Category Archives: Psychedelics

In a recent acquisition, BetterLife Pharma obtained a patented process to produce BOL-148, a ... [+] non-hallucinogenic derivative of lysergic acid that does not require the use of a scheduled substance.

An increasing number of studies are showing the potential benefits of psychedelics, and while their results may be positive, a fact remains: no matter how much support this novel therapy may gain, some people will simply never be interested in the tripping part of a psychedelic experience.

As such, some companies in the space have focused on developing compounds that eliminate the mirages, kaleidoscopic visuals and sometimes unpleasant psychomimetic effects that come with the consumption of drugs like psilocybin mushrooms and LSD.

BetterLife Pharma is one biotech company developing and hoping to manufacture and commercialize drugs that check this box. The company refers to these compounds as second generation psychedelics.

Second generation psychedelics are compounds that have some of the therapeutic effects of psychedelics, without the hallucination, says CEO Ahmed Doroudian. If you wanted to summarize in one sentence, its this: these compounds may have the anti-depressive or anti-anxiety and other effects of psychedelics, without the trip.

The need for this type of drug, Doroudian says, is two-fold: first, to fulfill the need of the patient, who may not be keen on a psychedelic trip, and second, to ease the stress on a medical system not equipped to work with hallucinogenic compounds.

In the clinical sense, if youre a patient and you are using LSD or LSD-type compounds, youre going to need a therapist, a doctor, observing you at the time. We envision, after clinical trials, that our compound would be dispensed by a pharmacist and you could take it at home, he says. Its an outpatient administration of a drug that you could safely use at home to treat your anxiety and depression.

In December, the drug development company acquired Transcend Biodynamics, another biotech firm with a robust IP portfolio focusing on next-gen psychedelic compounds, peptides, pro-drugs, and nutraceuticals. One drug in their portfolio was of particular interest to BetterLife, says Doroudian.

The drug is called 2-bromo LSD, also known as BOL-148, and is a derivative of lysergic acid first synthesized by Albert Hofmann in 1957. The compound is a non-hallucinogenic analogue of LSD, and has been studied recently for use in patients suffering from cluster headaches. While there is other research on this compound, much of it dates back to the 50s, 60s, and 70s. The CEO says further study of its potential implications and clinical trials are part of the companys plan.

The version of BOL-148 BetterLife has obtained through the Transcend acquisition is referred to as TD-0148A. Doroudian says what separates Transcends version is that the company has a patent to manufacture it that does not require the use of any scheduled substances.

BetterLife Pharma CEO Ahmed Doroudian

Right now, the crux of this thing is that all these other groups, including Project Lucy and Mind Med, are using substances that are scheduled. If you wanted to manufacture 2-bromo LSD or BOL-148, you have to go through a process that requires you to deal with scheduled substances, and that comes with all the regulatory issues, he said.

Transcends process allows for the manufacturing and production of BOL-148 through a process that does not include the handling of any scheduled LSD-related materials or narcotics.

The BetterLife team is currently made up of several longtime executives, many of whom have more than 20 years of experience in pharmaceutical development and biotechnology. Were all clinical people and we do everything through an IND FDA approach, said the CEO.

The company has previously had success bringing an anti-cancer drug to clinical trial, and Doroudian says the team has much experience with the process of taking drugs from development to manufacturing. BetterLife is currently in the process of working with a group that can manufacture the drugs to the companys specs and GMP standards. He says that within the next couple of months the company hopes to have a finished product.

Were taking two paths here, he said. The first is an independent investigator study in the United States. Then were doing a lot of preclinical work to complete a package for an IND filing for sometime in the fall, for the full-blown phase two clinical trials for BOL-148.

To complement the companys recent acquisition, it has recently brought on two specialized executives: Patrick Kroupa as Chief Psychedelic Officer, and Justin Kirkland as Chief Psychedelics Scientist. Doroudian says the company is continuing to expand its team of experts, and as it does, more areas of study will be considered. For now, TD-0148As efficacy for depression will be the focus.

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BetterLife Pharma Is Developing Second Generation Psychedelics: Drugs That Leave Out The Trip - Forbes

In 2020, psychedelics took the world by storm.Over two dozen companies in the sector became publicly listed.

The industry grewcloserto federal legalization of the first psychedelic compounds for therapeutic use. With scientific, regulatory and corporate developments becoming daily news, its easy to wonder what 2021 will bring to this burgeoning new space.

By the end of 2021, I expect the conversation about access to therapeutic outcomes using what were previously known as psychedelics to be a global conversation, said Bruce Linton, former CEO and founder ofcannabis giant Canopy Growth (NYSE: CGC).

This conversation has got more points of active discussion occurring right now than the cannabis one had for the first five years, he adds.2021 will bring an abrupt start to a real conversation around psychedelic medicine.

Aside from his cannabis endeavors, Linton is an early investor in the psychedelics space and sits on the board of two public companies: MindMed (NEO:MMED) (OTCQB: MMEDF) and Red Light Holland (CSE:TRIP).

He believes that these new categories of molecules and therapies will be a part of the World Economic Forum conversation at Davos in 2022.

