Developments Come at Critical Moment for Industry-Defining Psychedelic Research/Treatments
Beginning 2021 with good news for its investors, Toronto-based life sciences company Cybin Inc. offered an update this morning on the status of its eight provisional patent applications. This latest news follows Cybin’s recent acquisition of Adelia Therapeutics, made with the express purpose of “advancing Cybin’s ability to innovate our psychedelic drug development program.”
The provisional patent applications include the development of oral film delivery mechanisms, among other delivery technologies, which Truffle Report has previously discussed in detail with Cybin’s chief medical officer Dr. Jukka Karjalainen. It appears these will be expanded from use with synthetic psilocybin into a medium for administering any further psychedelic compounds, existing or novel, that the company should produce in future.
Cybin CEO on Therapeutics Program
On that note, Cybin also announced its intention to expand its therapeutics program to encompass “psychedelic compounds such as DMT, psilocybin analogues and a range of tryptamines and phenethylamines which are expected to have improved pharmacokinetic profiles, while retaining the efficacy of the original molecules.”
Cybin CEO Doug Drysdale added that “Our management team has a proven track record in developing and commercializing dozens of therapeutics, including a modified psychedelic targeted for treatment resistant depression and we intend to continue to advance our IP portfolio, drug discovery platform, delivery mechanisms and technologies all with the end goal of enhancing the patient experience and progressing the psychedelic industry.”
Drug Delivery Systems, Novel Compounds, and Psychedelic Logistics
While the large scale rollout of legal, commercially available psychedelic therapy is still a highly speculative discussion, with significant strides having been made in recent months. TheraPsil, a Canadian non-profit devoted to psilocybin-assisted therapy for cancer patients, has made substantial progress by obtaining Section 56 exemptions via Health Canada from the Controlled Drugs and Substances Act in order to treat patients and train therapists. Just this morning, Alberta-based ATMA Journey Centres Inc. announced that it had conducted the first legally exempted psychedelic-assisted therapy for a palliative patient by a private company. These tentative steps are exciting, but there is still a long road ahead.
As we’ve previously discussed with multiple leaders in the public and private sectors, the future of psychedelic therapy will be largely determined by accessibility, the logistics and costs of treatment, and availability of safe and effective drug delivery mechanisms. The company or companies that can successfully lead the space, maintaining diversity and flexibility across the widest range of mental health indications and psychedelic compounds, stand to reap the greatest rewards.
Truffle Report wishes to disclose that Cybin Inc. is a client of our parent company, Puff Digital. The content of this article was not solicited or sponsored in any way.
Further, the author of this piece wishes to disclose that he owns shares of Cybin Inc.
