Psychedelics News March 2020

Although we all want to move the field forward, the two first articles highlight problems going forward. Companies are still making waves and MindMed goes public. Psymposia stays critical as ever about the capitalist moves being made. And a study got people to ‘trip’ in a cleverly designed setting.

Therapists Are Unprepared to Talk to People About Taking Psychedelics

Source: Vice | By: Shayla Love | Published: 2 March 2020

“But since psychedelics have been illegal for decades, they may find therapists who have gaps in knowledge or residual stigma about going on a shrooms trip in the name of mental health.”

Therapists are the group that is trusted by their patients, the re-schooling and education of them (of basic knowledge and learning to work with psychedelics) couldn’t go fast enough.

The story also mentions the work being done by Ingmar Gorman. He works as an integration therapist (so only doing the integration, not the preparation or session itself) and has trained over 500 people in this work, via his company Fluence.

Psychedelic therapy has a sexual abuse problem

Source: Quartz | By: Olivia Goldhill | Published: 3 March 2020

This investigative article looks at MAPS and how sexual abuse happened in one of the trials. It investigates the claims and speaks to all parties involved. The article does also make a broader point about psychedelic therapy, the patient is very much at a vulnerable place, safety guidelines need to be built in, especially with MDMA.

MindMed Lists on NEO to Become World’s First Psychedelic Pharmaceutical Company to Go Public

Source: Financial Post (and Mindmed newsletter)| By: press release| Published: 3 March 2020

“MindMed will begin trading today on the NEO Exchange under the symbol NEO:MMED, and is expected to become the world’s first publicly traded psychedelic pharmaceutical company.”

The main drug they are developing is called 18-MC (phase 2 clinical trials). 18-MC is a compound that is derived from Ibogaine (but not much more is published on their site) and seems to be in development for opioid addiction treatment. The second project they are working on is LSD micro-dosing for ADHD.

Currently, the company is trading at a market cap of $100M, so there is surely some money being made (the question is if it will last/rise over time).

Update 12 March: MindMed also announced (newsletter) that Matthew Johnson will be joining as senior advisor to the newly formed board committee to evaluate acquisitions and scientific collaborations.

Becoming Whole – Psychedelics Mini-Conference

Source: The Third Wave (newsletter) | By: Paul Austin | Published: 3 March 2020

The Third Wave is hosting a one-day mini-conference on the 2nd of May 2020. It will be in Boulder, Colorado. See the Eventbrite post for more details.

Update: The conference has been moved, no new ticket-sales at this moment.

A Statement Regarding “The Emergence of a New Market: Psychedelic Science Conferences”

Source: Psymposia | By: Plus Three (staff) | Published: 3 March 2020

This article nicely holds up a mirror to the above one (‘Becoming Whole’). The always critical staff of Psymposia asks the poignant question if conferences and the people there are legit and want to help the movement forward or are just there to make a profit. It also questions the practice of coopting researchers on advisory boards and the like at for-profit companies.

I think the critique is warranted and see the end of the post for Bia Labate’s criteria for conferences (from this original post).

Revive Closes Psilocin Pharma Acquisition, Releases Psilocybin Patent Details

Source: The Deep Dive | By: Jay | Published 5 March 2020

“Revive Therapeutics has completed its previously announced acquisition of Psilocin Pharma Corp, a specialty psychedelic pharma corporation that is focused on the development of psilocybin-based solutions for unmet medical needs which includes rare and orphan indications.”

“Psilocin Pharma has developed a number of patent pending formulations and solutions that utilize the active compound psilocybin, with the patents also protecting the process of formulation. The company has developed several formulations to date which include sublingual sprays, breath strips, gel caps, tablets, and capsules.”

With this acquisition, Revive Therapeutics looks to commercialize, patent, and develop psychedelic/psilocybin products next to the cannabis work they were already doing.

How do depressed rats respond to psychedelics? New data offer insight into the human experience

Source: Endpoints News | By: Natalie Grover | Updated: 6 March 2020

A rat-model study (versus mouse-models usually used) showed that psychedelics (psilocybin, lsd) have long-term anti-depressant effects. Although the article is written from a somewhat removed perspective, it does a good job of highlighting this research and how it was exactly done.

“Data from Nichols’ study — the first direct preclinical comparison of the antidepressant efficacy of ketamine and other psychedelics — showed that both psilocybin and LSD significantly reduces depressive-like behaviors five weeks after a single administration in rats, while only the lowest dose of ketamine evaluated (5 mg/kg) was efficacious in decreasing depressive-like behaviors. In addition, the associated antidepressant-like effects of ketamine were transient compared to psilocybin and LSD-treated rats — and lasted less than two weeks.”

