Psychedelic Stocks Trip Up After FDA Advisors Reject MDMA For PTSD Treatment

Zinger Key Points
  • An FDA advisory panel rejected MDMA as a treatment for PTSD, citing a lack of reliable evidence
  • Many stocks in the psychedelic space took a hit on Wednesday as worries mount in the industry
Loading...
Loading...

A panel of advisors to the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) rejected MDMA as a treatment for post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) on Tuesday, citing a lack of evidence that the benefits would outweigh the risks of introducing the psychedelic treatment to patients. Most stocks in the psychedelic space took a hit on Wednesday as a result of the ruling.

The panel voted 9-2 that MDMA, when combined with talk therapy, is not effective in treating PTSD. The panel also voted 10-1 that the current benefits do not outweigh the potential risks of using the drug to treat mental issues.

Some members of the panel, like sociologist Elizabeth Joniak-Grant, pointed to allegations of misconduct in trials that could have skewed results as a reason for voting against the use of MDMA in PTSD patients, according to NPR.

Read Also: What’s Going On With MindMed And Psychedelic Stocks?

Market Movers: Many stocks in the psychedelic space traded lower Wednesday following the ruling. Cybin Inc CYBN, which develops drugs and treatments derived from psychedelic substances like psilocybin, was down by more than 10% Wednesday afternoon.

Mind Medicine MNMD, another biotech using psychedelic substances as a derivative for its treatments, traded lower by more than 8% Wednesday. ATAI Life Sciences ATAI opened Wednesday's trading session down more than 14% from its closing price Tuesday, but was able to recover some of its losses throughout Wednesday's session, and last traded down around 6%.

The AdvisorShares Psychedelics ETF PSIL, a fund that tracks many publicly traded psych stocks, traded around 6% lower Wednesday afternoon. 

What's Next: While the FDA does not have to follow that advisory board's recommendation, the ruling was seen throughout the industry as a blow to the progress made in approving and regulating treatments that utilize psychedelics. Proponents of psych drugs argue that many show more effectiveness than mental health treatments currently available on the market. 

Now Read: Nvidia Has ‘Multi-Year Lead’ On AMD, Intel: Bank Of America Analyst Expects Stock To Hit $1,500 Per Share

Photo: Shutterstock

Market News and Data brought to you by Benzinga APIs
Comments
Loading...
Posted In: CannabisNewsPsychedelicsSpecialty ETFsFDATop StoriesMoversETFsGeneralMDMAStories That Matter
Benzinga simplifies the market for smarter investing

Trade confidently with insights and alerts from analyst ratings, free reports and breaking news that affects the stocks you care about.

Join Now: Free!

The Top Cannabis Event In New Jersey

Join the Benzinga Cannabis Market Spotlight in New Jersey on June 17th! Grow your business, raise money and capitalize on the booming NJ recreational market. Don’t miss this must-attend event in New Brunswick. Secure your tickets now. Very few spots are left. Use the code "JAVIER20" for 20% off!


Loading...