Psychedelics Companies Join The Race To Develop Much-Needed Anxiety Treatment

Life sciences biotech company Cybin Inc. CYBN announced its selection of the Generalized Anxiety Disorder (GAD) with or without Major Depressive Disorder (MDD) as the target indication for its proprietary deuterated DMT molecule, CYB004.

Anxiety disorders are the most common mental health concern in the US, with over 40 million adults (19.1% of total population) suffering from one. 

Specifically, GAD is a condition in which excessive worry and tension are present unrestricted to any specific environmental circumstances. It currently affects 6.8 million of US adults (3.1% of total population,) with women being twice as likely to be affected by GAD.

A 2022 GAD therapeutics market report found that the economic burden of this condition is expected to grow to $12 billion by 2030.

“About half of people suffering from depression are also burdened with GAD, which makes the need for more effective treatment options for GAD even more urgent,” said Cybin’s CEO Doug Drysdale. “Since the pandemic, the prevalence of depression and anxiety has been significantly elevated, and we are optimistic that through our current development programs, Cybin has the potential to provide innovative therapeutics to alleviate the mental suffering that so many people experience worldwide.” 

Cybin's new chemical entity’s preclinical data showed promise in treating anxiety disorders and is currently undergoing its first-in-human Phase 1 trial evaluating IV administration to assess safety and dosing optimization data for further clinical development for the treatment of GAD. 

To date, the ongoing clinical study has not demonstrated any clinically significant safety or tolerability issues. The company expects to provide an update on the CYB004 program by the end of February 2023. 

Cybin secured a U.S. composition of matter patent covering the compound in February 2022.

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