USA – Ever heard of the psychedelic substance Ibogaine? It is estimated that approximately 100.000 people die each year from drug overdoses in the United States. The majority of these deaths are related to the use of both prescription and illegal fentanyl – a potent opioid used as a pain reliever. The deadly opioid epidemic in North America has left researchers and lawmakers urgently looking for solutions – and perhaps from an unlikely source…
ibogaine is a psychedelic substance derived from the iboga shrub, native to West Africa. The shrub has traditionally been used as a ritual aid by members of the Bwiti religion in the African country of Gabon. However, a growing body of evidence—both anecdotal and increasingly clinical—suggests that the compound could be helpful in combating drug addiction, including heroin and other opioids.
Massachusetts-based startup Delix Therapeutics is on a mission to turn the non-psychedelic analogs of potent hallucinogens into drugs that can treat a number of psychiatric and neurological conditions. The company will partner with the National Institute of Drug Abuse (NIDA) to test its proprietary version of ibogaine for its potential to treat a range of substance use disorders.
Delix co-founder and chief innovation officer David E. Olson PhD said in a statement:
“Preclinical results published last year in Nature showed that DLX-7 (one of the company's patented new compounds) reduces alcohol- and heroin-seeking behavior. We are excited to partner with NIDA to further evaluate its potential as a new treatment for addiction with a variety of substances and models.”
While ibogaine has been shown to be a potentially useful chemical for treating a variety of mental illnesses, it has side effects such as causing cardiac arrhythmias (an irregular heartbeat) and an often intense psychedelic experience.
That's why Olson, a professor at the University of California at Davis, modified the ibogaine molecule. This modified analogue, Delix-7, is not psychedelic and does not cause arrhythmias.
As interest in the therapeutic and medical potential of psychedelics in general continues to grow, a lab contracted by Nida's Addiction Treatment Discovery program will conduct preclinical trials to determine the pharmacological, pharmacokinetic and toxicological properties of Delix's compound.
If the preclinical and animal studies show favorable results, Delix will reportedly file an application with the U.S. Food and Drug Administration to begin human clinical trials.
The trial is the latest of a number of studies aimed at assessing the therapeutic efficacy of psychedelic substances for the treatment of various mental illnesses, including depression, anxiety and addiction.
Sources including Canex (EN), DelixTherapeutics (EN), Forbes (EN), PhoenixNewTimes(EN)
