2021-2025: Rising Number of Potential Candidates for Breakthrough Therapy Designation (BTD) - ResearchAndMarkets.com -...

It will come as a surprise to some that a clinical trial at a major metropolitan hospital is testing a treatment for alcohol use disorder that involves psilocybin, better known as the "magic mushroom."

But to those who have been following the expanding research into psychedelic-assisted therapy--for conditions ranging from addiction to depression and PTSD--what's new is not the psilocybin, but combining it with video.

"This is a novel approach," said Daniel Kelly, MD and neurosurgeon who is director of the Pacific Neuroscience Institute, part of St. John's Medical Center in Santa Monica, conducting the trial.

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"Truly groundbreaking" and "historic" are the words used by filmmaker Louie Schwartzberg, who created the video.

The hypothesis is that appropriate video can enhance or "prime" the psilocybin-induced "mystical experience," which previous research has indicated can be effective for patients who desire to resolve psychological challenges.

There is need for new approaches, given the inconsistent results of traditional addiction treatments.

Though perhaps best remembered in popular culture as a recreational accessory of the 60s counter-culture, recognition of psilocybin's hallucinogenic powers dates back to ancient times.

"There's a long history of shamanistic cultures using these very successfully to manage these issues," said Dr. Kelly.

In the 1950s psychedelics, including psilocybin, became the subject of therapeutic research at Harvard University, among other established institutions.

But the excesses of the '60s put such research "into a deep freeze," as Dr. Kelly recounts the prologue, until just before the turn of the new century.

"There's a renaissance in psychedelic-assisted therapy that's been going on now for perhaps the last 20 years," said Dr. Kelly. "To me, as a neuroscientist, I think this is perhaps the most interesting thing going on in the neurosciences right now--because there's so much potential to help so many people in need."

During typical psychedelic therapy with psilocybin, the patient relaxes in a calm space, receives a dose of the active ingredient, and while monitored goes into a hallucinogenic state for several hours, a "mystical experience," or more simply, a trip. Patients are screened in advance for suitability and undergo "integration sessions" with a therapist, and afterward, there is follow-up.

Beyond the physiological fact that psilocybin triggers serotonin receptors, how it works is still not exactly clear. The prevailing sense is that this enables communication between different areas of the brain, bypassing and interruptingnormal thought patterns in the "default mode network," temporarily turning it off."This cross-referencing and cross-talk that occurs during the journey is thought to somehow allow people to come to these insights that they couldn't otherwise get as to whytheir behavior is so stuck in this rut," Dr. Kelly said.

But in not every case was a standard dose found to produce an adequate "mystical experience" to bring about change.

A considerable portion of the research in recent years has taken place at Johns Hopkins University Medical Center in Baltimore.

Filmmaker Schwartzberg obtained permission to film some of that therapy for his 2019 film Fantastic Fungi, devoted to exploring the mushroom, its place in the world and its powers.

"I think it shaped my life," Schwartzberg said of his own first experience with psilocybin while in college. "it's like the deepest meditative experience."

He became a believer in the healing power of nature, and documenting it became a specialty of his filmmaking.

During his filming at Johns Hopkins, Schwartzberg recalls, seeing patients wearing eye-shades, it occurred to him that nature visuals can be brought into a clinical setting.

"Nature is a healing modality. So I want to be able to bring that into healthcare," said Schwartzberg.

His work has been used at UC San Diego Health's Jacobs Medical Center, where patients can choose the visual ambiance of their room, and also at the University of Texas BrainHealth Center in Dallas.

His opportunity to test his belief that nature visuals can further psychedelic therapy came after he and Dr. Kelly met at a consciousness forum in Madison, Wisconsin.

Under Dr. Kelly, a co-founder of the Pacific Neurosciences Institute, it launched a program called Treatment & Research in Psychedelics, with the conveniently appropriate acronym, "TRIP," under the direction of addiction specialist Keith Heinzerling, MD. He is also the principal investigator of the new trial, the Institute's first, formally known as the "Visual Healing" study.

"Psilocybin-assisted therapy shows promise for treating alcohol use disorder,but early studies suggest that patients with alcohol problems may be less likelyto achieve a mystical experience with a standard psilocybin dose," stated Dr. Heinzerling.

The goal of achieving the effect without resorting to a larger dose is where the film Schwartzberg created for the trial comes in, with a visual theme of recurring patterns in nature, emphasized with time lapse, slow motion, and other visual techniques.

