Psyched: Suggestibility And Psychedelics' Effects, EU's $7M Research Fund, Australia's Treatment Delivery, BZ Podcast And More

New Study Reveals Suggestibility’s Role In Antidepressant Effects Of Psilocybin Therapy

A new study led by Balázs Szigeti and with involvement of researchers Brandon Weiss, Fernando E Rosas, David Erritzoe, David Nutt and Robin Carhart-Harris found evidence of suggestibility predicting an antidepressant response for patients receiving psilocybin therapy.

The study aimed to understand the link between pre-trial expectancy, suggestibility and response to treatment in a previously conducted clinical trial comparing escitalopram and COMPASS Pathways‘ CMPS synthetic psilocybin, COMP360, in the treatment of 55 patients with Major Depressive Disorder (MDD.) Read more HERE.

EU Allocates Funds To Study Psychedelics For Pulmonary Disorder, Multiple Sclerosis, ALS, Parkinson’s

The European Union has allocated 6.5 million euros ($7 million) from its Horizon Europe program to finance PsyPal, a multisite clinical study focusing on the use of psychedelic-assisted therapy. This initiative, led by the University Medical Centre Groningen (UMCG) in the Netherlands and in collaboration with HumanKindLabs, represents the EU's first investment in this area of research.

The study aims to evaluate the effectiveness of psilocybin therapy in reducing psychological and existential distress in patients with progressive, incurable diseases needing palliative care, specifically targeting conditions like chronic obstructive pulmonary disorder (COPD), multiple sclerosis (MS), amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), and atypical Parkinson's disease (APD). Continue reading HERE.

Australian Psychiatrists Provide First Psychedelic-Assisted Medical Treatments In 50 Years

The new treatments, given to two people under the guidance of Dr. Eli Kotler and Dr. Ted Cassidy, are framed within Australia’s Therapeutic Goods Administration (TGA) program authorizing psychiatrists to provide these medicines for specific mental health conditions.

Kotler and Cassidy, early graduates of Mind Medicine Australia (MMA) in psychedelic-assisted therapies, also supplied the psychedelics to the patients who were treated in Melbourne. Read more HERE.

Podcast: International Cannabis And Psychedelics Co. Is Working ‘Hand In Hand’ With FDA To Forge New Therapy Frontiers

Welcome to the inaugural episode of the Benzinga Psychedelics Podcast. In this exciting kickoff, we’re joined by Joel Latham, experienced biotech industry leader and CEO of Incannex Healthcare IXHL.

Dive into our engaging conversation as we explore Incannex’s strategic expansion into broader markets, its pioneering role in Australia’s psychedelic-assisted therapies and its management of a substantial drug portfolio. Listen here.

The Milestone Round

• Psychedelics Reform Update: Alaska’s Task Force, West Virginia, Arizona’s Firefighters, New Jersey & More.
• GOP-Led Senate Bill In Indiana Targets PTSD, Depression With Psilocybin Research For Veterans, First Responders.
• Biden-Challenger Marianne Williamson Blasts White House, Congress Over Sluggish Cannabis Reform.
• Cannabis Crusader Dana Beal’s Incarceration: A Blow To Legalization Advocacy And Psychedelic Policy Reform.
• FDA Green Lights Cybin’s CYBN Psychedelic Clinical Study Assessing Generalized Anxiety.
• Numinus Wellness NUMIF Continues Tight Expense Management With Strategic Reviews Underway.
• Is Ketamine Efficacious For Depression And Other Mental Health Conditions? The Top 10 Studies Of 2023 Shed Some Light.
• Can Psychedelics Affect Personality Traits And Vice Versa? Key Insights From Researchers

See Also: Last Week’s Edition Of ‘Psyched’

Psychedelics ETF's Weekly Performance

AdvisorShares Psychedelics ETF PSIL opened Monday, Jan. 22 at $1.37, following prior weeks' opening at $1.44, $1.41 and $1.42 (Jan. 16, 8 and 2, respectively.)

On Friday, Jan. 26 it closed at $1.43, following prior weeks' closings at $1.37, $1.47 and $1.44 (Jan. 19, 12 and 5, respectively.)

Week's highest was $1.44 during Friday 26, vs. prior weeks' highest at $1.45, $1.64 and $1.62.

Week's lowest was opening price $1.37, vs. prior weeks' lowest at $1.39, $1.41 and $1.35.

Highest Trading Psychedelics Stocks Friday, Jan. 26 At Close

• COMPASS Pathways closed at $10.64, jumping high from prior weeks' closings at $ 8.02, $8.44 and $8.76, respectively. 
• GH Research GHRS closed at $7.25, also significantly jumping from prior weeks' closings at $5.86, $6.03 and $5.37.
• Incannex Healthcare IXHL closed at $4.62, an uptake as of prior weeks' closings at $4.05, $4.30 and $4.10.
• Mind Medicine (MindMed) MNMD closed at $3.69, keeping the trend as per prior closings ($3.60, $3.96 and $4.13.) 
• Bright Minds Biosciences DRUG closed at $3.14, higher than prior weeks' closings at $1.93, $1.93 and $1.68.
• Atai Life Sciences ATAI closed at $1.72, keeping the trend as per prior weeks' closings ($1.69, $1.96 and $1.64.) 
• Silo Pharma SILO closed at $1.54, slight uptake as of prior closings at $1.38, $1.45 and $1.46.
• Clearmind Medicine CMND closed at $1.46, an uptake from the two immediate prior closings at $1.06 and $1.34, yet still behind three-weeks-past at $2.28
• Seelos Therapeutics SEEL closed at $1.07, down from prior weeks' closings at $1.28, $1.44 and $1.34.
• Enveric Biosciences ENVB closed at $0.90, falling from prior closings at $1.09, $1.27 and $1.27.

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