Research on psychedelic substances and the therapeutic properties they possess that can be used to treat various mental health conditions has been increasing. For example, researchers in Florida are focused on studying psilocybin, which is the active compound found in magic mushrooms.
Earlier in 2019, the FDA granted breakthrough therapy status to psilocybin treatments under development, which made it easier for the Usona Institute, a nonprofit organization, to conduct studies on the psychedelic. Dr. Charles Raison, the institute’s director of clinical and translational research, stated that the organization had sites in seven states and was planning to establish a duo of additional sites, which would all focus on research on medications for depression.
Among these research centers is Segal Trials, which will be taking part in the Usona study. The institute is investigating the effectiveness of psilocybin in treating depression. The objective of the study is to discover whether the effects of psilocybin last weeks after the treatment, with Raison noting that six weeks was the standard timeframe for antidepressant research.
Segal Trials’ principal researcher and medical director for cannabis and psychedelic research, Dr. Rishi Kakar, stated that Segal Trials was focused on exploring psilocybin’s potential and would be using a single dose to determine whether it would help relieve some of the symptoms of depression. For their study, the researchers have recruited patients who suffer from moderate to severe depression, and they will all undergo screening to rule out any factors that can cause harm or interfere with the study. The screening will also assess for any symptoms of schizophrenia and psychosis as well as family history of the same.
In all the study locations, researchers will require participants go through a preparation session before the dose is administered. Half of the participants who have been selected at random will be administered psilocybin while the remainder will receive a placebo.
During this time, patients will be monitored with psychologists or highly trained physicians standing by to offer support. The participants will also be allowed to journal, color, or listen to music and will also be provided with blindfolds and headphones.
After the session, researchers plan to follow up with all the participants through phone calls and physical visits and conduct assessments to determine whether the drug’s effect is still being maintained. This will allow the researchers to evaluate whether one dose of psilocybin can help where other drugs have been unsuccessful, with Kakar noting that about 40% of patients with depression have an inadequate response to current treatments or do not respond to medications.
The study is expected to end next year, but this isn’t the only ongoing such study. Companies such as Cybin Inc. (NEO: CYBN) (NYSE American: CYBN) are conducting their own psilocybin drug-development programs, and these efforts appear likely to yield approved remedies that can help patients who badly need them.
NOTE TO INVESTORS: The latest news and updates relating to Cybin Inc. (NEO: CYBN) (NYSE American: CYBN) are available in the company’s newsroom at https://ibn.fm/CYBN
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