"Bending your human perception, by taking the patient on a journey through time and scale," is how Schwartzberg describes it. "And what that does is it opens you up, just as the psilocybin opens you up."

There will also be a control group that does not get "primed" with the video.

"Our hypothesis is that these patients who get the nature-themed video will have a higher likelihood of trying to deal with their drinking and reduce their intake or stop drinking altogether," said Dr. Kelly.

He emphasized that a team of professionals work to create the appropriate "set and setting," for every patient; that this is not something to be taken lightly.

Unlike opiates, tobacco, and often alcohol, psilocybin is not considered addictive. It is a controlled substance, schedule 1, the same schedule where you find heroin. But in 2018, the FDA issued a breakthrough therapy designation to several firms developing psilocybin treatments. Under some interpretations, psilocybin could also be prescribed for terminally ill patients under the Right to Try Act of 2018. Several cities have voted to decriminalize, and a bill introduced last month in California's legislature, SB 519, would recognize its therapeutic potential, and legalize possession, use and sharing, though not sale.

Though they are very different drugs, Schwartzberg envisions psilocybin following the path of cannabis to legalized medicinal use. And he's not alone.

"I think this psychedelic renaissance is transforming behavioral healthcare," Dr. Kelly said. "It's long overdue."

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Adding a Cinematic Twist to Magic Mushrooms' as Medical Treatment - NBC Southern California

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Toronto, Ontario--(Newsfile Corp. - March 23, 2021) - Mindset Pharma Inc. (CSE: MSET) (FSE: 9DF) (OTCQB: MSSTF) ("Mindset" or the "Company"), a biotechnology company focused on developing next generation psychedelic medicines and related technologies, is pleased to announce that it has entered a co-development agreement with InterVivo Solutions Inc. ("InterVivo" or "IVS"), to co-develop a new translational testing platform that Mindset and InterVivo expect will introduce an industry standard against which the performance and efficacy of breakthrough psychedelic medicines are compared and assessed.

Management of each of Mindset and InterVivo believe that the psychedelic pharma industry will benefit greatly from a standardized reference data set to identify and develop medicines with enhanced therapeutic benefit and improved safety and pharmacological profiles. Mindset and InterVivo intend to establish the first comprehensive psychedelics benchmark reference data set by evaluating a broad range of psychedelic drugs through a proprietary program of in vivo tests conducted at InterVivo's facility. It is anticipated that the Co-operative Psychedelics Evaluation Platform ("COPE") will be an invaluable tool to guide the development of next-generation psychedelic compounds and improve patentability and value in new molecule drug assets. Mindset and InterVivo intend to make COPE available to InterVivo's clients who are pursuing psychedelics drug development projects; with first data compilations to be available on or before June 12, 2021.

The project will be co-led by IVS's Chief Scientific Officer, Dr. Guy Higgins, and VP R&D, Dr. Ins de Lannoy, and will focus on establishing both pharmacological and pharmacokinetics data sets using sophisticated behavioural assays as well as state-of-the art in vivo sampling and analytical techniques. Mindset will co-sponsor the project and will incorporate the testing technology and data sets into their own lead optimization programs.

Dr. Guy Higgins, Ph.D., Chief Scientific Officer of InterVivo and a Scientific Advisory Board member of Mindset, commented, "To design better and safer drugs, we must carefully establish the limitations of the current psychedelics. The combination of our behavioural pharmacology, pharmacokinetic and early (non-GLP) safety expertise puts us in an excellent position to characterise these for the purpose of identifying improved molecules, both for standard-dosing and micro-dosing purpose. Our vision is to bring significant value to our sponsors who are active in this field, with the ultimate goal of delivering next generation medicines to benefit both patients and practitioners."

James Lanthier, CEO of Mindset commented, "We are excited to partner with InterVivo in this innovative initiative. We believe that the COPE platform will be a unique asset and will create significant value for the emerging psychedelics drug development market. We expect that the data from COPE will help both Mindset and the broader psychedelics field to identify specific pharmacological improvements, strengthen intellectual property rights, and achieve key development milestones in a more efficient and cost-effective manner."

CONTACT:

James LanthierCEOjlanthier@mindsetpharma.com

Jason AtkinsonVP, Corporate Developmentjatkinson@mindsetpharma.com647-938-5266

About Mindset Pharma Inc.

