Cannabis

Delix Therapeutics, Inc. ("Delix")
Company typePrivate
Industry
Founded2019
HeadquartersBoston, Massachusetts
Key people
Mark Rus (Chief Executive Officer)
Websitedelixtherapeutics.com

Delix Therapeutics is an American biotech company based in Boston, Massachusetts.[1] The company develops novel neuroplasticity-promoting therapeutics for central nervous system (CNS) diseases such as depression and post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD).[2] It was co-founded in 2019 by David E. Olson and Nick Haft.[3]

Company History[edit]

The company was founded to develop novel, non-hallucinogenic psychoplastogens, also known as neuroplastogens, to better treat mental health disorders at scale. David E. Olson founded the company following his discovery that psychedelics are highly potent neuroplasticity-promoting compounds.[2] In September 2021, Delix secured a Series A financing round, the largest in the space, to continue their work focused on neuroplastogens and neuroplasticity therapeutics.[4] Also in Fall of 2021, Delix joined the National Institute on Drug Abuse industry partnering program to screen psychoplastogens in models of substance use disorder.[2] In 2021, the company expanded the leadership team, adding a new CEO,[5] CSO,[1] and CMO[1]

Awards[edit]

In 2021, Delix was named one of the Fierce 15 of Biotech.[6] In 2022, Nature named Delix Spinout of the Year[7] and Delix was awarded the Healthcare Businesswomen's Association (HBA) ACE award.[8] In 2023, Delix was a finalist for the Prix Galien award for Best Startup[9] and the BWB award for Biotech Innovation of the Year[10] and won the Biotech Breakthrough Award for Neuroscience Therapeutics Company of the Year.[11]

Product Candidates[edit]

To date, the company has synthesized over 2000 novel psychoplastogens.[12] Many of these small molecule compounds are analogs of known psychedelics such as ibogaine and 5-MeO-DMT.[13] Delix focuses on the development of non-hallucinogenic psychoplastogens as scalable alternatives to first-generation hallucinogenic psychoplastogens like ketamine and psilocybin.[14] Their compounds have been engineered to lack cardiotoxicity and psychostimulant properties characteristic of other first-generation psychoplastogens.[15] Two of the company’s known scaffolds are tabernanthalog and AAZ-A-154.[16] Delix has licensed these compounds from UC Davis.[17]

See also[edit]

References[edit]

  1. ^ a b c LaHucik, Kyle (2021-09-27). "Delix raises $70M to test psychedelic analogs for treating brain disorders in clinical trials next year". Fierce Biotech. Retrieved 2022-06-08.
  2. ^ a b c Yakowicz, Will. "Delix Therapeutics Pursues A Psychedelic-Inspired Medicine Without The Trip". Forbes. Retrieved 2022-05-18.
  3. ^ Kathan, Jesse (December 13, 2021). "Harnessing Psychedelics for Healing". Comstock's magazine. Retrieved 2022-06-08.
  4. ^ Salarizadeh, Cynthia (2022-03-11). "How Capital Markets Are Fueling Psychedelic Medicine Growth". Rolling Stone. Retrieved 2022-06-08.
  5. ^ "Shire neuro head lands at Delix Therapeutics as CEO". FierceBiotech. 18 March 2021. Retrieved 2021-08-27.
  6. ^ https://www.fiercebiotech.com/special-report/fierce-biotech-s-2021-fierce-15-0
  7. ^ Garber, Ken (19 August 2022). "Delix Therapeutics : psychedelics without the trip". Nature Biotechnology. doi:10.1038/d41587-022-00006-0. PMID 35986098. S2CID 251694020.
  8. ^ "Delix Therapeutics and Pfizer UK Recognized as Gender Equity Champions for Women in the Workplace by Healthcare Businesswomen's Association" (Press release).
  9. ^ "The Galien Foundation Announces 2023 Prix Galien USA Nominees for "Best Digital Health Solution," "Best Medical Technology," "Incubators, Accelerators and Equity," and "Best Startup"" (Press release).
  10. ^ "Award Categories".
  11. ^ "2023 Winners".
  12. ^ Yakowicz, Will. "U.S. Government Will Test Ibogaine Derivative As An Addiction Treatment". Forbes. Retrieved 2022-06-08.
  13. ^ Andy Extance2020-12-17T14:30:00+00:00. "Chemists tame shamanic addiction treatment". Chemistry World. Retrieved 2022-06-08.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: numeric names: authors list (link)
  14. ^ "A new psychedelics player emerges to treat mental health disorders — minus the hallucinogenic effects". Endpoints News. Retrieved 2022-06-07.
  15. ^ scientificinquirer (2022-03-14). "Industry Matters: Delix Therapeutics is taking Next-Gen psychedelics out of the lab and into the clinic". Scientific Inquirer. Retrieved 2022-06-07.
  16. ^ Brown, Grace (6 March 2021). "Can we take the high out of psychedelics?". Wired UK.
  17. ^ Peters, Jamie; Olson, David E (January 2021). "Engineering Safer Psychedelics for Treating Addiction". Neuroscience Insights. 16: 263310552110338. doi:10.1177/26331055211033847. PMC 8295933. PMID 34350400.

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