Mind Medicine Inc. (NASDAQ: MMED) (MindMEd) has announced the publication of a study comparing Lysergic Acid Diethylamide (LSD) acute effects and psilocybin in healthy volunteers in a peer-reviewed journal of Neuropsychopharmacology. The study characterized LSD and psilocybin doses and showed that they had a similar subjective impact.
LSD and psilocybin distinctions are dose-dependent
The publication is titled, “Direct comparison of the acute effects of lysergic acid diethylamide and psilocybin in a double-blind placebo-controlled study in healthy subjects.” The published findings show that the fundamental distinctions between psilocybin LSD are dose-dependent instead of substance-dependent. These findings could help with dose selection, trial design, and future investigations investigating the therapeutic value of psychedelics.
Principal study investigator Professor Matthias Liechti commented that the publication expands knowledge on the differences between psilocybin and LSD in terms of their similarities, acute impacts, and dose equivalence. Although LSD and psilocybin are employed as pharmacological elements, there is no evidence showing their acute effects using validated psychometric tools and well-defined doses.
Matthias added, “Together, these results suggest that 20 mg psilocybin is equivalent to 100 μg LSD, and 30 mg psilocybin is equivalent to 150 μg LSD, making the dose equivalence of LSD to psilocybin approximately 1:200. Strikingly, there were no qualitative differences in altered states of consciousness across substances, except that the duration of action was shorter for psilocybin.”
LSD and psilocybin promising in neurological and psychiatric disorders
CEO of MindMed Miri Halperin Wernli said, “LSD and psilocybin have recently become promising candidates for the treatment of various psychiatric and neurologic disorders, and thus a deeper understanding of their differential subjective effects in humans is needed. This study brings us one step closer to maximizing the therapeutic potential of these molecules, by providing valuable dose finding context and enabling more direct comparisons when interpreting clinical results.”
Miri explained that the findings would inform the company’s fast-moving clinical development initiative, and they will be offering updates as they try to provide the advantages of psychedelic-inspired medications to people suffering from brain-based diseases.