This was also reported on the Eleusis (sponsor of study) company website (link broke in November 2020 because they are updating their website).

And also by IFLScience, where they highlight/hypothesise the plasticity as being the defining character.

Wavepaths launch update: Your Virtual Space

Source: Wavepaths | By: Mendel Kaelen | Published: 6 March 2020

Wavepaths wants to use music to enhance the psychedelic experience, especially with a focus on using it in therapy. This is the public release of their “first fully generative, online, audio-visual experience.” This is not their (final) app for psychedelic therapy.

2020 State of the Art of Psychedelic Technology – Where Is It Heading?

Source: Psychedelic Review | By: Barb Bauer | Published: 18 March 2020

A great summary of the most significant things that happened last year and what we can expect in 2020.

Psychedelics and Capitalism – Corporadelic (1,2,3,4,5,6)

Source: Psymposia | By: Russel Hausfeld | Published: 11 March 2020

These are six articles that take a critical look at psychedelics and the corporate world.

The first looks at how different (very much for-profit) companies are interlinked and the battle between priorities of investor returns and end-user benefit.

The second brings the wolf inside the bull’s market as Hausfeld reports on his experience at the 2020 Green Market Summit on the Economics of Psychedelics Investing.

The third makes the link between the pioneering work done by MAPS, and how ATAI/COMPASS (and other for-profits) are walking away with the cake (and money). “Now that the nonprofits have cleared the regulatory roads and primed potential investors, there is space for new “thought leaders” to arise and seize the throne which MAPS has occupied for so long.“

The fourth questions the inference that trials for depression (n=31, max 100) will scale and “treat 320 million people.” And that we even need only this medical framework as the way to do something positive with psychedelics.

The fifth article looks at the investors, intellectual property, and pumps & dumps that might happen in the psychedelics industry, if the cannabis industry is an indicator/predictor.

The six and last article highlights how there used to be decency and cooperation, but will that survive the jump to for-profit? “The second form of competition he highlighted centered around becoming the best you can be through interference at the expense of others. Taking steps to slow down or interfere with people who might be eating into an organization’s potential market.”

Oregon Psychedelic Mushroom Campaign Collects More Than 100,000 Signatures For Ballot Measure

Source: Marijuana Moment | By: Kyle Jaeger | Published: 11 March 2020

It seems that a vote will be on the menu for Oregon.

“The Oregon Psilocybin Society, which began signature gathering last year, is within striking distance of the required 112,020 valid signatures from registered voters needed to qualify for the November ballot.”

“Under the Oregon Psilocybin Services Act, adults would be able to visit licensed facilities to have the psychedelic administered under the supervision of medical professionals.”

Patent protection of psychedelic therapeutics: a page from the cannabis playbook?

Source: Lexology | By: Duane Morris LLP | Published: 11 March

This article details more information and background in the patent process that Compass Pathways is pursuing in regard to the preparation (and administration) of psilocybin. It states that the case is not settled and that around 26 May we can expect more information.

Why Psychedelics Are Not The Next Cannabis

Source: Psychedelic Times | By: Trevor Millar (MAPS Canada) | Published: 11 March

Trevor argues that psychedelics will not be very profitable or provide large returns for investors (except those who ‘ride the bubble’). The comparison with cannabis (which users often do daily) is inapt. Psychedelics will (hopefully) be offered as a therapeutic modality, and some will get rich by offering this, but do remember who you’re doing it for (and not put profits first).

Do read the article.

Psychedelics for Mental Illness: The Evidence to Date

Source: Medscape (soft pay-wall) | By: Todd Murphy | Published: 12 March

A lot of studies have been done with various psychedelics, this article summarizes their conclusions.

“Psychedelic drugs show real promise as treatment for psychiatric illnesses, particularly posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) as well as depression and anxiety, new research suggests. A literature review showed completed clinical trials support the efficacy of [MDMA] to treat chronic PTSD. The review also confirmed that psilocybin, a compound contained in some species of mushrooms, significantly helped in the treatment of depression and cancer-related anxiety.”

The main source for the information in this article is ‘Psychedelics and Psychedelic-Assisted Psychotherapy‘ in The American Journal of Psychiatry.

What is highlighted several times is the benefit of only needing one or two treatments (versus long-term treatment, with a lot of dropout and side-effects from SSRIs) and seeing effects up to 5 years later.

