MINDCURE's "Desire Project" uses MDMA to Treat Hypoactive Sexual Desire Disorder (HSDD) in Premenopausal Women

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The following post was written and/or published as a collaboration between Benzinga’s in-house sponsored content team and a financial partner of Benzinga.

Mental health is becoming a major concern globally in the wake of the Covid-19 pandemic after historically being an issue that’s on the back burner in health care. Every year, close to 3 million people die because of substance abuse, and 75% of people with mental health disorders never get the chance to receive treatment. A report by Mental Health America (MHA) shows:

• The prevalence of mental illness among adults is increasing.
• In the U.S., 24% of adults with mental illness report unmet needs for mental health treatment.
• The percentage of adults battling serious thoughts of suicide is increasing.

While many large pharmaceutical brands such as Pfizer PFE, Merck MRK, and Bristol Myers Squibb BMY have significant levels of involvement in mental health treatments, smaller players that are focused on a handful of disorders are gaining traction. 

One of the companies working on innovating and commercializing new ways to promote healing and improve mental health is Mind Cure Mental Health Inc. MCUR. The company is focused on developing digital therapeutics technology (DTx) and researching psychedelic compounds to support safe, evidence-based psychedelic-assisted therapies globally.

Through its newly launched “Desire Project”, MINDCURE brings together a team of experts in sexual disorders and psychedelics to drive clinical outcomes and promote female sexual desire using MDMA, commonly referred to as Ecstasy or Molly, in order to treat hypoactive sexual desire disorder (HSDD) in premenopausal females.

What is Hypoactive Sexual Desire Disorder (HSDD)?

Hypoactive sexual desire disorder (HSDD) is a common female sexual disorder characterized by persistent low sexual desire and emotional distress that is not attributable to an existing medical condition or relationship issue. An estimated 9.5 million premenopausal women are affected by HSDD in the U.S. alone — all of them reporting that their condition results in a state of distress.

According to recent statistics, 40% of women in the U.S. have reported low sexual desire, with an actual diagnosis of the disorder affecting 10% of adult women and 14% of premenopausal adult women. HSDD has severe effects on women's mental health; this distress can cause a significant decline in their mental health. In addition, HSDD can also lead to anxiety, anger, frustration, and loss of self.

The Desire Project’s Approach to Addressing HSDD

Through the Desire Project, MINDCURE is developing a safe and evidence-based research environment with an optimal setting in order to develop a solution using pharmaceutical MDMA and psychotherapy to treat HSDD. 

MDMA therapy has proven to help people suffering from post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). In clinical trials, people that went through MDMA therapy experienced long-lasting symptom improvement and even complete remission of PTSD. MDMA therapy is also showing promise in other mental health-related challenges which current medication on the market can fall short to address. 

Desire is considered to be a product of the mind, and the company believes that MDMA can treat the root causes of HSDD, which are often linked to trauma or negative experiences.

The team behind the Desire Project consists of leading researchers in female sexual desire research and psychedelics, including Dr. Anita Clayton and Dr. Jennifer Mitchell, the lead author of the recently published MAPS MDMA-assisted therapy for PTSD study. The molecule the team is working on, MDMA, will be the 1st to market once it receives approval, which is expected by 2023, according to a prediction by the Multidisciplinary Association for Psychedelic Studies.

The preceding post was written and/or published as a collaboration between Benzinga’s in-house sponsored content team and a financial partner of Benzinga. Although the piece is not and should not be construed as editorial content, the sponsored content team works to ensure that any and all information contained within is true and accurate to the best of their knowledge and research. This content is for informational purposes only and not intended to be investing advice.