Quick take
MindMed has announced its R&D collaboration with the University Hospital Basel’s Liechti Lab on a study that seeks to understand altered states of consciousness induced by psilocybin and LSD.
The purpose of these studies is to evaluate how LSD or psilocybin affect humans differently, which should allow for the more appropriate design of later-stage trials; or the combination of substances for future therapies.
MindMed is also conducting a trial that combines MDMA and LSD, colloquially known as candyflipping, which you can learn more about here.
Full Press Release below…
MindMed Collaborating On Study Comparing Effects Induced By LSD and Psilocybin Under Exclusive License Agreement With University Hospital Basel Liechti Lab
BASEL, Switzerland, Sept. 24, 2020 /CNW/ — Mind Medicine (MindMed) Inc. (NEO: MMED)(OTC: MMEDF), the leading drug development company for psychedelic inspired medicines, announces that the company has been conducting R&D work on psilocybin in collaboration with the University Hospital Basel’s Liechti Lab in a study to better understand and compare the altered states of consciousness induced by psilocybin and LSD.
MindMed is interested in understanding how psilocybin or LSD affects humans differently so that it can design better later stage trials or potentially even combine substances in future next-generation psychedelic assisted therapies for patients.
As part of MindMed’s exclusive license agreement with the University Hospital Basel, MindMed will retain an exclusive license to all IP and any patents generated from data or findings in the study and related work on psilocybin, such as pharmacokinetic data and information on the metabolism. The study is anticipated to finish in Q2 2021.
There is increasing medical interest in LSD and psilocybin for the treatment of mental illnesses. However, LSD and psilocybin have never been accurately compared in a modern clinical setting to understand the differences they create in the alterations in one’s mind. Clearly, psilocybin has a shorter duration of acute action but whether there are any differences in the quality of the experience, and as a result in the therapeutic potential, remains to be tested.
MindMed President Dr. Miri Halperin Wernli said, “Both LSD and psilocybin are thought to induce hallucinations mainly through the stimulation of the 5-HT2A receptor. However, it is known that there are differences in the receptor activation profiles between the two substances and these differences may induce different subjective effects. Therefore, with this study we will try to understand and compare the altered states of consciousness induced by the two substances and identify potential medicines for patients.”
Dr. Matthias Liechti added, “LSD and psilocybin are increasingly used in neuroscience and in psychiatry as pharmacological tools to induce and investigate alterations in waking consciousness and associated brain functions and also as potential medications. However, there are no modern studies comparing these two substances directly within the same clinical study and research subjects and using validated psychometric tools. We are aiming to compare the acute effects of the two substances including different doses and placebos to see whether there are differences in the alterations in mind produced by them.”
More info on the R&D study can be found here: https://clinicaltrials.gov/ct2/show/NCT03604744?term=1.%09Direct+comparison+of+altered+states+of+consciousness+induced+by+LSD+and+psilocybin&draw=2&rank=1
About Liechti Lab (University Hospital Basel)
Liechti Lab is based at the University Hospital Basel in Basel Switzerland. Founded in 1460, the University of Basel is the oldest university in Switzerland and has a history of success going back over 550 years. Liechti Lab’s research focus is on the pharmacology of psychoactive substances in vitro and in humans. The Laboratory investigates the pharmacokinetics-pharmacodynamics of MDMA, LSD, and amphetamines in humans including psychological tests, pharmacogenetics, and functional brain imaging.
About MindMed
Mind Medicine (MindMed) Inc. is a neuro-pharmaceutical company that discovers, develops, and deploys psychedelic-inspired medicines to improve health, promote wellness, and alleviate suffering. The company is assembling a compelling drug development pipeline of innovative treatments through human clinical trials to help patients with mental and behavioral health issues, including substance use disorder. The MindMed executive team brings extensive biopharmaceutical industry experience to this groundbreaking approach to the development of next-generation psychedelic medicines. MindMed trades on the NEO Exchange under the symbol MMED. MindMed can also be traded in the US under the symbol OTC: MMEDF and in Germany under the symbol DE:MMQ. For more information: www.mindmed.co.
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