Benzinga spoke to several other professionals in the psychedelicsspaceabout the trends that will define the industry in 2021. Here's what to expect:

"New clinical and R&D initiatives will emerge, investment opportunities will increase, and public acceptance will expand, said Payton Nyquvest, Founder, CEO, and Chair of Numinus (TSXV:NUMI).

MindMed co-CEO JR Rahn expects equity analysts and financial media to declare psychedelicsa new biotech asset class and industry.

Rick Doblin, founder and executive director of the Multidisciplinary Association for Psychedelic Studies (MAPS),says the Veterans Administration will host research on the benefits of MDMA-assisted therapy for PTSD. MAPS will publish the results of the first completed Phase 3 trial for psychedelic-assisted therapy in a major peer-reviewed journal this year. The NGO will also expand research into other mental health conditions such as eating disorders, the viability of group therapy, and effectiveness for psychosomatic conditions.

Strategic Growth

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We're not seeing consolidation yet,Linton says. The psychedelics industry still needs to go through its formative years to reach the consolidation stage within its life cycle.

One of the central themes of the psychedelics industry in 2021 will be a concentration of resources between peer companies in order to accelerate the regulatory process towards legalization.

It's concentrating scientific, academic, regulatory, finance, all these things, so that you have strong teams for the program that has to work through 2021 to deliver big outcomes for 2022, he adds.

CaaMTech CEO Andrew Chadeayne agrees.

There are so many opportunities in this space that it would be impossible to think anyone would be better off going at it alone, he explains.

Until now, companies have been working to establish their niche contribution to the space," Chadeayne says."It will take collaboration to go from arranging atoms in molecules to administering drugs to patients in a healthcare setting."

New Compounds, New Molecules

Expect to see more emphasis on new patentable compounds,Chadeayne says. There will be more derivatives of naturally occurring molecules with proven benefits, beyond the classic list of psilocybin, LSD and MDMA.

We might even see the first human studies on these new molecules during 2021.

So far, only a few psychedelic compounds have been scientifically evaluated in humans. Different psychedelic drugs could provide advantages depending on the use case," he says. "For example, I think we might see researchers investigating shorter-acting or faster-acting drugs.

Approval in Canada?

Novamind (CSE:NOVA) CEO Yaron Conforti said that Canada will lead the way in opening up regulations that streamline patient access to psychedelic medicines.

Throughout 2020, the Canadian Minister of Health Patty Hajdu granted several exceptions to patients and doctors for the possession and use of psilocybin.

So far, 14 patients and 17 healthcare professionals were allowed to consume psilocybin in a legal setting.

This is being very well received by the Canadian public and we should expect to see a lot more coverage of this in the media which will garner more public support, perpetuating a positive cycle of approvals and access to psychedelic treatments," said Penny White, CEO of NeonMind Biosciences (CSE:NEON)

If the anticipated change to the Special Access Program is made in Canada, Nyquvest says, access may be as straightforward as patients simply needing to find a doctor willing to apply for access to the drug on their behalf.

Investing in Psychedelics

In 2021 I believe we will start seeing further institutional investor support for psychedelic medicine companies in the form of biotech index funds and ETFs covering both psychedelics and the greater mental health space, Rahn says.

The first ETF offering coverage of the psychedelics space is set to launch at the TSX exchange under the symbol PSYK on Jan. 15 by Horizons ETFs Management.

If you're only allowing yourself two investments, said Bruce Linton, I would look at a first one, which has some reasonable compliance with regulations in short-term revenue opportunity.

Companies in this category are trying to generate revenues in the short-term, with the objective of using that cash flow to create more value, in order to acquire or build bigger assets.

These can go from Field Trip (CSE: FTRP) (OTCBB: FTRPF) on clinical to -disclosing my association investment- Red Light Holland, says Linton.

Secondly, I would look at a science-driven agenda that's not stuck on a single molecule or approach. I don't like betting on one number, I like the idea of having a portfolio when I'm going long term.

Linton explained that part of the reason he got involved with MindMed is because of the diversified, platform-driven approach this company is taking into researching psychedelic molecules and treatments.

See more from Benzinga

2021 Benzinga.com. Benzinga does not provide investment advice. All rights reserved.

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What Will The Psychedelics Space Look Like In 2021? Experts Weigh In - Yahoo Finance

Mormons have these things called firesides. Essentially, its a once-a-month spiritually-themed TED Talk given by a local church leader to teenagers in the congregation. When I was about 16, I attended a fireside during which the speaker pulled out a laminated spiral nailed through the centre to a block of wood. He then held it up to a Sunday school room full of teenagers seated on metal folding chairs.

The topic Im going to be discussing tonight is deception, he said as he started to spin the spiral. Satan has an incredible ability to make things appear one way until we chase after them only to find out weve been deceived. Now, to demonstrate the power of deception, I want all of you to gaze into the centre as I spin it for 90 seconds.

I obeyed his command and stared intently at the spiral until he lowered it.

Now, I want you to look at the palm of your hand.

I held my hand up to my face, and saw it simultaneously swell and shrink for several seconds.

Right now, your senses are being deceived, said the church leader. And this is why people like doing drugs.

And I thought to myself: Wow. Drugs are awesome.