“If more advanced research continues to show efficacy, and shows the drugs are safe if administered appropriately, Johnson said he believes they may be available for some psychiatric clinical use in the next 5 years or so.”

The Amazing Psychedelic Bamboozle

Source: Discover Magazine | By: ‘neuroskeptic’ | Published: 15 March

This article reports on an interesting study that tried (successfully) to create a placebo effect of psychedelic order.

“The paper describes how the researchers went to great lengths to create a believable appearance of a drug study, and thus facilitate the placebo effect”

How successful were they? “35 percent of them said they were “certain” they had taken a placebo when quizzed just before the debriefing. Only 12 percent were “certain” that they’d taken a real psychedelic drug”

Also reported in our March Research Update.

And in Vice.

Key Insights From Psych: The Psychedelics As Medicine Report

Source: Prohibition Partners | By: staff | Published: 17 March 2020

Download (for free) a wide-ranging report on psychedelics. It lists what research is ongoing, the regulatory situation, and commercial potential.

There are currently many clinical trials ongoing with LSD (4), MDMA (22), psilocybin (25), and ketamine (326). Do read the report to learn more. (do note that it’s heavily sponsored by industry players and has adverts in the pages)

“In a poll conducted in the US in 2017, 59% of consumers said they would consider using psychedelics as a treatment if they were diagnosed with a mental health condition for which it had been proven effective.”

DB 101 – How To Grow Mushrooms

Source: DoubleBlind (newsletter) | By: Rainbo | Published: 17 March 2020

DoubleBlind will soon (April 14th) release a course on growing mushrooms. This course is directed towards those who want to grow mushrooms in their own house (DIY). The course will take 9 weeks and half of the proceeds are donated to Decriminalize California.

Study Shows Norpsilocin is More Potent Than Psilocin at 5-HT2A

Source: Psychedelic Review | By: Barb Bauer | Published: 18 March 2020

Norpsilocin is the metabolite (product of metabolism) resulting from the dephosphorylation (removal of a phosphate group) of baeocystin. Earlier it was found that baeocystin wasn’t psychoactive, this article discusses that its metabolite may be, yet it may not pass the blood-brain barrier.

In the end it asks again if we should think about all aspects of magic mushrooms/truffles or that only psilocybin (and psilocin) may give us the full psychedelic experience.

Arketamine: A Fast-Acting Antidepressant Without Dissociative Effects?

Source: Bezinga | By: Natan Ponieman | Published: 26 March 2020

What if you could use a dissociative psychedelics, but only keep the anti-depressant effects? That is what new research into arketamine is showing the promise of.

“[O]ne of the main advantages is that arketamine could -presumably- be taken at home.” I think this is quite important and a good sign that a treatment like this could be much cheaper than staying at a treatment center for a whole day (or longer for retreats).

Champignon Brands To Acquire Psilocybin Research Firm Tassili Life Sciences

Source: The Deep Dive| By: Jay | Published: 28 March 2020

“Last night, Champignon Brands (CSE: SHRM) announced that they have signed a definitive agreement to acquire Tassili Life Sciences Corp. Tassili is currently working in partnership with the University of Miami to develop effective psilocybin-based treatments for post traumatic stress disorder as well as mild traumatic brain injuries.”

This means that Champignon Brands now has four subsidiaries under their portfolio. All with the goal of making psilocybin (and partly cannabinoid) therapies possible.

Understanding the Buzz About Magic Mushrooms

Source: Psychology Today| By: Samoon Ahmad | Published: 30 March 2020

This article contextualizes the research being done with psychedelics, why this time around the evidence is looking promising, and how research is severing the ties between psychedelics and the counter-culture of the 60s.

The author also provides a clear overview of how (in your brain) psilocybin (or more accurately psilocin) work.

Scientists are Trying to Redesign Magic Mushrooms so You Never Have a Bad Trip

Source: Vice| By: Gavin Butler | Published: 31 March 2020

“The startup company, CaaMTech, has spent the past year analysing the properties of different compounds found in hallucinogenic shrooms in order to ascertain which fungal chemicals produce which effects. In doing so, it’s hoped that the team could find a way to make custom blends of mushrooms with “optimised properties,” thus increasing the likelihood of a positive psychedelic experience and increasing the potential for psilocybin to be used in therapeutic settings.”

The team identified aeruginascin as the compound that could prevent bad trips. It’s only present in one strain of mushroom (found in Europe). The research still needs to be done, but it’s an interesting avenue and might be something to supplement the production of psilocybin done by companies like Compass.

Reported also in DoubleBlind.