HEALTH & MEDICINE
The tweaked version , dubbed tabernanthalog , promoted brain cell growth in rat embryos and quelled substanceseeking behavior in adult rats conditioned to develop an addiction to alcohol or heroin . But tabernanthalog didn ’ t trigger the head twitch characteristic of rats experiencing a psychedelic drug , a sign the drug may not produce a hallucinogenic high .
In another publication , Olson ’ s team documented a similarly tweaked version of the drug MDMA , a stimulant and common club drug better known as ecstasy or molly , which increases feelings of empathy .
Olson wanted to ensure his research wasn ’ t confined to lab rats . “ In my view , it ’ s a moral obligation for academics who make discoveries that could actually impact human health to see it through to the finish line ,” he says . “ The only way to bring a drug to market and actually help patients is to go through the entire process , which involves working with private companies .”
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The psychedelic industry
While UC Davis owns the patents for the drugs derived in Olson ’ s lab , the university is partnering with Delix to bring them to market . Delix is just one of a growing number of companies in the psychedelic industry . The market for psychedelic drugs , valued at $ 4.75 billion in 2020 , is projected to grow to nearly $ 11 billion by 2027 .
Nichols says money comes from investors hoping psychedelics will follow the soaring trajectory of the recreational cannabis industry . But he doesn ’ t see a similar boom on the horizon for psychedelic drugs , which are designed to be used infrequently . Although he says there is some money to be made , “ there ’ s certainly not enough for all the companies that are trying to do it .” Unlike Olson , most psychedelic companies aren ’ t developing new drugs . Instead , they ’ re developing new ways of producing and administering psilocybin and other existing psychedelics .
Among companies that are creating novel compounds is London-based Compass Pathways . A pioneer in the psychedelic industry , Compass ’ main
50 comstocksmag . com | December 2021