TryptageniX, a majority-owned joint venture with CB Therapeutics, employs bioprospecting to develop new chemical entities with potential applications in mental health.
This new platform company will focus on the generation of intellectual property and further strengthen atai’s drug development pipeline of psychedelic and non-psychedelic compounds.
TryptageniX will also develop scalable and environmentally friendly biosynthetic manufacturing methods for atai's naturally derived compounds.
NEW YORK, Dec. 09, 2021 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- atai Life Sciences N.V. (Nasdaq: ATAI) (“atai”), a clinical-stage biopharmaceutical company aiming to transform the treatment of mental health disorders, today announced the launch of TryptageniX. This new platform company will specialize in both the discovery of new chemical entities (NCEs) for the atai pipeline through bioprospecting and on biosynthesis of atai's naturally derived development candidates. Both approaches are expected to further strengthen atai’s already robust intellectual property (IP) portfolio spanning psychedelic and non-psychedelic compounds.
Bioprospecting refers to the search for natural products from which medicines can be developed, while biosynthesis is the production of complex molecules within living organisms or cells. Both are central to TryptageniX’s approach to the development of NCEs. In addition, the development of innovative biosynthetic methods will further optimize the scalability of compound manufacturing, allowing atai to address the escalating mental health crisis in an ecologically sustainable manner.1
“We are constantly seeking opportunities to further extend the capabilities of our platform,” said Florian Brand, Chief Executive Officer and Co-Founder of atai Life Sciences. “TryptageniX’s approach to drug discovery is highly complementary to that of EntheogeniX, our existing AI-enabled drug discovery company. The launch of TryptageniX demonstrates our ongoing commitment to harness the most promising scientific advancements of our age for the good of patients.”
“atai is delighted to be collaborating with CB Therapeutics to form TryptageniX,” said Srinivas Rao, Chief Scientific Officer and Co-Founder of atai Life Sciences. “We both share a strong commitment to driving novel approaches in the treatment of mental health disorders. This is yet another important step forward for atai in developing innovative and scalable solutions to serve the ever-growing needs of patients and support our dynamic clinical development strategy.”
“CB Therapeutics is very excited to be joining forces with atai Life Sciences with the launch of TryptageniX,” said Dr. Jacob Vogan, Chief Scientific Officer of CB Therapeutics. “It is our shared ambition that this platform will lead the way in exploring psychedelic-centric biosynthesis solutions and enable the discovery of important new chemical entities. Sensitivity to sustainability and the wider ecosystem is paramount, which we believe can be accomplished through innovative biosynthetic manufacturing methods for naturally derived compounds.”
“Our expertise in synthetic biology, precision fermentation, and downstream processing, along with the opening of our new world-class pilot facility will enable rapid development and deployment of much needed, cutting-edge solutions for mental health and wellness, and we are very excited to be at the forefront of this revolution,” said Sher Ali Butt, Chief Executive Officer of CB Therapeutics.
Naturally derived compounds play an important role across drug development for the central nervous system (CNS). TryptageniX will be a strong complement to atai’s existing drug discovery and development expertise, while also allowing atai to minimize its ecological footprint and ensure a sustainable supply chain for the future.
References:
- Rehm J, Shield KD. Global Burden of Disease and the Impact of Mental and Addictive Disorders. Curr Psychiatry Rep. 2019;21(2):10.
About atai Life Sciences
atai 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 vision is to heal mental health disorders so that everyone, everywhere can live a more fulfilled life. atai has offices in New York, London, and Berlin. For more information, please visit www.atai.life.
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Contact Information
Media Contact:
Camilla Dormer
VP, Communications
Email: camilla@atai.life
Investor Contact:
Chad Messer
VP, Investor Relations
Email: chad@atai.life