I grew up in San Jose, California, the fifth of six kids. Ours was a typical size for a Mormon familyone that went back to the earliest days of the church in the 1830s. Outwardly, Id always been completely faithful to the church. I didnt swear. I never touched alcohol, cigarettes, coffee, or even myself. I went to three hours of church every Sunday and an hour of church class every morning before school. I paid 10 percent of my money to the church.

But inwardly, too many things about the churchs beliefs, history and policies didnt make sense. Like how Black people werent allowed full membership until 1978. Or how the church believed the Garden of Eden was in Missouri. I kept these contradictions to myself.

It wasnt until after graduating university and getting a job as an advertising copywriter that I met a fellow Mormon who was curious and authentic in a way Id never seen before.

Whats worse than 10 babies in a dumpster, she asked me the first time we met. One baby in 10 dumpsters.

A year later, we were married in the Mormon temple.

A few years after that my partner confronted her own crisis of faith, largely centred on the churchs history of rampant misogyny and fuelled by a podcast called Mormon Stories. Each episode delved into a controversial Mormon doctrine, practice or historical eventand she binge-listened to dozens of episodes before announcing she wanted to leave the faith.

Around the same time, Id discovered a YouTube lecture from a psychedelic enthusiast, advocate and figurehead named Terence McKenna. Hearing someone discuss the scientific, emotional, anthropological, psychological, and above all spiritual benefits of hallucinogenic drug use stunned me. And what stunned me even more was that McKenna described the psychedelic experience in a way that seemed strikingly similar to Mormon founder Joseph Smiths description of his visionary experiences. In Mormonism, its never really explained how Smith initiated the visions and revelations he claimed to have received, other than him using a seer stone or the power of God. But as I listened to more and more of McKennas lectures, I wondered if perhaps Smith had used hallucinogenic plants to facilitate his experiences.

Shortly after, my partner and I left the faith altogether. My parents were supportive on the outside, but our relationship has never been the same. My partners dad responded with a 12-page letter outlining Mormon scripture and showing why he thought we had been deceived. Considering by that point we didnt believe, his source material was no longer relevant. But that didnt mean it didnt hurt.

Being out left us free to explore beyond our previous boundaries. First a former Mormon friend taught us how to drink, starting with hard cider and hard lemonade. Then, once we got the hang of that, I invited a co-worker over to teach us how to smoke marijuana.

I assumed the pipe he pulled from his backpack was a bong, but he called it a bubbler. I had trouble lighting it but eventually got about five good hits in between my coughing fits. A few minutes later, I was on the floor cracking up for no particular reason, and when I stood it was as though an optometrist had placed a new lens in front of my eyes; I suddenly saw the world from a sharper perspective. For the first time, I was high.

It was different from anything I had ever experienced. The chatter in my brain was gone; I felt I could see my co-workers aura; I had the sensation the whole world was made for me and had a glimpse of what people were thinking when they shouted, I am Jesus Christ!

Over the next year we experimented with marijuana a few more times. Each time Id get really high, but my partner never seemed to respond to it. That is, until one night in June 2017, when about an hour after consuming an edible she stood up from our sofa, walked to a giant map of the world we had on our living room wall and announced that we were going to sell everything and move to Melbourne.

She spent the next hour outlining the whole process: the date wed sell our home, how much wed sell it for, and how Australia was a more enlightened society than a Trump-led America. She also diagnosed specific pain points we experienced as a result of Mormonism, and broke down complicated relationship dynamics in our marriage and families.

Six months later, we sold our condosix days from the day she predicted and for $10,000 less. We then flew to Australia with a few suitcases and started over, free from the baggage of Mormonism.

Its now been five years since we left the faith. In that time, Ive experimented with acid, psilocybin, Amanita muscaria (including drinking my own pee to try to accentuate the highwhich didnt work), San Pedro, MDMA (which would be the absolute best if it werent for the depressing hangover) and even DMT, although I couldnt figure out how to smoke it.

Beyond these boundaries, Ive seen a Hindu goddess create primal elements through the act of singing, received an invitation to visit the underworld, witnessed the collapse of all matter, found myself back in the womb, seen the object at the centre of the universe, and felt what its like to open my heart to unconditional love.

Ive entered each psychedelic experience not having a clue what would happen. It is the opposite of the monotony of modern-day Mormonism. In fact, psychedelics have taken me so far beyond the boundariesmentally and physicallythat I dont even know how to interpret what Ive experienced. And while thats inspiring, its also deeply unsettling.

My partner now works in a new career as a software engineer in Melbourne. Although still painful, shes abandoned Mormonism and embraced agnosticism. Shes also been very successful building a social life around non-Mormons for the first time.

Im a creative director at an ad agency and still figuring things out socially. For instance, I still dont know how to open a tab and make excuses not to go when invited to a pub. Throughout this time Ive held onto aspects of Mormonismspecifically the idea that there are definitive answersand this, perhaps, is to my detriment. But rather than following a system where disobedience and unbelief lead to shame, psychedelics offer me a glimpse into a world beyond boundaries.

I chose to escape and explore beyond the boundaries I was raised in. It opened my eyes to a world full of mystery and certainty, hope and despair, infinity and nothingness. But in any case, I prefer this over the comfort of self-deception.

