atai Launches Revixia Life Sciences to Develop Salvinorin A for a Variety of Mental Health Conditions
August 12 2021 - 8:50AM
atai Life Sciences (Nasdaq:
ATAI) ("atai"), a clinical-stage biopharmaceutical company
aiming to transform the treatment of mental health disorders,
announced the launch of Revixia Life Sciences (Revixia), a wholly
owned subsidiary developing Salvinorin A (SalA) to treat a variety
of mental health disorders.
Derived from Salvia divinorum, SalA is a unique non-nitrogenous
agonist of the kappa-opioid receptor (KOR) with potential use in
treatment-resistant depression (TRD), substance use disorder (SUD)
and pain. Traditionally, Salvia divinorum has been used by the
Mazatec people in Oaxaca, Mexico for a variety of illnesses, such
as diarrhoea, headaches and rheumatism, as well as for palliative
care.
SalA is an atypical KOR agonist with a complex pharmacological
profile. Its mechanism of action (MoA) shows no interaction at the
5-HT2A serotonin receptor, which is the main molecular target for
the classical hallucinogens such as psilocybin and DMT. Instead, it
is hypothesised that SalA indirectly influences the cannabinoid
system, as well as being an allosteric modulator of the µ opioid
receptor.
Clinically, there are published reports of the potential
benefits of Salvia divinorum in the treatment of TRD. Karl Hanes
reported on 7 patients with TRD who described relief from
depressive symptoms with continued oral consumption of salvia
leaves three times a week. Most of these patients reported lasting
benefits from their use of the herb with significantly reduced
scores on quantitative measures of depression and several reported
benefits such as mood enhancement, increased feelings of relaxation
and increased self-awareness. Additionally, a recent study in
rhesus monkeys demonstrated that SalA can decrease oxycodone
self-administration in rhesus monkeys in a dose-dependent manner,
suggesting that combinations of oxycodone and the KOR agonists
should be further investigated as potential analgesics with reduced
abuse liability.
"Due to SalA’s short psychedelic effect, it will be an
attractive option for those who would like psychedelic treatment
but are unwilling or unable to participate in longer sessions,"
said Glenn Short, CEO of Revixia. "The shorter experience will
allow for more practical administration and monitoring, which may
even make it possible to attend psychotherapy sessions on the same
day."
"While SalA has until now been understudied, its unique MoA may
allow for combination with SSRIs, potentially giving patients a
better chance in beating depression," said Srinivas Rao, CSO and
co-founder of atai Life Sciences. “We’re thrilled to be pursuing
SalA and progressing research, as we strive for new
treatments.”
Importantly, Revixia’s product will be paired with a digital
therapeutic being developed by atai company Introspect Digital
Therapeutics, with the aim of streamlining preparation,
integration, and continued patient engagement.
“In exploring SalA, Revixia aims to develop a product with a
differentiated pharmacological and treatment effect. Considering
the significance of prior evidence in humans in parallel with the
substantial unmet need in TRD, we believe Revixia has high
commercial potential and an increased probability of success in the
clinic,” said Florian Brand, CEO and co-founder of atai Life
Sciences. “SalA is a great product candidate that magnificently
matches the criteria we strive for, with recognized synergies
across the atai platform.”
Development is underway with clinical trials expected to begin
in the second half of 2022.
About atai Life Sciencesatai is a
clinical-stage biopharmaceutical company aiming to transform the
treatment of mental health disorders. atai was founded in 2018 as a
response to the significant unmet need and lack of innovation in
the mental health treatment landscape. atai is dedicated to
acquiring, incubating and efficiently developing innovative
therapeutics to treat depression, anxiety, addiction, and other
mental health disorders. atai's business model combines funding,
technology, scientific and regulatory expertise with a focus on
psychedelic therapy and other drugs with differentiated safety
profiles and therapeutic potential. By pooling resources and best
practices, atai aims to responsibly accelerate the development of
new medicines across its companies, seeking to effectively treat
and ultimately heal mental health disorders. atai's mission is to
bridge the gap between what the mental healthcare system currently
provides and what patients need. atai is headquartered
in Berlin, with offices in New York and London. For more
information, please visit www.atai.life.
Forward-Looking StatementsThis press release
contains forward-looking statements within the meaning of the
Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. Any express or
implied statements contained in this press release that are not
statements of historical fact may be deemed to be forward-looking
statements. Forward-looking statements are neither promises nor
guarantees, but involve known and unknown risks and uncertainties
that could cause actual results to differ materially from those
projected, including, without limitation, the important factors
discussed under the caption “Risk Factors” in atai's prospectus
pursuant to Rule 424(b) filed with the U.S. Securities and Exchange
Commission (“SEC”) on June 21, 2021, as such factors may be updated
from time to time in atai's other filings with the SEC. atai
disclaims any obligation or undertaking to update or revise any
forward-looking statements contained in this press release, other
than to the extent required by applicable law.
Investor Contact:Greg Weaveratai – Chief Financial
OfficerEmail: greg.weaver@atai.life
Media Contact:Anne DonohoeKCSA Strategic CommunicationsPhone: +1
(212) 896-1265Email: atai@KCSA.com
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