Mind Medicine announced the company has begun enrollment in further human safety studies of 18-MC, the company's orally-active drug candidate for the treatment of opioid use disorders.
18-MC is a proprietary, non-hallucinogenic molecule, based on the psychedelic ibogaine. In extensive nonclinical testing, 18-MC has shown promise in helping to curb various forms of addiction. MindMed is scheduled to begin Phase 2 trials of 18-MC in opioid use disorder patients in late 2020.
Data from the current human studies will help to advance the planning and design of MindMed's study of 18-MC in opioid use disorder patients.
"Our clinical and technical operations team have worked diligently to ensure everything is on schedule to further build the safety data package around 18-MC ahead of our studies in opioid use disorder patients," MindMed's Chief Operating Officer, Carol Nast said.
MindMed is closely monitoring COVID-19 and taking the necessary precautions to protect the health and safety of patients and staff as we embark on the next phase of clinical studies. MindMed relies on a globally distributed team of employees, consultants and vendors and has a strong business continuity plan around COVID-19.
18-MC is an alpha-3-beta-4 nicotinic receptor antagonist that modulates excessive dopamine fluctuations in the mesolimbic system of the brain. This mechanism of action differs from all current medications used to treat addiction that are either agonists or antagonists for the addiction substance's primary receptor site.
18-MC is a synthetic organic molecule designed around a coronaridine chemical backbone common to a number of plant-based medicinal compounds, including ibogaine. 18-MC was the result of a rational drug design program aimed at generating a molecule with anti-addictive properties that lacked the hallucinogenic properties and other toxicities seen with ibogaine.