This is a taste of Brandons upcoming book "Mormon on Mushrooms." For any questions on that, or his experience in general, please get in touch at mormononmushrooms@gmail.com

Excerpt from:

I Was a Mormon. Then I Found Psychedelics. - VICE

TORONTO, Jan. 22, 2021 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Revive Therapeutics Ltd. (Revive or the Company) (CSE: RVV, USA: RVVTF), a specialty life sciences company focused on the research and development of therapeutics for medical needs and rare disorders, is pleased to announce that it is one of the seventeen companies in the U.S. and Canada that will be included in the First Psychedelics Exchange Traded Fund, which is managed by Horizons ETF Management.

The Horizons Psychedelic Stock Index ETF index is expected to start trading on Tuesday, January 26, under the ticker PSYK on the NEO exchange.

We are pleased to be included in the First Psychedelics ETF and being recognized as a leading company in the field of psychedelic pharmaceuticals, said Michael Frank, CEO of Revive. We are advancing novel psilocybin-based therapeutics using a proprietary oral thin film delivery technology and a natural biosynthesis enzymatic platform to support clinical research in mental health and substance abuse disorders.

Revive is advancing its psychedelic pharmaceuticals pipeline with a focus on proprietary psilocybin-based therapeutics that includes the development of an oral thin film product in collaboration with the University of Wisconsin-Madison, a novel biosynthetic version of psilocybin based on a natural biosynthesis enzymatic platform developed by Dr. Gavin Williams, Professor and Researcher at North Carolina State University, a clinical study with the University of Wisconsin evaluating psilocybin in the treatment of methamphetamine use disorder, and the research with psilocybin being developed by PharmaTher Inc. (CSE: PHRM, OTCQB: PHRRF).

About Revive Therapeutics Ltd.

Revive is a life sciences company focused on the research and development of therapeutics for infectious diseases and rare disorders, and it is prioritizing drug development efforts to take advantage of several regulatory incentives awarded by the FDA such as Orphan Drug, Fast Track, Breakthrough Therapy and Rare Pediatric Disease designations. Currently, the Company is exploring the use of Bucillamine for the potential treatment of infectious diseases, with an initial focus on severe influenza and COVID-19. With its recent acquisition of Psilocin Pharma Corp., Revive is advancing the development of Psilocybin-based therapeutics in various diseases and disorders. Revives cannabinoid pharmaceutical portfolio focuses on rare inflammatory diseases and the company was granted FDA orphan drug status designation for the use of Cannabidiol (CBD) to treat autoimmune hepatitis (liver disease) and to treat ischemia and reperfusion injury from organ transplantation. For more information, visit http://www.ReviveThera.com.

For more information, please contact:

Michael FrankChief Executive OfficerRevive Therapeutics Ltd.Tel: 1 888 901 0036Email:mfrank@revivethera.comWebsite:www.revivethera.com

Neither the Canadian Securities Exchange nor its Regulation Services Provider has reviewed or accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release.

Cautionary Statement

This press release contains forward-looking information within the meaning of applicable Canadian securities legislation. These statements relate to future events or future performance. The use of any of the words could, intend, expect, believe, will, projected, estimated and similar expressions and statements relating to matters that are not historical facts are intended to identify forward-looking information and are based on Revives current belief or assumptions as to the outcome and timing of such future events. Forward looking information in this press release includes information with respect to the Offering, including the intended use of proceeds. Forward-looking information is based on reasonable assumptions that have been made by Revive at the date of the information and is subject to known and unknown risks, uncertainties, and other factors that may cause actual results or events to differ materially from those anticipated in the forward-looking information. Given these risks, uncertainties and assumptions, you should not unduly rely on these forward-looking statements. The forward-looking information contained in this press release is made as of the date hereof, and Revive is not obligated to update or revise any forward-looking information, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise, except as required by applicable securities laws. The foregoing statements expressly qualify any forward-looking information contained herein. Reference is made to the risk factors disclosed under the heading Risk Factors in the Companys annual MD&A for the fiscal year ended June 30, 2020, which has been filed on SEDAR and is available under the Companys profile atwww.sedar.com.

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Revive Therapeutics Included in First Psychedelic Exchange Traded Fund - GlobeNewswire

Its time to really open yourself up and get to the root of the problem, a man with a feathered hat said.

The words, were not directed toward me, but to a Hamilton-area war veteran who has been suffering from extreme post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD).

He had just ingested a spoonful of an ancient psychedelic plant that was soon to produce a wild, mind-altering experience. And I and our camera operators were invited to witness it all go down.

The veterans name is Patrick and I first met him months before, on a sunny and humid August afternoon at his home in Hamilton.

Like so many Canadians are right now, he was in the grips of despair and hopelessness.

He had been haunted by the horrors he witnessed on the battlefield in Afghanistan years earlier. He had tried every modern prescribed medicine known to man to treat his severe depression, anxiety and insomnia but nothing worked, he told me.

Patrick was told about Iboga, a plant grown in Africa, which creates an intense high and has been known to help people treat mental health disorders.

This in his words was his last shot.

The next option is death.

Patrick said he contemplated suicide every morning he woke up.

We interviewed him for about four hours while he shared his entire life story.

I could not help but really like this guy. In between tears, emotional breakdowns and episodes of extreme anxiety, he showed strength, courage and a deeply caring heart.

