Tripping may typically be part of the psychedelic experience, but some researchers say hallucinations aren’t necessary to change the brain and treat trauma, depression and addiction.
Non-hallucinogenic psychedelic therapy may be coming to the masses.
David E. Olson, a professor and researcher at UC Davis runs a lab focused on a class of molecules called “psychoplastogens,” which promote neuroplasticity.
New discoveries show that non-hallucinogenic psychedelic therapy may work as well as therapy with a “trip”
Olsen and his lab rats made two key discoveries in 2018 that laid the groundwork for Delix 1, also known as Delix Therapies, a company focused on non-hallucinogenic psychedelics that touts “healing the brain to heal the mind.”
Two discoveries Olsen made about psychedelics that are now propelling Delix 1 towards success with non-hallucinogenic therapy.
Psychedelics are psychoplastogens. Meaning drugs like LSD, MDMA, and ibogaine can regrow damaged cortical neurons, which are cells in the outer layer of the brain.
“Tripping” isn’t necessary for healing trauma and reversing brain changes created through traumatic events, depression or addiction with these drugs. The hallucinogenic effects of these compounds can be decoupled from their effects on neuronal growth.
Following these discoveries Olson Lab created an extensive library of non-hallucinogenic psychoplastogens that could target a broad range of diseases. This included everything from treatment-resistant depression to addiction, PTSD, cognitive impairment and neurodegeneration.
Now his findings are going commercial as Olsen joins Delix Therapies as Chief Innovation Officer of the drug development company, which already secured a $70 million Series A funding round.
This funding is critical to the work they’re doing according to the Delix Therapies website that says
‘Delix is harnessing the power of a novel class of compounds known as neuroplastogens, to bring about a new paradigm in brain health therapeutics: treatments intended to be safe, fast acting, and long lasting for those that need them most.”
What is the next step for pharmaceutical company lead psychedelic therapy?
After expanding on the lab’s work for years, Delix Therapeutics is finally taking its lead candidate, a drug called DLX-001, to human trials.
Delix was recognized as a leading start-up company in September by the renowned scientific journal Nature Biotechnology.
The company has established a substantial private investor base of firms such as RA Capital, Artis Ventures and Dolby Family Ventures. The funding and substantial influence of these firms has allowed Delix to safely accelerate the pace of research and trials..
The increased financial investments in Delix Therapeutics follows a trend of increased funding for psychedelic research across the board, including for more pharmaceutical-based psychedelic solutions and more research and trials for naturally occurring plant medicine solutions.
