EXCLUSIVE: Addiction Expert Kelly J. Clark Endorses Psychedelic Research For Alcohol Use Disorder, Joins Psychedelic Startup

National addiction expert Kelly J. Clark, MD has joined the scientific advisory board of mission-driven psychedelic startup Journey Colab, Benzinga has learned exclusively.

Clark will support Journey’s drug development program and new model of addiction care that combines psychedelic science with psychotherapy and community support. Journey’s lead indication for FDA approval is Mescaline HCI (JOUR 100), a synthetic version of mescaline for the treatment of Alcohol Use Disorder. Mescaline, a classic psychedelic, targets serotonergic receptors found in the brain associated with addiction, mood, motivation, and perception. 

Why It Matters

Dr. Clark, board-certified in both addiction medicine and psychiatry, is considered one of the nation’s top experts on substance use disorders and addiction care and is frequently invited to testify about needed systems of addiction treatment before Congress and to federal organizations and other drug policy stakeholders.

Between 2017-2021, Dr. Clark presided over the American Society of Addiction Medicine as an officer and then as president. ASAM is considered the largest physician medical society in the field of addiction. 

“I’m excited about the potential for psychedelics, namely mescaline, as a novel treatment for addiction. Alcohol Use Disorder is at an all-time high, and it’s urgent that we look beyond the conventional treatment approaches of focusing on abstinence, peer support, and rehabilitation centers. Especially with existing evidence that shows the safety and efficacy of psychedelic compounds, now is the time for us to take programs like Journey’s seriously,” says Dr. Clark.  “I look forward to supporting Journey, because not only are they poised to uncover the first empirical datasets around mescaline, but the company is founded by a physician who understands the meaning of quality, ethical care and evidence-based medicine.”

What’s Next

Chatting with Benzinga, Journey founder and CEO Jeeshan Chowdhury, MD, added, “Our goal is to unlock the science behind psychedelic experiences and how they impact the parts of our brain prone to addictive behavior, such as alcohol use disorder. Combined with harm reduction, traditional therapy and a supportive community, we’re threading a centuries-long history of mescaline use into a modern model – and the support of an expert like Dr. Clark is highly significant to our success. We’re thrilled that someone of her stature is getting involved in psychedelic research and publicly discussing the need for new solutions to addiction therapy.”

Later this year, Journey plans to move forward with in-human studies of Mescaline HCI, which will result in the first modern clinical data set for mescaline.

Image from company website.