Mindset Pharma Inc. is a drug discovery and development company focused on creating optimized and patentable next-generation psychedelic medicines to treat neurological and psychiatric disorders with unmet needs. Mindset was established in order to develop next generation pharmaceutical assets that leverage the breakthrough therapeutic potential of psychedelic drugs. Mindset is developing several novel families of next generation psychedelic compounds, as well as an innovative process to chemically synthesize psilocybin as well as its own proprietary compounds. http://www.mindsetpharma.com

About InterVivo Solutions

InterVivo Solutions (IVS) is Canada's top neuroscience contract research organization, offering translational research services with a focus on next-generation neuroscience drug discovery. IVS offers in vivo proof of concept efficacy, drug metabolism, pharmacokinetics and early safety research studies for a global client base.

http://www.intervivo.com

Forward-Looking Information

This news release contains certain "forward-looking information" within the meaning of applicable securities law. Forward looking information is frequently characterized by words such as "plan", "expect", "project", "intend", "believe", "anticipate", "estimate", "may", "will", "would", "potential", "proposed" and other similar words, or statements that certain events or conditions "may" or "will" occur. These statements are only predictions. Forward-looking information is based on the opinions and estimates of management at the date the information is provided and is subject to a variety of risks and uncertainties and other factors that could cause actual events or results to differ materially from those projected in the forward-looking information. For a description of the risks and uncertainties facing the Company and its business and affairs, readers should refer to the Company's Management's Discussion and Analysis. The Company undertakes no obligation to update forward-looking information if circumstances or management's estimates or opinions should change, unless required by law. The reader is cautioned not to place undue reliance on forward-looking information.

NEITHER THE CANADIAN SECURITIES EXCHANGE NOR ITS REGULATIONS SERVICES PROVIDER HAVE REVIEWED OR ACCEPT RESPONSIBILITY FOR THE ADEQUACY OR ACCURACY OF THIS RELEASE.

To view the source version of this press release, please visit https://www.newsfilecorp.com/release/78295

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Mindset Pharma and InterVivo Solutions to Jointly Develop Advanced Cooperative Psychedelics Evaluation Platform ("Cope"); Cope Expected to...

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Recent researchhas found that using psychedelic substances has been linked to better physical health. However, the cause of the link between the two is still not clear.

The studys corresponding author, Otto Simonsson, stated that while a lot of research on classic psychedelics had shown the various mental health benefits they possessed, little was known about how these psychedelics may impact long-term physical health outcomes. Simonsson, who is from theUniversity of Oxford, added that&

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Study Finds Users of Psychedelics Have Better Physical Health Than Non-Users - StreetInsider.com

Opening the door to insights.

Nick Watchorn had suffered for most of his adult life from severe post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) before he sought psychedelic treatments to deal with his chronic condition. He credits those psychoactive sessions, and particularly the work he did afterwards in a process known as integration a way of gleaning insights from the experience with saving his life. I thought I was too far gone, he says of himself before receiving therapeutic treatments using MDMA (aka ecstasy).

At 54 years old, Watchorn had suffered for 22 years from the terror of a mass shooting he experienced as a young cop. The year was 1996, in Port Arthur, Tasmania, after a gunman had gone on a deadly shooting spree that left 35 people killed and 23 wounded. It was, and still is to this day, the worst single gunman massacre in Australias history. For more than two decades after the terrible event, Watchorn was plagued by visions of the mass killing. His grief led to the classic PTSD symptoms of anxiety, depression, social isolation and destructive behavior. Repeatedly playing back the awful carnage of the crime scene in his mind, he continued to re-experience his trauma on an endless loop. In the years following Port Arthur, Watchorn would eventually quit the police force, saying in Your Neighbors Are Doing Psychedelics: MDMA, a book I wrote this year about his experience, I couldn't make decisions anymore. I just didn't trust my own thoughts.

Watchorn says he tamped down the brutal, recurring mental images for 22 long years, aided by alcohol, pain pills, and a revolving door of psychotherapists. Then one day he heard about a breakthrough clinical study being conducted to treat PTSD using MDMA. The trials, which combined the drug with psychotherapy sessions, were proving to be incredibly effective at treating the symptoms of emotional trauma. Trials were (and still are) steadily progressing through important phases with the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) to potentially become a legal, prescriptive medicine. Watchorn would eventually qualify to take part in the trials in 2018 through the Multidisciplinary Association for Psychedelic Studies (MAPS), having experienced symptoms of treatment-resistant PTSD for over two decades. Before his trials with MDMA, he had never in his life experienced a psychoactive drug. Not so much as a puff of marijuana, he laughs. He was making a brave choice to face his demons through a relatively new scientific experiment.

