The training of psychotherapists has begun for a clinical trial that will examine 5-MeO-DMT assisted psychotherapy in treatment-resistant depression (TRD).
UK-based Beckley Psytech will be training therapists to deliver a best-in-class psychedelic-assisted psychotherapy framework to patients in and out of the clinic.
Currently conducting a double-blind, randomised, single ascending dose Phase I study to evaluate the safety and tolerability of a single intranasal dose of its novel formulation of 5-MeO-DMT healthy subjects, the training of 80 psychotherapists over the next year will set the stage for the initiation of the Phase II trial.
The Phase I study, led by Dr James Rucker, is being conducted as part of an ongoing collaboration with King’s College London, and began dosing of the first cohort in October 2021. Blinded data from the study will be used to inform the Phase II study.
CEO of Beckley Psytech, Cosmo Feilding Mellen, commented: “The initiation of this training programme is a vital step towards developing an ecosystem to support the emerging paradigm shift in how we treat neurological and psychiatric conditions.”
The training is being carried out in conjunction with Fluence, an expertise-driven educational platform that provides professional training in psychedelic therapy for psychiatrists, psychotherapists, social workers, and other healthcare practitioners.
“We are delighted to be partnered with Fluence, a world-class leader in psychotherapy training and education, and we are confident that this programme will deliver a differentiated solution to optimise patient outcomes in difficult-to-treat medical conditions,” continued Feilding Mellen.
Participating therapists will be supported in their learning through a combination of online, interactive and self-taught modules. The therapists will be hosted by the Kadima Neuropsychiatry Institute in San Diego, US, where the trainers will provide live, in-person training sessions.
Frederick Reinholdt, a participating psychotherapist, commented “What a fortunate opportunity to meet up with such a wide range of clinicians and researchers all with a keen interest in the therapeutic potential 5-MeO-DMT may prove to possess.
“In partnership with Fluence, Beckley Psytech has devised a rich and leading-edge training programme.”
Through this partnership with leading psychiatrists and researchers, Beckley Psytech aims to develop a holistic system that will enable the delivery of the best care to patients.
Director of the Kadima Neuropsychiatry Institute, Dr David Feifel, added: “The impetus to offer Kadima’s space and facilitate the training is merely our desire to facilitate the success of this exciting and important project and to develop a deeper collaborative relationship.”
Fluence co-founder, Dr Elizabeth Nielson, said: “Due to the unique demands of creating and testing a psychedelic-assisted psychotherapy with 5-MeO-DMT, our focus on psychotherapy and psychotherapist training at Fluence is a natural fit for Beckley Psytech’s innovative research programme.”
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