focus is synthetic psilocybin created from bioengineered microorganisms . But the company ’ s Discovery Center is researching tweaked versions of psychedelics similar to Olson ’ s . In September , the company bought an intellectual property portfolio with patent applications for multiple novel psychedelics and empathy-boosting drugs .
New York-based company MindMed has developed a drug similar to Olson ’ s tabernanthalog , an ibogane derivative called 18-MC currently undergoing phase II clinical trials .
Hendricks , the University of Alabama psychologist , is interested in the novel treatments Olson and others are developing , but skeptical of their efficacy . He , along with collaborator Matthew Johnson at Johns Hopkins , have published papers arguing that the transcendent , sometimes spiritual experiences of awe produced by psychedelics aren ’ t just a side effect but integral to how the drugs affect the brain .
“ How would a human derive meaning from an experience that has
no salient subjective effects or memories ?” Hendricks says . “ Based on what I ’ ve seen so far , I think it ’ s very likely that without those subjective effects , you don ’ t get quite the same type of outcomes .”
Nichols likewise thinks while the trip-free psychoplastogens might work for patients with clinical depression who would otherwise take an SSRI , he ’ s more skeptical about their ability to treat those with addiction or severe trauma . Patients of psilocybin-assisted therapy , “ had a very profound experience that really changed their lives dramatically ,” he says . “ I don ’ t think that will happen with a pill .”
Olson argues that even if his drugs aren ’ t quite as potent as classic psychedelics , they still might outperform traditional antidepressants . “ If we can just get a fraction of the massive effect size of psilocybin ,” he says , “ we would still blow a lot of traditional antidepressants out of the water .”
Jesse Kathan is a freelance science journalist based in Sacramento . Their work has appeared in The Mercury News , Eos magazine and other outlets . They have an undergraduate degree in wildlife biology from UC Davis and a master ’ s in science communication from UC Santa Cruz . Read more at jessekathan . com or on Twitter @ jessekathan .
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