VANCOUVER, British Columbia, April 21, 2022 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- BetterLife Pharma Inc. (“BetterLife” or the “Company”) (CSE: BETR / OTCQB: BETRF / FRA: NPAU), an emerging biotech company focused on the development and commercialization of cutting-edge treatments for mental disorders, today announced that an abstract on the preclinical data on anti-depressant activity of its lead compound 2-bromo-LSD (“BETR-001”) was accepted for presentation at the upcoming Canadian Association for Neuroscience (CAN) Conference, being held May 12-15 in Toronto, Canada. The study, led by Dr. Vern Lewis, is part of BetterLife’s collaboration with the laboratory of Dr. Argel Aguilar-Valles at Carleton University’s Department of Neuroscience. This collaboration is also supported by the Mitacs Accelerate program.
At CAN, Dr. Lewis will present preclinical data demonstrating the neural plasticity-promoting and anti-depressant properties of BETR-001 from both in vitro and in vivo studies. The Dr. Lewis’ study demonstrated that treatment of rat embryonic cortical neurons with BETR-001 increases the structural complexity of neurons (dendrite growth and complexity) and therefore, provides evidence of neural plasticity activity of BETR-001. In certain measurements of structural plasticity in neurons, BETR-001 performed better than ketamine in this model.
BetterLife believes that BETR-001 is an uniquely positioned LSD derivative with the potential to be as effective as LSD in various neuro-psychiatric and neurological disorders without the burden of being hallucinogenic. Because of its non-hallucinogenic nature, BETR-001 will not have all the LSD requirements of administration in specialized clinics under special treatment protocols, the LSD controlled substance regulatory issues which impact manufacturing, distribution and patient access, and the overall associated high treatment costs for all these parameters. BETR-001 is protected by BetterLife’s composition, method-of-use, synthesis and formulation patents (issued & provisional).
About BetterLife Pharma
BetterLife Pharma Inc. is an emerging biotechnology company primarily focused on developing and commercializing two compounds, BETR-001 and BETR-002, to treat neuro-psychiatric and neurological disorders.
BETR-001, which is in preclinical and IND-enabling studies, is a non-hallucinogenic and non-controlled LSD derivative in development and it is unique in that it is unregulated and therefore can be self-administered. BetterLife’s synthesis patent for BETR-001 eliminates regulatory hurdles and its pending patent for composition and method of use covers treatment of depression, cluster headaches, post-traumatic stress disorder and other neuro-psychiatric and neurological disorders.
BETR-002, which is in preclinical and IND-enabling studies, is based on honokiol, the active anxiolytic ingredient of magnolia bark. BetterLife’s pending method of use and formulations patent covers treatment of anxiety related disorders including benzodiazepine dependency.
BetterLife also owns a drug candidate for the treatment of viral infections such as COVID-19 and is in the process of seeking strategic alternatives for further development.
About the Department of Neuroscience at Carleton University
Carleton Neuroscience has an international reputation for research on stress and its effects on brain functioning and mental health. The department has an interdisciplinary approach to understanding the emergence, prevention and treatment of mental and physical disorders. For more information, please visit www.carleton.ca/neuroscience.
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