Clarify Pharma has acquired shares to the value of £250,000 in each of Atai Life Sciences and Compass Pathways as part of its investment strategy.
Clarify Pharma has purchased shares in what it has described as two “trailblazing” companies in the psychedelic research space.
Atai Life Sciences Inc is a leading biotech company specialised in psychedelic-based drugs and has prominent backing from venture capitalists, including entrepreneur and venture capitalist Peter Thiel.
Additionally, Compass Pathways has conducted the largest clinical trial in the history of psilocybin-assisted therapy with a Phase 2 study evaluating a synthesised formulation of psilocybin, COMP360, in treatment-resistant depression.
Executive Chairman of Clarify Pharma, Jonathan Bixby, said: “I am delighted to announce Clarify Pharma’s purchase of shares in two trailblazing companies which are conducting pioneering research into psychedelic-assisted therapeutic treatment.
“Clarify Pharma continues to pursue new and exciting opportunities in the sector and is focused on delivering value for shareholders as investors continue to gain confidence in the regulatory environment for alternative treatments.”
Atai Life Sciences
Atai’s pipeline features nine programmes, four of which are in the clinical testing stage.
The company’s lead drug candidate, RL-007, is being evaluated in a Phase 2 clinical study as a potential treatment for schizophrenia.
Atai’s Perception Neuroscience unit has also partnered with Otsuka, a Japanese drugmaker, to develop R-ketamine in treating depression. This development represented the first major collaboration between a psychedelic-focused biotech and a big pharmaceutical company.
Atai has also acquired and made several strategic investments in companies in the sector and has created a philanthropic arm of the company – Atai Impact – which has donated $500,000 to The Multidisciplinary Association for Psychedelics (MAPS).
The donation will go toward multi-year support of MAPS’ ongoing initiatives, including its Health Equity programme.
Compass Pathways
Compass Pathways’ Phase II clinical trial at The Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology & Neuroscience (IoPPN) at King’s College London, will be assessing the safety and tolerability of COMP360 psilocybin therapy in PTSD. The trial is expanding the company’s research pipeline in psilocybin therapy with COMP360.
In August 2022, COMPASS Pathways launched its Phase 2 clinical trial investigating the efficacy of COMP360 in people with anorexia nervosa.
In November 2022, the company also published findings from its trial investigating psilocybin-assisted psychotherapy (COMP360) in people with treatment-resistant depression in the New England Journal of Medicine.
Carried out in collaboration with King’s College London and the South London and Maudsley NHS Foundation Trust, the findings demonstrated that a single 25mg dose of COMPASS Pathways’ COMP360 psilocybin in combination with psychological support had a significant impact in reducing symptoms of depression in participants with treatment-resistant depression.
