BetterLife Pharma announces tie-up with Carleton University to study TD-0148A as treatment for depression

BetterLife Pharma Inc (CSE:BETR) (OTCQB:BETRF) (FRA:NPAU) has said it is partnering up with Carleton University in Ottawa to study TD-0148A – a second-generation LSD molecule – to treat depression.

BetterLife reckons the therapy will mimic the projected therapeutic potential of LSD without causing undesirable psychoactive dissociative side effects. The university’s head of neuroscience Dr Argel Aguilar-Valles and his team will work with BetterLife to test TD-0148A in both in vitro and in vivo models in the lab in a bid to understand the molecular mechanisms that underlie psychiatric and neurodevelopmental disorders.

READ: BetterLife Pharma hires Eurofins CDMO to manufacture LSD derivative TD-0148A

“We are delighted to have the opportunity to examine TD-0148A in our established animal depression models. The high rate of resistance to SSRI and other first-line treatments for major depressive disorder indicates an urgent unmet need for alternative anti-depressant treatments,” said Dr Aguilar-Valles in a statement on Monday.

“LSD and other psychedelic drugs have been shown to have anti-depressant effects, but their hallucinogenic effects represent an undesirable side effect. Non-hallucinogenic derivatives of these drugs such as TD-0148A, represent a promising alternative.”

BetterLife’s CEO Dr Ahmad Doroudian added: “TD-0148A is a potential novel new therapy to treat debilitating psychiatric disorders with high unmet need, such as treatment-resistant severe depression and post-traumatic stress disorder.”

He said BetterLife’s goal was to bring this treatment to investigational new drug (IND) status and to the clinic “as soon as possible”.

Betterlife is a life sciences company focused on developing next-generation psychedelic products to treat mental disorders.

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