Hes a loving father and friends say that he would go to the far ends of the earth to help ease their burdens. He wanted to do that for strangers as well.

For the first time, he agreed to go public and expose all his vulnerabilities for our documentary, to hopefully show other people suffering there is hope.

That hope was that this plant would lead him on a path to treat his mental anguish and rescue him from the basement of despair. He allowed us to document his experience to show that it works as he believed it would, even though there were no assurances.

His bravery struck a cord with me and I was 110 per cent rooting for him.

Another reason I was so drawn to Patrick personally was that I could somewhat relate to his issues.

When I first met him for this interview, a family member of mine was facing his own mental health issues and turned to alcohol to ease the pain. Our family tried everything to save him, including several rehab stints and counselling but not psychedelics.

I was going to allow this documentary to unfold to see if the effects are as spectacular as being reported and if they were, suggest that as a potential route of treatment for my relative. Sadly, it was too late. He succumbed to alcoholism in the midst of shooting this documentary.

Perhaps it was losing a loved one or just my genuine affection for Patrick, I became determined to see him through this.

My crew and I tracked him for weeks after our first interview as he went to Vancouver to get mentally and spiritually prepared for his Iboga ceremony.

RELATED: Retired firefighter claims psychedelic drug saved his life

There were ups and downs and I truly had moments where I thought he wasnt going to go through with it.

Minutes before what was supposed to be his first Iboga ceremony for our cameras, Patrick got a call that his father was beaten and put in hospital after he was attacked by a man in a parking lot. His father was the victim of road rage.

Patrick had to immediately fly back to Hamilton to care for his dad. Despite this huge setback, he was determined to go through with the ceremony and did so after his father recovered.

That wasnt the only obstacle.

While more and more studies are showing psychedelic drugs can help treat things like anxiety, depression and addiction, they come with risks.

Patrick knew this. I wouldnt have blamed him if he backed out Im not certain I would be as strong as him. Not only trying this powerful medicine but also exposing myself to the world while doing so. It was a heavy burden that this war hero, despite all of his mental woes, was ready to bear.

The ceremony was intense. After feeling the effects of the medicine, Patrick took a deep dive into his past, future and present under the guide of an experienced practitioner.

He had to mentally revisit some very dark places full of terror the very things he has tried to suppress, all while our cameras rolled.

The medicine is said to help you understand that while haunting past events may have been devastating, they should not define your current nor future life.

He came through it fine but spent several days afterwards reflecting on the experience. But did it treat his mental troubles? Ill leave that for the documentary to answer.

RELATED: The Psychedelic Frontier

The one thing I can tell you is that my experience witnessing this psychedelic treatment opened my eyes to the possibility that while more conclusive studies are needed, perhaps we have something here that could change mental health treatment.

Psychedelics such as LSD and magic mushrooms are being heavily studied for this potential and so far, the results from institutes such as Johns Hopkins and N.Y.U. are very promising.

After suffering a loss myself to the grips of addiction and hearing that a psychedelic may have saved this person, I cant help but like Patrick be hopeful for a positive outcome. For him, Canada and the rest of the world.

Pat Taney is the producer of VeraCity, The Psychedelic Frontier which airs Monday, Jan. 25 at 10 p.m., only on CityTV.

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Revisiting dark places on the way to healing with psychedelics: A veterans story - CityNews Toronto

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There may be a psychedelic solution to the mental health problem in Canada. Pat Taney looks at the state of mental health in this country, and why scientists say psychedelics can be a game changer and help heal minds.

Jan 22, 2021, 3:32 PM

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WATCHING NOW Turning to psychedelics to treat mental health - News 1130

New research suggests that the publics perception of the potential harms of magic mushrooms is not in line with drug laws. The study, which appears in the Journal of Psychopharmacology, found that psilocybin-containing mushrooms are considered less dangerous than alcohol, tobacco, and other substances.

I am a psychopharmacologist at the University of Liverpool, so I have a great interest in how substances affect the brain and behavior, said study author Carl Roberts, a lecturer in the universitys department of psychology.

I have long been following the resurgence in research with psychedelics such as psilocybin for therapeutic potential. I knew this research area had been gaining quite a lot of attention recently. I also knew that the data on actual harm of magic mushroom use suggested that toxicity and abuse potential was low.

However, they are classified as a Class A drug in the UK suggesting the same relative harm as heroin and cocaine, Roberts explained. So I was interested to see what the publics perceptions of harms around magic mushrooms were i.e. are they in line with government legal classifications, or are they in line with the scientific evidence?

For their study, the researchers asked 151 participants to rank the dangerousness of ten different substances: alcohol, tobacco, prescription opiates, heroin, cocaine, ecstasy, magic mushrooms, cannabis, LSD, and GHB.

The participants were recruited from various websites and social media pages that provide information about recreational drug use. Nearly half of them were from the United Kingdom, while approximately 21% were from the United States. The remaining participants were from countries in the European Union.

Despite magic mushrooms being a Schedule I substance in the United States and a Class A substance in the United Kingdom the most restrictive categories the researchers found that most participants considered magic mushrooms to be relatively safe compared to the other substances.