MDMA clinical trial recipient Nick Watchorn.

While under the influence of MDMA, which took place in three 8-hour clinical sessions with trained therapists, Watchorn assumed he would first confront memories of the horrible scenes he faced at Port Arthur. All the gore of dozens of people killed and wounded by a madman with a high-powered rifle. He was bracing himself to experience those raw emotions up close and personal, to finally deal with the sad and terrible memories. Instead, he would be surprised by what first appeared in his minds eye: a vision of himself at eight years old shivering alone by a poolside. Before tackling the events that he believed would be foremost in his wounded psyche the death and destruction he witnessed in 1996 he would first reel through a series of early, relatively benign childhood encounters. A place where he felt rejected, abandoned and at the mercy of his parents needs. Watchorn was starting at the beginning, where his trauma first rooted an uncomfortable place many people avoid. The place where he received the initial injuries of his life that later affected his ability to cope through the aftermath of the killings. He would not fully understand the meaning of all those buried mental images that came flooding back from his childhood until after his experience under the influence of MDMA. During integration therapy sessions, he would reflect on what emerged during his time on the drug and slowly patch together the meaning of it all. Only then would he have the true tools to begin healing himself of his PTSD.

Integration is an often-overlooked aspect of the psychedelic experience, yet it is one of the most important factors for success. Generally speaking, it is the wild and mystical moments that take center stage. Once a person returns to ordinary states of consciousness, the psychedelic trip whether perceived as positive or negative is often left in the rearview mirror to fade like a dream. One of the key points of integration is to not let significant parts of the experience fade out, but to examine the mental deep dive and mine it for valuable insights. This can also have the effect of reducing subsequent harm in the event of a challenging experience.

Because the majority of people who use psychedelics will not use them in controlled clinical settings like Watchorn his case and condition were so extreme that he qualified for the FDA trial over roughly 900 applicants who applied in his area a group of researchers and clinicians have recently laid out a framework defining integration and its importance in patient care. It is the first peer-reviewed paper of its kind, published in Frontiers in Psychology, and outlines how mental health providers may benefit from understanding the unique motivations, experiences and needs of people who use psychedelics. Still largely illegal in the U.S. and much of the world, psychedelic drugs can be a tricky topic for mental health professionals to come together and agree on standards and practices.

Dr. Ingmar Gorman, co-author of the paper on harm reduction and integration and co-founder of Fluence an organization focusing on psychedelic education and training mental health providers in psychedelic treatments saw the necessity to begin a dialogue around offering healthcare providers clinical skills and knowledge to provide effective, compassionate, evidence-based psychedelic therapy and integration services to patients. Many psychotherapists and other providers have encountered clients who use psychedelics already, but there hasnt been a consistent approach to working with these individuals, says Gorman. Were hoping that this publication will start a conversation thats been missing in the field, so that we can be most helpful to those who need us.

Gorman is in a unique position to discuss concepts around psychedelic integration and harm reduction, having served on Phase 3 clinical trial teams that employ MDMA for PTSD (the same FDA trials participated in by Watchorn), as well as serving as a therapist on FDA-approved clinical trials using psilocybin-assisted treatment for alcohol use disorder and treatment-resistant depression.

Co-author Dr. Elizabeth Nielson, who is also a co-founder of Fluence and has related FDA-approved clinical trial experience, underscores the need for honest and unbiased discussions around these stigmatized drugs. Our clinical experience and review of the literature offer a way forward for the field of psychotherapy to engage psychedelics, even when patients psychedelic experiences occur outside of psychotherapy, says Nielson. By learning how to have honest, respectful, and non-judgmental conversations with patients about psychedelics, clinicians can counter the harms of years of prohibition, misinformation and stigma associated with these experiences.

As the publics interest in psychedelic use continues to expand, ongoing studies in the field and peer-reviewed papers by informed researchers may provide therapists with another instrument in the clinician toolkit when working with patients who use, have ever used or are considering using psychedelics.

