Partnership will lead development of nutraceuticals from psilocybin, naturally occurring hallucinogens

Canadian science biotechnology company, Psyence Group Inc. has announced that that it has entered into a multi-year collaboration agreement with the Jamaican government’s Scientific Research Council (SRC).

The agreement has been executed through Psyence’s wholly owned Jamaican subsidiary, Psyence Jamaica Limited and is centered around the development of nutraceuticals from psilocybin, which are hallucinogenic substance people ingest from magic mushrooms.

The products being developed contains a range of psilocybin or concentrations from micro-doses to hallucinogenic levels of dosing, as well as producing timed-release formulations.

Psyence Group Inc. is a public life pioneering the use of natural psychedelics or hallucinogens, while the SRC is Jamaica’s principal public sector agency, charged with fostering scientific research and the commercialization of its results.

Collaboration will lead to observational trials

Commenting on the collaborative agreement, Psyence’s Chief Scientific Officer Dr Justin Grant explained that, “this collaboration sets the path forward for Psyence’s observational trials to be followed by more rigorous clinical trials.”

He went on to add, “we are honoured to commence work with the SRC on the development and physicochemical characterization of these products to produce consistent and standardized psilocybin mushroom-derived dosage forms.”

The second initiative in the collaborative agreement places special focus on Jamaica’s indigenous mushroom species because Jamaica has long been celebrated as a biodiversity hot spot.

This partnership will work in the field to identify, collect, characterize and store local psychedelic and psychoactive or magic mushrooms.

The third initiative includes protocols for optimization of spawn production of rare psychedelic mushroom species and methods of conservation of select germplasm for up to three years.

Acting Divisional Manager, Product, Research and Development Division at SRC, Dr Ryan Francis said, “the scientific approach of Psyence is aligned with the SRC’s objectives to preserve Jamaica’s indigenous resources and to develop evidence-based, standardized products. This agreement will facilitate research that has positive implications for the mushroom industry in general, facilitating greater understanding and identification of beneficial properties.”

Developing psilocybin nutraceuticals 

“We’re excited to work with Psyence Jamaica to develop psilocybin nutraceuticals as partnerships of this nature are [in line] with the SRC’s mandate to provide scientific solutions and technical support to industries,” Dr Francis stated further.

“Psyence’s commitment to Jamaica and Jamaica’s biotech industry goes beyond this collaboration to also include a shared IP agreement with the SRC,”  Psyence’s CEO Jody Aufrichtig posited.

He declared, “Psyence is a global company that practices conscious capitalism; that means we are here as partners for the long term and the greater good. Psyence Jamaica was founded both to build global value and generate Jamaican prosperity and health. Sharing IP (intellectual property) with the Jamaican people through Jamaica’s Scientific Research Council is fundamental to Psyence’s most deeply held beliefs that it is essential to build long-term economic and sustainable practices that benefit all.”

Projects implemented by the SRC have the potential to assist in the economic and social development of Jamaica. SRC has expertise in various areas including product research and development, chemical and microbial testing, molecular characterization and diagnostics of strains, propagation method development, active ingredient quantification and mushroom cultivation.

The SRC’s Quality Management System is certified to ISO 9001 standard and its analytical and microbiological laboratories are accredited to ISO/IEC 17025.