Those who had previously used magic mushrooms ranked it as the least dangerous substance. Those who had never used magic mushrooms, on the other hand, ranked it as the second to least most dangerous substance. (Non-users ranked cannabis as the least dangerous substance.)

Both people with a history of using magic mushrooms, and those who were non-users considered magic mushrooms to be less dangerous than heroin (Class A), cocaine (Class A), prescription pain-killers (legal with prescription), GHB (Class C), ecstasy (Class A), tobacco (legal) and alcohol (legal), Roberts told PsyPost.

This suggests a general perception of harm of magic mushrooms that is in line with data on actual harm (abuse potential and toxicity) and the scientifically recognized relative harms of psilocybin mushrooms compared to other drugs. This indicates that public health messaging based on scientific evidence about relative harms of drugs are seen as more credible information sources than government legal drugs classification systems.

But the study like all research includes some caveats.

This was an online survey style study. As such, there is a potential selection bias here, in that perhaps only participants who are interested in this research area took part. Thus a much larger random sample would be necessary to properly gauge general public perception, Roberts explained.

In addition, this study provides no information about potential negative long-term health effects of using psilocybin mushrooms in controlled and uncontrolled settings, which is something that requires further research.

While magic mushrooms were ranked as less dangerous than several other legal and illegal substances in our sample, this does not mean that they are considered to have no harm at all, Roberts added. Rather, that relative to other drugs, perception of harm is low. Indeed, there are documented cases of adverse reactions and other complications associated with magic mushroom use.

The study, Perceived harm, motivations for use and subjective experiences of recreational psychedelic magic mushroom use, Carl A Roberts, Isaac Osborne-Miller, Jon Cole, Suzanne H Gage, and Paul Christiansen.

Read this article:

The publics perception of the harms of magic mushrooms is in line with science but not with ... - PsyPost

La Jolla, California--(Newsfile Corp. - January 19, 2021) - Tryp Therapeutics (CSE: TRYP), a leading pharmaceutical company focused on identifying and developing clinical-stage compounds for diseases with high unmet medical needs, has been invited to present at the upcoming Investing in Psychedelics Conference hosted by The CSE (Canadian Securities Exchange).

Investing in Psychedelics Conference:Date: Wednesday, January 20th, 2021Registration: https://promo.cfnmedia.com/psychedelics

We look forward to speaking on the Drug Developers Panel at this weeks Psychedelic Conference, said Jim Kuo, CEO at TRYP Therapeutics. As we move our development pipeline forward into the clinic, continuing to share our story with investors, expanding our shareholder base is critical to the growth of our company and were excited to participate in this event with a number of our peers.

Investors or Shareholders interested in participating in this event can do so by registering at https://promo.cfnmedia.com/psychedelics .

Each live panel will last about 40 minutes with 15 minutes of Q&A. Panel #1 will begin just before 1:00pm EST, Panel #2 just before 2:00pm EST and Panel #3 just before 3:00pm EST.

Panel Segmentation:

Panel 1. Drug Developers - Unlocking the Value Through IP (Tom Zuber, moderator)

Panel 2. IP - Pitfalls and Potentials (Paul Rosen, moderator. David Wood is a panelist)

Panel 3. Bankers and Capital Markets (Josh Lawler, moderator)

About Tryp Therapeutics:

Tryp Therapeutics is a pharmaceutical company focused on developing compounds with known activity and/or safety profiles for the treatment of rare diseases and other diseases with high unmet medical needs. Tryp's psilocybin-for-neuropsychiatric disorders, or PFN, program is focused on the development of synthetic psilocybin as a new class of drug for the treatment of certain neuropsychiatric-based disorders.

Tryp's lead PFN drug candidate is TRP-8802 for the treatment of fibromyalgia, a chronic pain syndrome estimated to affect more than 5 million people in the United States.

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In addition to its PFN Program, Tryp is developing TRP-1001, an oral formulation of razoxane for the treatment of soft tissue sarcoma. Soft tissue sarcomas are a rare and diverse group of tumors that account for about 1% of all cancers in adults and 7% in children. Based on the prevalence of soft tissue sarcomas in the United States, Tryp believes it is a rare disease and that TRP-1001 should qualify for Orphan Drug status.

Contact:

For inquiries, please contact us at:

TRYP Investor RelationsT: 1-833-811-TRYP (8797)E: investors@tryptherapeutics.com

Forward-Looking Information

Certain information in this news release, including statements relating to the anticipated date that the Common Shares will commence trading on the Canadian Securities Exchange constitutes forward-looking information. In some cases, but not necessarily in all cases, forward-looking information can be identified by the use of forward-looking terminology such as "plans", "targets", "expects" or "does not expect", "is expected", "an opportunity exists", "is positioned", "estimates", "intends", "assumes", "anticipates" or "does not anticipate" or "believes", or variations of such words and phrases or state that certain actions, events or results "may", "could", "would", "might", "will" or "will be taken", "occur" or "be achieved". In addition, any statements that refer to expectations, projections or other characterizations of future events or circumstances contain forward-looking information. Statements containing forward-looking information are not historical facts but instead represent management's expectations, estimates and projections regarding future events.

