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What are PsychoceuticalsTM?
PsychoceuticalsTM are psychoactive pharmaceuticals. Psychedelic and even psychotherapeutic molecules or formulations found to be useful in therapy or have applications in daily life. Examples of psychoceuticals include psilocybin, ayahuasca, ketamine, LSD, DMT, MDMA. Some of these occur in plants and animals, others have been optimised using chemistry.
Current Projects
The light at the end of the tunnel
Humanity’s coming of age has meant lifting the taboo on psychoactive drug research, with realisations that not only cannabis, but many psychoactive plants and derivatives can be used beneficially in a full range of health applications in Western community as they have been for centuries in indigenous communities.
Beginning with MDMA for PTSD and trauma related illness, ketamine for long term relief of depression, through to psilocybin and LSD for neuroplasticity in stroke, mental health and productivity applications. Psychoactive drugs, previously misunderstood, are now finding their place as preferred tools in psychotherapy due to the therapeutic outcomes seen, where rapid emotional processing of events is facilitated in a way not possible with the previous medications which prohibited emotional processing.
Applications for psychoceutical products
Medical
- Trauma related illness including PTSD.
- Cancer related psychiatric distress.
- Treatment resistant depression.
- Couples therapy.
- Addiction and discontinuation.
Non Medical
- Sociability tonic.
- Spiritual realignment.
- Intimacy attunement.
- Flow state activator.
- Black market displacement.
Our Expertise
BioPharm team members have been working with psychoceutical development since 2002. Beginning with developing psychostimulants for use in amphetamine (crystal meth) substitution. We held patent for ecstasy replacement drug EASE, which was trialled in NZ with more than half the 1000 trial members preferring it to street ecstasy, but a number of users commenting that it improved their ability to resolve issues in primary relationship, prompting us to realise new applications.
We have developed hundreds of molecules with with many novel distinct structures in similar areas to cannabinoids, lysergamides, tryptamines arylcyclohexylamines (like ketamine) and phenethylamines.
Our current drug discovery methods have expanded to include AI intuited structures and proprietary chip based receptor screening platform.
What is the opportunity?
There is a growing interest in psychedelic medicine, as more research shows its potential to treat various mental health conditions.
However, many of the drugs being promoted, (MDMA, LSD , Ketamine), have serious toxicity issues and overdose risks. We can bring safer products to this global emerging therapeutic market, but also create a positive social impact in health and justice economies by replacing harmful substances with demonstrably safer alternatives in the illicit market as public perceptions toward these products follow the same trend of acceptance as cannabis.
PULSE project
Psilocybin mushrooms have been used by indigenous cultures for millennia for their therapeutic and mystical benefits. Western cultures have been denied this natural gift due to fear and taboo. Now, science has rediscovered its potential, and modern man is gaining access to this ancient tool.
Microdosing LSD
Research is showing microdosing LSD (taking tiny amounts) to have powerful benefits, but the potential for overdose makes it unlikely to be allowed for public use. BioPharm have developed similar products with a ceiling level of effect to prevent overdose.
Safer Ketamine
Ketamine is a popular surgical anaesthetic found to have mental health benefits, such as relief of treatment resistant depression, but is toxic to bladder. BioPharm team have worked on a number of improvements to this molecule.
Safer MDMA
MDMA is fast becoming a popular medicine for a variety of symptoms, but is toxic to heart and brain. BioPharm's EASE project has safer alternatives under development.
Stimulant Substitution
Stimulants such as cocaine and methamphetamine are widely used in the community but can have devastating consequences. Developing substitution drugs with less risk is becoming an attractive policy solution and we are working on the technology to get there.
