Ayahuasca inspires another biotech startup at ATAI; Mylan TB drug gets green light in India
→ We have one more startup to add to the list before we call it a day. ATAI Life Sciences, which likes to dabble with psychedelics in developing new therapies, has another mind bender in the works. They’ve kickstarted a new company to delve into formulations of N,N-dimethyltryptamine (DMT) —the active ingredient in ayahuasca — for new drugs to use in the mental health field. DMT acts as a partial agonist on a variety of 5-HT receptors, they say, which makes it a good candidate for patients not attracted to the potent brew featured on certain South American journeys. “These novel products are expected to simplify in-clinic administration and allow greater pharmacokinetic control of the psychedelic experience and its overall duration,” said Srinivas Rao, chief scientific officer of ATAI. “Patients may even be able to attend psychotherapy sessions later the same day.”
Unlock this article instantly by becoming a free subscriber.
You’ll get access to free articles each month, plus you can customize what newsletters get delivered to your inbox each week, including breaking news.