Shortwave Life Sciences psilocybin drug shows positive results in anorexia trial
- Shortwave Life Sciences and Science in Action conducted a pre-clinical study testing the safety of a combination drug of psilocybin and a beta-carboline for treating anorexia nervosa.
- Results showed no adverse effects, weight changes, or behavioral changes in rats following buccal administration of varying doses of the drug.
- Shortwave's CEO expressed pride in the positive outcomes of the study, validating the drug combination and delivery system for addressing mental health challenges.
- The study laid a strong foundation for future clinical development, with potential for transformative impact on patients facing metabolic and psychiatric challenges.
Anorexia nervosa has one of the highest fatality rates. The condition is a complex mental health condition as well as a metabolic disease, yet no FDA-approved pharmacological treatments are currently available for the condition.
Shortwave Life Sciences in collaboration with Science in Action, an expert pre-clinical GLP-certified lab in Israel, has now tested the safety of buccal administration of Shortwave’s combination drug comprised of psilocybin and a beta-carboline.
The company says this novel treatment provides an expanded mechanism of action and a therapeutic effect superior to psilocybin alone, impacting more than one group of receptors in the brain.
For the study, three groups of rats were given varying doses of the combination drug (0.23ml, 0.5ml, and 1ml), with results showing no adverse effects, weight changes, or behavioural changes following the psychedelic effects.
“This is a monumental step forward for Shortwave. Our relentless pursuit of breakthrough mental health treatments comes with the responsibility of ensuring safety at every stage,” commented Shortwave Life Sciences CEO Rivki Stern Youdkevich.
“We are proud of the positive outcomes from this rigorous pre-clinical trial, further validating our patent-pending drug combination and buccal delivery system.
“With this success, we are reaffirmed in our approach to addressing the global mental health crisis.”
In the pre-clinical pharmacodynamics study, all subjects remained healthy and unaffected during the trial, which Shortwave has stated marks a strong foundation for future clinical development.
Furthermore, no adverse events or vital sign changes were reported across all groups, and the results confirmed the safety profile for the psilocybin-based combination drug at elevated doses.
This achievement comes on the heels of the International PCT Examining Committee’s recent acknowledgment of Shortwave’s patent claims for its novel, non-obvious, and industrially applicable mucoadhesive buccal film.
Designed for rapid absorption and bypassing liver and gut degradation, the platform holds transformative potential for patients facing metabolic and psychiatric challenges. This method of administration is designed to be sensitive to patient needs, who may not want to swallow the medicine, and also provides higher bioavailability.