The Financial Times did a story on how Google co-founder Sergey Brin is putting up $15 million to help fund biotech startup Soneira, which is researching how ibogaine can be combined with heart medications to mitigate the risk of fatal cardiac arrhythmia that can be associated with the plant. Soneira plans to launch early stage clinical trials using the funding, having raised $25 million so far.

The funding is being made available through Brin’s non-profit investment vehicle, Catalyst4, which had total assets of $430 million at the end of 2022. Catalyst4 has a mandate to invest in breakthrough treatments for neurological disorders and technology to mitigate climate change. Here’s more: https://www.ft.com/content/5ed7daee-3d03-45d1-876b-52d81f0e2b68

Reunion Neuroscience announced that the first patient has been dosed in its Phase 2 clinical trial of RE104 for the treatment of postpartum depression (PPD).

RE104 is a patented, clinical-stage drug candidate designed as a fast-acting, short duration serotonergic psychedelic therapeutic to provide lasting benefits to patients with underserved mental health disorders. Phase 1 clinical data indicated that RE 104 produces a pharmacology similar to psilocybin with a reduced duration of the psychoactive experience.

The Phase 2 clinical trial is a multicenter, randomized, double-blind, parallel-group, active dose-controlled clinical trial evaluating the safety and efficacy of a single subcutaneous dose of RE104 in adult female patients with moderate-to-severe PPD.  Check it out: https://reunionneuro.com/2024/07/23/reunion-neuroscience-inc-announces-first-patient-dosed-in-phase-2-clinical-trial-of-re104-for-the-treatment-of-postpartum-depression/

Students for Sensible Drug Policy (SSDP), mounted a challenge to the Drug Enforcement Administration’s (DEA) proposal to ban two psychedelic substances. Experts say the new federal restriction would be detrimental to ongoing research initiatives.

In a prehearing statement filed with DEA’s administrative court on Tuesday, SSDP laid out a series of issues with the agency’s controversial plans to classify 2,5-dimethoxy-4-iodoamphetamine and 2,5-dimethoxy-4-chloroamphetamine as Schedule I drugs under the Controlled Substances Act.

The statement was submitted by SSDP on behalf of 20 graduate students, post-doctoral researchers, staff scientists and professors who work with the psychedelic substances. It was also jointly filed with psychedelics researcher Raul Ramos.  Here’s more: https://www.marijuanamoment.net/deas-move-to-ban-two-psychedelics-is-challenged-as-a-disservice-to-science-in-legal-filing-from-student-group/

Did you know that UCLA is planning to build a rooftop garden for taking psychedelics?

As a part of its vision for a new plan to build a “living laboratory,” the university is hoping to build a plant-filled rooftop garden designed specifically for psychedelic-assisted therapy sessions.

The new “living laboratory” has been proposed on the eighth floor of the university’s Semel Institute for Neuroscience and Human Behavior, according to a presentation given at the university in May.

UCLA is a leader in psychedelics research, with nearly a dozen different ongoing clinical trials, including work with MDMA and psilocybin. Here’s more: https://www.sfgate.com/cannabis/article/ucla-psychedelic-rooftop-garden-plans-19578137.php