Forward-looking information is necessarily based on a number of opinions, assumptions and estimates that, while considered reasonable by the Company as of the date of this news release, are subject to known and unknown risks, uncertainties, assumptions and other factors that may cause the actual results, level of activity, performance or achievements to be materially different from those expressed or implied by such forward-looking information, including but not limited to the factors described in greater detail in the "Risk Factors" section of the Prospectus available at http://www.sedar.com. These factors are not intended to represent a complete list of the factors that could affect the Company; however, these factors should be considered carefully. There can be no assurance that such estimates and assumptions will prove to be correct. The forward-looking statements contained in this news release are made as of the date of this news release, and the Company expressly disclaims any obligation to update or alter statements containing any forward-looking information, or the factors or assumptions underlying them, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise, except as required by law.

Not for Dissemination in the United States or Distribution to U.S. Newswire Services

To view the source version of this press release, please visit https://www.newsfilecorp.com/release/72329

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Tryp Therapeutics Invited to Present at "Investing in Psychedelics" Conference - Yahoo Finance

While the public focus remains on COVID vaccines, the Therapeutic Goods Administration (TGA) continues to evaluate a range of proposals around the provision of medical treatments in Australia.

The regulatory body is currently considering whether psychiatrists should be allowed to prescribe MDMA and psilocybin to treat mental illness. The TGA will announce its interim decision on February 3, and will make a final ruling on April 22.

Psychedelic drugs for the treatment of mental illness represent a promising area. And any new treatment which could help people suffering particularly in the wake of the pandemic may seem like a good thing.

But until Australia engages in further research into the therapeutic potential of these drugs, we believe its too soon to make them available as medicines.

Increasing research evidence suggests 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 and depression, addiction, and a range of other mood disorders.

On this basis, in July 2020, an organisation called Mind Medicine Australia made an application to the TGA requesting MDMA and psilocybin be classified as Schedule 8 controlled medicines.

MDMA and psilocybin are currently classified as Schedule 9 prohibited drugs. Other examples of Schedule 9 drugs include heroin and methamphetamine.

As Schedule 8 controlled medicines, MDMA and psilocybin would sit alongside drugs like dexamphetamine, morphine and some forms of medical cannabis. Some of these and other Schedule 8 drugs such as ketamine and cocaine are used recreationally.

If the TGA reclassifies MDMA and psilocybin, Australia would be the first country in the world to recognise these drugs as legitimate medicines.

Read more: Psychedelics to treat mental illness? Australian researchers are giving it a go

Early research suggesting psychedelics had therapeutic potential lapsed after 1971, when the drugs were made illegal around the world. But it resumed early in the 2000s, manifesting into an international renaissance in psychedelic science.

Australia was a little later to get involved than some countries, but in the past 18 months weve succeeded in initiating clinical research locally.

Edith Cowan University, Monash University, the University of Melbourne, and St Vincents hospitals in Melbourne and Sydney all have research on psychedelic-assisted therapies either in the pipeline or already underway. The trial at St Vincents hospital in Melbourne is the first to have started recruiting participants.

These trials aim both to contribute to the research happening globally, and to demonstrate that Australia has the regulatory processes, people and infrastructure to provide these treatments safely and effectively.

Read more: Weekly Dose: ecstasy, the party drug that could be used to treat PTSD

There are three key reasons why Australia is not yet ready for MDMA and psilocybin to be rescheduled as medicines by the TGA.

1. No accredited training

Australia has very few health-care professionals trained to provide psychedelic-assisted psychotherapy. These drugs produce powerful changes in consciousness that could lead to psychological harm, rather than healing, when given to unsuitable patients, or by health-care workers without the necessary training.

2. Prohibitive costs

Medical cannabis is only legally available in pharmaceutical formulations the actual plant is not available as a medicine. This makes medical cannabis expensive. Only 3.9% of Australians using cannabis for medical reasons access it legally. We expect pharmaceutical-grade MDMA and psilocybin will also be expensive to access.

3. Going underground

Like medical cannabis, were concerned that lack of access and prohibitive costs will mean more people will access existing unregulated MDMA and psilocybin treatment services. This puts people at risk, since theres no quality control of either the drugs or the therapists.

Should these issues arise, our efforts over recent years to finally establish psychedelic medicine in Australia could be undone.

Given these concerns, we believe its highly unlikely the TGA will decide to reschedule MDMA and psilocybin as medicines at this stage.

And while emerging evidence is continuing to suggest these drugs can be effective adjuncts to psychotherapy, we believe the application was made without sufficient regard to the universally accepted process of new drug approval.

We need to see Phase 3 clinical trials completed before any informed decisions can be made (the trials in Australia have not yet reached Phase 3). This approval process is important so we know the drugs are effective and safe, including understanding any side effects.

By way of comparison, we know Pfizer wouldnt apply for TGA approval for a new antidepressant before completing Phase 3 research. Even the COVID-19 vaccines Pfizer, AstraZeneca and Moderna are fast-tracking internationally have been required to complete stringent, widely scrutinised Phase 3 trials.

Read more: How will COVID-19 vaccines be approved for use in Australia?

Current and future Australian research in this space will offer a crucial pathway for therapists to learn how to provide psychedelic-assisted psychotherapy. This is an important step before Australia is ready for MDMA and psilocybin to be approved as medicines.

