Awakn Life Science’s study exploring the use of ketamine as a treatment for Gambling Disorder, Internet Gaming Disorder, Binge Eating Disorder and Compulsive Sexual Behavior is now complete.
Ketamine may provide a new treatment solution for behavioural addictions, according to the study researchers.
Gambling Disorder, Internet Gaming Disorder and Binge Eating Disorder affect up to 450 million, 235 million and 100 million people across the globe respectively. Compulsive Sexual Behavior affects up to 350 million people.
Awakn, which highlights that the current standard of care for these conditions is poor, investigated ketamine as a new treatment approach for behavioural addictions by opening a window in which the brain can make new connections to change behaviour.
The findings indicated the desired effects via potentially novel mechanisms – results that merit a larger study and further exploration, which Awakn is now initiating.
The study was led by Professor Celia Morgan, Awakn’s head of ketamine-assisted therapy, Professor of psychopharmacology at the University of Exeter, and an internationally respected expert in the therapeutic use of ketamine.
Morgan commented: “These promising early findings may suggest a new treatment solution in behavioural addictions, which are growing rapidly across the globe, and as yet, are a completely unmet treatment need.
“The team are excited to be starting these new significant studies which promise to bring considerable innovation to the field.”
According to Awakn, the study also supports its Intellectual Property (IP) strategy and existing filed patent applications.
Awakn CEO, Anthony Tennyson commented: “This study is hugely encouraging and gave us all the data we could have hoped for. Critically, it also showed us that a larger study is merited, and we will now pursue this.
“For such a huge cohort of over a billion people to be suffering with no pharmacological treatment available to them, is unacceptable and we will strive to deliver therapies to patients who are in desperate need.”
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