Strengthening relationship bolsters pipeline of psychedelic medicines

Beckley Psytech Limited, a private company dedicated to addressing neurological and psychiatric disorders through the application of psychedelic medicines, and Lophora ApS, a drug discovery company working in the CNS arena, announced they have entered into a research and development collaboration.

Under the terms of the agreement Beckley Psytech will jointly fund continuing development of the Lophora pipeline and collaborate broadly on R&D.

Founded in 2018 by University of Copenhagen’s medicinal chemistry professor, Jesper Kristensen, Lophora is a highly regarded biotechnology company, based in Denmark, focused on the development of proprietary NCEs for treatment-resistant depression, and potential further indications including the treatment of anxiety, post-traumatic stress disorder, and substance abuse. Lophora has previously secured grant funding from the BioInovation Institute (Novo Nordisk Foundation) and continues to characterise its lead candidates, aiming to initiate clinical trials in 2023.

Cosmo Feilding Mellen, CEO of Beckley Psytech, said: “The Lophora partnership represents a significant milestone for Beckley Psytech. It brings access to NCEs that we can take into Phase 1 studies in the near term, coupled with access to a drug discovery pipeline that we can shape together as our experience ever deepens in the psychedelic drug development space. Beckley Psytech has been working diligently to build a first-class drug development capability. This partnership is hugely exciting for us as we look to develop a portfolio of clinical assets that provide solutions to the devastating effect of psychiatric and neurological disorders.”

Jesper Langgaard Kristensen, CSO of Lophora, commented: “Building on more than a decade's worth of academic drug discovery, Lophora has unlocked the door to rational design of powerful new drugs to treat some of the most intractable CNS disorders, developing a countless array of new compounds that could serve as starting points for novel psychedelic medicines. Bringing together our vast portfolio of new proprietary ligands with Beckley Psytech’s clinical capabilities brings obvious synergies. We share Beckley Psytech’s vision of developing psychedelic compounds to address the significant unmet need in psychiatric and neurological disorders, and we look forward to enriching the pipeline with medicines that will make a difference.”