Moving forward, we anticipate Australian health-care professional registration boards will come to acknowledge psychedelic-assisted psychotherapy as a speciality area of training, and will need to develop accredited training programs to meet the demand for appropriately qualified therapists.

Notably, none of the current research into psychedelic-assisted treatments for mental illness in Australia is receiving government funding. Government support will be important to extend this research beyond the early-phase trials, and ultimately will be crucial for the widespread rollout of this treatment.

Finally, to ensure equitable access, psychedelic-assisted therapies will need to be embedded within the public health-care system and supported by the Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme.

Our submission to the TGA, along with others, will be made public on February 3, when the TGA announces its interim decision on the rescheduling of psilocybin and MDMA.

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Will Australia legalise ecstasy and magic mushrooms to treat mental illness? Here's why it's still too soon - The Conversation AU

Phoenix, Arizona--(Newsfile Corp. - January 20, 2021) - The Stock Day Podcast welcomed Silo Pharma Inc. (OTCQB: SILO) ("the Company"), a developmental stage biopharmaceutical company focused on merging traditional therapeutics with psychedelic research for people suffering from indications such as depression, PTSD, Parkinson's, and other rare neurological disorders. CEO of the Company, Eric Weisblum, joined Stock Day host Everett Jolly.

"Personally, I have over 20 years of experience investing and working in the private and public markets," shared Weisblum to start the interview. "I have served on the board of NASDAQ listed biotech companies, and have consulted and worked with licensing technologies from various universities."

"Why did you choose this particular space?" asked Jolly. "There's a lot of research that has been done, there's a lot of positive studies and clinical trials that are on-going," said Weisblum. "It is estimated that by 2027 this will be a $6.85 billion market according to Data Bridge Market Research," he shared. "We see this as a tremendous opportunity, not just for the investors and the upside, but to actually develop and bring therapeutics to the market that could actually help people."

Weisblum then elaborated on the therapeutic applications of psychedelics. "A lot of the studies have shown very positive data that anxiety, depression, and PTSD respond very well to some of the psychedelic drugs," explained Weisblum. "We see a tremendous opportunity for people that have not responded to traditional therapies," he continued, adding that the Company is currently focused on combining traditional therapeutics with psychedelic research for their potential role in treating individuals with CNS disorders.

Jolly then asked about the Company's investment potential and primary objectives. "Neurological and central nervous system disorders are what our focus is on," said Weisblum. He then explained that the Company is hopeful that the ongoing studies involving the use of psychedelics to treat anxiety and depression will help them determine if these compounds can be used with their proprietary IP to help patients with Parkinson's and other disorders and conditions.

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The conversation then turned to the Company's accomplishments in 2020. "What I'm really proud of is our Scientific Advisory Board," shared Weisblum. "I think we have some of the most well-regarded, reputable people in the industry."

"What are you hoping to accomplish in the next two to three quarters?" asked Jolly. "We're moving forward with our LSD and psilocybin study for the effects on Parkinson's," said Weisblum. "In addition, we are doing a study with our peptide for multiple sclerosis and we're looking forward to receiving those data points and moving those forward in 2021," he continued. "We are also working on a couple of technologies within various universities that we hope will consummate in 2021."

"How did you get involved with the University of Maryland?" asked Jolly. "Through prior experience with a biotech and NASDAQ listed company," responded Weisblum. "I helped transform that company into a full biotechnology company, and I have developed relationships with various universities and tech transfer departments," he explained. "A lot of it is relationship-based, and I think that's one of the strengths that we have as a team over here."

To close the interview, Weislbum shared that the Company will continue to strive to advance the combination of therapeutics and psychedelics in an effort to make a difference in patients with a variety of disorders.

To hear Eric Weisblum's entire interview, follow the link to the podcast here: https://audioboom.com/posts/7777291-silo-pharma-inc-discusses-the-potential-of-merging-traditional-therapeutics-with-psychedelic-res

Investors Hangout is a proud sponsor of "Stock Day," and Stock Day Media encourages listeners to visit the company's message board at https://investorshangout.com/

About Silo Pharma

Silo Pharma is a developmental stage biopharmaceutical company focused on merging traditional therapeutics with psychedelic research for people suffering from indications such as depression, PTSD, Parkinson's, and other rare neurological disorders. Silo's mission is to identify assets to license and fund the research which we believe will be transformative to the well-being of patients and the health care industry. For more information, visit http://www.silopharma.com.

Investor Relations Contact:

Hayden IRBrett Maas646-536-7331Email: brett@haydenir.com

About The "Stock Day" Podcast

Founded in 2013, Stock Day is the fastest growing media outlet for Nano-Cap and Micro-Cap companies. It educates investors while simultaneously working with penny stock and OTC companies, providing transparency and clarification of under-valued, under-sold Micro-Cap stocks of the market. Stock Day provides companies with customized solutions to their news distribution in both national and international media outlets. The Stock Day Podcast is the number one radio show of its kind in America. Stock Day recently launched its Video Interview Studio located in Phoenix, Arizona.

SOURCE:Stock Day Media(602) 821-1102

To view the source version of this press release, please visit https://www.newsfilecorp.com/release/72408

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Silo Pharma Inc. Discusses The Potential of Merging Traditional Therapeutics with Psychedelic Research On The Stock Day Podcast - Yahoo Finance