Modern mental health company Clerkenwell Health, in collaboration with clinical-stage biotechnology company Beckley Cytech, today announced that a novel combination of psychedelic compounds and psychological support could potentially treat alcohol use disorder (AUD). The company announced that it is conducting a Phase IIa study to investigate whether it could be an effective treatment.

According to NHS figures, more than 7.5 million people in the UK live with AUD (commonly referred to as alcohol dependence).

An open-label trial (NCT05674929), already underway at King’s College London, has demonstrated the safety of Beckley Cytec’s lead candidate BPL-003 when administered as a single dose in combination with abstinence-oriented psychological support. , tolerability, and pharmacodynamic effects will be evaluated. Participate with Australian dollars. Participants will be followed for 12 weeks after the first dose, and safety, pharmacokinetics, and efficacy assessments will be conducted at multiple time points during that period. The trial will also be conducted at Clerkenwell Health’s clinic near Harley Street in London, and anyone interested in taking part can register here.

BPL-003 is a novel synthetic formulation of mebufotenine (5-MeO-DMT), a tryptamine class psychedelic that occurs naturally in the glands of several plant species and at least one species of toad. BPL-003 is administered intranasally and induces a psychedelic experience of similar intensity but short duration as psilocybin, which is found in “magic mushrooms” and has shown early promise in substance abuse disorders. Can be done.

The treatment of Australian dollars is a pressing concern for the UK healthcare system. According to Public Health England data, there were 20,970 alcohol-related deaths in England in 2021 and 342,795 hospital admissions entirely due to alcohol in 2021-22. This corresponds to 1 in 160 people.

The results of this AUD trial may be used to support further research into psychedelic-assisted treatments for alcohol dependence.

Dr Henry Fisher, Chief Scientific Officer at Clerkenwell Health, said: “An estimated 600,000 people in the UK are dependent on alcohol. This, coupled with an alarming 89% increase in alcohol-related deaths over the past 20 years, shows that the status quo is not working. Alcohol Dependence Conventional treatments for alcohol use disorder have failed to produce meaningful improvement, and new avenues must be explored. This trial will evaluate whether psychedelic-assisted treatment can be an effective treatment for alcohol use disorder and We hope to see treatments widely rolled out. Medical professionals and policy makers should seriously consider such treatments, and we believe that dozens of people receiving treatment for alcohol use disorder on the NHS and in the UK will It has the potential to be truly game-changing for everyone.”

We are committed to developing innovative and effective treatment options for people suffering from alcohol use disorder. Based on our preclinical and Phase I data, we are optimistic about the potential therapeutic efficacy of BPL-003 for substance use disorders and are excited to further evaluate this compound in this clinical trial. I would like to thank the teams at Clerkenwell Health and King’s and the patients who have and will participate in this study. Their participation, support, and collaboration will be critical to advancing this unmet field of research. ”

Dr. Rob Conley, Chief Medical Scientific Officer, Beckley Psytech

A growing body of research suggests that psychedelics may become a pioneering force in the treatment of complex mental health conditions, including substance use disorders.

The new combination of psychological support and the administration of psychedelic compounds, delivered in stages in the presence of a trained counselor, is an area of ​​substance abuse disorder and mental health treatment where no significant new treatment options have been developed for decades. It’s a paradigm shift for us.