A new collaboration between Emyria and Australia’s specialist trauma service, the PAX Centre, is aiming to develop a scalable MDMA-assisted therapy model for patients with complex post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD).
Australia’s recent announcement that it will be rescheduling MDMA and psilocybin will see psychiatrists able to prescribe these therapies for patients with PTSD and depression, respectively, from 1 July, 2023.
In order to prescribe under Australia’s Therapeutic Goods Administration (TGA) Authorised Prescriber Program, prescribing psychiatrists must be trained and have evidence-based treatment protocols, patient selection and monitoring.
Emyria has stated that the new collaboration aims to directly address these challenges by developing a scalable care programme for MDMA-assisted therapy that can be safely and cost-effectively administered to patients with PTSD through community psychiatry groups.
As part of the collaboration, Emyria will develop the clinical delivery and data monitoring protocols while PAX will provide specialists and trained therapists and an appropriate facility to administer the therapy safely.
Emyria’s Managing Director, Dr Michael Winlo, said: “As the burden of PTSD grows, the interest and demand for new treatment options increases amongst patients and specialists.
“Following the TGA’s recent decision to reschedule MDMA to a controlled medicine, we believe the demand amongst psychiatry groups for a safe, cost-effective, and evidence-based care programme to deliver MDMA-assisted therapy in the community for suitably screened patients.
“Emyria is thrilled to collaborate with The Pax Centre, a leading psychiatric clinical service, to develop this care programme.
“Our team looks forward to developing clinical protocols with their experts that may help patients with PTSD while generating Real World Data that can support ongoing programme improvement as well as Emyria’s novel drug development programme.”
PAX Centre Director, Psychiatrist Dr Jon Laugharne added: “Caring for patients with complex trauma can be incredibly challenging, and we have had to close our books to new patients due to both the size of the problem and the relatively low remission rates with current treatments.
“Working in this space is complex, with so many unknowns, but we are pleased to have the support of Emyria to help us navigate these challenges and bring this exciting and innovative treatment to those patients who need it most.”
Emyria has said that it has already secured a supply of patient-ready MDMA, and believes a comprehensive clinical package has the potential to be licensed to other specialist groups wishing to participate in the network.
PAX Centre Director, Mental Health Nurse Claire Kullack, commented: “This collaboration strongly aligns with our mission to provide the best possible care and outcomes for our patients and to continually seek out and adopt new, evidence-based treatments.
“As one of the leading services tackling complex trauma in Australia, we have always prided ourselves on being at the forefront of innovative and multidisciplinary approaches to care.
“We are excited to partner with Emyria to explore the feasibility of this promising new treatment option for our patients with PTSD.”