Checking in with Watchorn this week, now three years since his MDMA treatments have concluded, he shares his perspective on integration. My integration sessions were so confronting and profound, the feelings of relief and optimism were overwhelming for a long time, he says. Experiencing such radically different perspectives, feeling more universally connected than disconnected, noticing clarity in thoughts, colors, textures, smells. Id find myself in tears, often daily, over the next eighteen months. Some of it was sadness mourning the past. There was also the incredible sense of relief and strong unfamiliar feelings of freedom and optimism.

Watchorn says while he has frequently thought back on his experience through the MDMA treatments, he has not felt it necessary to have another MDMA treatment integration is enough. He is echoing a sentiment by MAPS founder Rick Doblin, who said, Its not just about the MDMA experience itself, its about what you do with it. The whole point is not to need any MDMA.

Watchorn can attest to that. In a nutshell, the treatment got me to a place where I could appreciate healthier perspectives and make conscious decisions, he says. The MDMA treatment wasn't a cure switch, although it initially felt like one. It was a window of opportunity. Integration has been a whole new challenge. These days my focus is on being more present, curious and authentic and it's making a world of difference.

Link:

As More People Turn To Psychedelics, Integration Proves A Crucial Factor For Breakthroughs - Forbes

Oxnard-based Cure Pharmaceutical announced plans on March 16to use its oral film technology to deliver LSD and other psychedelic substancesto treat mental health disorders.

Cure owns the CBD company Sera Labs, and Cure has used its dissolving thin film platform, Curefilm, to deliver CBD and other cannabis compounds.

Cure has a license from the U.S. Drug EnforcementAdministration to develop treatments using substances classified under Schedule1 of the Controlled Substances Act. That includes psychedelics such as LSD; psilocybin,the psychoactive compound in hallucinogenic mushrooms; and MDMA, the pure formof the drug commonly known as ecstasy.

Some of those substances were first developed as psychiatrictreatments, and in recent years, researchers, doctors and patients have shownrenewed interest in using them in mental health treatment. Oregon legalizedpsylocibin mushrooms for therapeutic purposes last year and a number ofcompanies are pursuing FDA approval for therapeutic MDMA treatments.

In its March 16 news release, Cure cited a recentstudy published byData Bridge Market Researchthat projected theU.S. psychedelic drug market will grow from $2 billion in 2019 to $6.8 billion in2027.

Cure plans to study Curefilm as a platform for both microdoses and macrodoses of psychedelics, and expects to pursue Food and Drug Administration approval and commercialization of the products.

We are dedicated to applying our film technology to leadingcompounds in high-impact, unmet need areas, Jonathan Berlent, Cures chiefbusiness officer, said in the companys news release. Advancing thesepsychedelic product development programs helps ensure our end-goal of targetingthose patients who would have otherwise been left without an importanttreatment option. We plan to advance our programs in a strategic, thoughtful,and fiscally responsible way.

Continued here:

Oxnard company to pursue therapeutic psychedelics - Pacific Coast Business Times

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DC Initiative 81, which passed with overwhelming support last fall, goes into effect Monday, March 15. Under theEntheogenic Plant and Fungus Policy Act of 2020, natural psychedelics including magic mushrooms, ayahuasca, and mescaline are decriminalized, making arrests for their possession or use the lowest priority for DC police.

The law survived a 30-day Congressional review period and a threat by US Representative Andy Harris, whoprevented the District from fully legalizing cannabis following a 2014 ballot initiative that passed with support from 70 percent of DC voters, to derail it. Harris, who set off a metal detector near the House floor while carrying a concealed gun this January, had framed the matter as a public-safety issue.

Initiative 81 was put forward by Melissa Lavasani, who credits natural psychedelics with helping herovercome anxiety, severe depression, panic attacks, and suicidal ideation after the birth of her second child.David Bronner, the top executive at Dr. Bronners soap company, helped bankroll the campaign, which had to overcome pandemic restrictions to gather signatures and get on the ballot last fall.

Lavasanis Plant Medicine Coalition on Monday announced it would offer community grants to organizations that offer education, training, and other work that supports the use of natural psychedelics, which have shown intriguing results in the treatment of depression, anxiety, PTSD, and other conditions. Johns Hopkins opened its Center for Psychedelic and Consciousness Research last September.

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Magic Mushrooms Are Decriminalized in DC as of Today - Washingtonian