NEW YORK and BERLIN, April 17, 2024 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — atai Life Sciences (NASDAQ: ATAI) (“atai” or “Company”), a clinical-stage biopharmaceutical company aiming to transform the treatment of mental health disorders, today announced the publication of the Phase 1 results of BPL-003, Beckley Psytech’s novel, synthetic, intranasal benzoate salt formulation of 5-MeO-DMT, in The Journal of Psychopharmacology.
The double-blind, placebo-controlled, single ascending dose Phase 1 study explored the safety, tolerability, pharmacokinetics (PK) and pharmacodynamics (PD) of BPL-003 in combination with psychological support in 44 psychedelic-naïve healthy volunteers. Participants across seven cohorts were given either a single dose of BPL-003 between 1 mg to 12 mg or a placebo.
The paper shows that BPL-003 was safe and well-tolerated with no serious or severe adverse events reported. BPL-003 was rapidly absorbed and eliminated, with 5-MeO-DMT systemic exposure increasing approximately dose‑proportionally. There was a reliable onset of subjective psychedelic effects within minutes, which resolved in less than two hours. If confirmed in larger studies, these findings could support a scalable single dose treatment model fitting within the existing interventional treatment paradigm.
The intensity of the subjective psychedelic experience was shown to correlate with exposure to the compound. The PD endpoint scores of the Mystical Experience Questionnaire (MEQ-30) and Ego Dissolution Inventory (EDI) increased with an increase in the BPL-003 dose. Sixty percent of participants had a ‘complete mystical experience,’ which is defined as reaching or exceeding a score of three on all four subdomains of the MEQ-30 scale, at 10 mg and 12 mg doses of BPL-003. Notably, 87% of participants who received BPL-003 said they would accept the same or higher dose again, with 100% of participants who received the highest (12 mg) dose stating they would accept the same or higher dose again.
“We are pleased by the publication of the BPL-003 Phase 1 data in the Journal of Psychopharmacology, a well-regarded, peer-reviewed journal. Consistent with the initial Phase 2a data reported recently, the Phase 1 results showed that BPL-003 was safe and well-tolerated and underscore its potential as a scalable interventional treatment requiring two hours or less in the clinic, in line with the treatment paradigm successfully established by Spravato®.”
– Florian Brand, CEO and Co-Founder of atai
BPL-003 is currently under investigation in Phase 2a studies as a potential treatment for Alcohol Use Disorder (NCT05674929) and Treatment Resistant Depression (TRD) (NCT05660642). It is also being explored in a multi-site Phase 2b study (NCT05870540) for TRD. The trial is evaluating the effects of a single, medium, or high dose of BPL-003 against a sub-perceptual dose in TRD patients not taking concomitant antidepressants. Initial results from that study are expected in H2 2024.
About Beckley Psytech and BPL-003
Beckley Psytech is a private clinical-stage biopharmaceutical company developing BPL-003, which is 5-MeO-DMT, a short-duration psychedelic tryptamine that binds to a variety of serotonergic receptors. Epidemiological surveys and observational studies have reported that 5-MeO-DMT is associated with improvements in mood, anxiety, reduced stress, increased life satisfaction and mindfulness. 5-MeO-DMT has been reported to produce mystical experiences with comparative intensity as seen with high doses of psilocybin but has a significantly shorter duration of effect.
In January 2024, atai made a strategic investment in Beckley Psytech, resulting in a 35.5% ownership stake and 1:1 warrant coverage at a 30% premium on the primary issuances. atai holds a time-limited right of first refusal on a future sale of the company and an indefinite right of first negotiation for BPL-003 and ELE-101. atai and Beckley Psytech also agreed to collaborate on digital therapeutics, commercial and market access activities in preparation for future potential commercialization.
About atai Life Sciences
atai is a clinical-stage biopharmaceutical company aiming to transform the treatment of mental health disorders and was founded as a response to the significant unmet need and lack of innovation in the mental health treatment landscape. atai is dedicated to efficiently developing innovative therapeutics to treat depression, anxiety, addiction, and other mental health disorders. By pooling resources and best practices, atai aims to responsibly accelerate the development of new medicines to achieve clinically meaningful and sustained behavioral change in mental health patients. atai’s vision is to heal mental health disorders so that everyone, everywhere can live a more fulfilled life. For more information, please visit www.atai.life.