Biopharmaceutical company GH Research reported the primary endpoint was met in its randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled Phase 2b clinical trial with GH001. GH001 is an inhalable 5-MeO-DMT product candidate designed to treat patients with treatment-resistant depression (TRD).

Highlights of the trial include …

• The majority of patients treated with GH001 achieved remission with a 57.5% remission rate on Day 8 compared with 0% in the placebo group.
• All other secondary endpoints were met with clinically and statistically significant improvements on Day 8, compared with placebo.
• During the double-blind part, GH001 was well tolerated and no serious adverse events were reported.
• Patients who had remission on Day 8 after their first active treatment had a 91.7% remission rate at 6 months.

Here’s more: https://investor.ghres.com/news-releases/news-release-details/gh-research-announces-primary-endpoint-met-phase-2b-trial-gh001 

The Virginia Senate passed a bill that would pave the way for psychedelic-assisted therapy for veterans.  If approved, Bill SB 1101 would establish a six-member state advisory council to study and make further recommendations about treatments involving FDA-designated “breakthrough therapies,” that include psilocybin and MDMA.The proposal actually passed a full Senate floor vote unanimously, on a 40–0 vote. It will now move on to the House of Delegates. Senator Ghazala Hashmi, who introduced the legislation, responded to the vote, saying … “Veterans, as we know, are disproportionately affected by conditions such as PTSD, treatment-resistant depression, major depressive disorder and traumatic brain injury. What we have seen is compelling research coming from a variety of research institutions, such as Johns Hopkins, that points to the fact that treatment through psilocybin has been effective in addressing a lot of these issues.” Check it out: https://www.marijuanamoment.net/virginia-senate-passes-psychedelic-therapy-bill-while-house-advances-retail-marijuana-sales-legalization-measure/ 

Researchers from University College London released a new study that identified brain mechanisms that help animals suppress instinctive fear responses when threats prove harmless over time. Using a visual threat model in mice, they found that specific areas of the visual cortex are necessary for learning to override fear, but not for storing the memory. Instead, the ventrolateral geniculate nucleus (vLGN) retains these learning-induced memories, regulating fear suppression.  These findings challenge traditional views of memory storage and highlight a direct link between cognitive learning and instinctive behaviors. According to the authors of this study, understanding this mechanism could lead to new treatments for fear-related disorders such as phobias, anxiety, and PTSD.Here’s more: https://www.science.org/doi/10.1126/science.adr2247

Did you know that our good friends at the Heroic Hearts Project were featured in a recent 60-Minutes segment on psychedelic retreats for veterans? 

The episode, which aired on February 2nd, highlighted a group of nine veterans who took part in a week-long psychedelic retreat in Mexico. The stories were admittedly heartbreaking, but the message was clear: these psychedelic medicines can be incredibly effective for those suffering from severe depression, PTSD, and addiction. And more needs to be done to ensure that this medicine is available for those who desperately need it. Which is really the primary reason we launched JLS Fund to begin with. You can watch the 60-mintues segment here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GO6dehCmT3s