PharmaTher Holdings Ltd. (OTCQB: PHRRF) (CSE: PHRM) has finished testing a DMT microneedle patch that could overcome obstacles with oral and intravenous dosing of the classical psychedelic.
The DMT-containing PharmaPatch study was conducted with Terasaki Institute for Biomedical Innovation. The patch is a microneedle-based delivery system designed for the efficient and less painful administration of drugs, including psychedelics and treatments for infectious diseases.
This technology uses a biocompatible and biodegradable material known as gelatin methacryloyl (GelMA) to deliver both water-soluble and insoluble drugs with controlled release profiles. The GelMA-based microneedle patch can penetrate the stratum corneum layer (the skin’s outer layer), allowing for varied drug loading capacities, combinations, microdosing and controlled release.
Microneedles offer a potential method for systemic effects via transdermal drug delivery, bypassing certain absorption and first-pass barriers associated with oral delivery. The system also aims to provide patients with the ability to self-administer doses safely and includes features to prevent tampering and misuse. Research has indicated that PharmaPatch can deliver certain psychedelics like DMT, psilocybin, MDMA and LSD.
A 2019 study published in the journal ACS Chemical Neuroscience, found that psychedelic microdosing may alleviate symptoms of mood and anxiety disorders.
Read more: Small Pharma gets approval for upcoming injectable DMT trial on humans
Read more: Algernon partners with Yale University for phase II DMT study
PharmaThear gearing up for clinical research
PharmaTher has created a model that it believes is ready for studies that could lead to tests on humans. In February 2023, it started a partnership with PharmaDrug Inc. (CNS: PHRX) to plan how to develop a product and begin discussions with regulatory authorities for further studies on a DMT PharmaPatch.
The company now owns 49 per cent of a company called Sairiyo Therapeutics Inc. which is a part of PharmaDrug Inc.
Sairiyo is working on a drug called cepharanthine for cancer and infectious diseases and is also exploring new ways to use DMT and other similar substances, potentially for treating eye diseases and mental health conditions. The investment in Sairiyo will be used to advance the development of cepharanthine and the DMT PharmaPatch.
PharmaTher stock stayed flat at $0.18 on the Canadian Securities Exchange.
Read more: UC San Diego receives US$1.5M for cognitive research on DMT
Read more: Algernon Pharmaceuticals completes final dosing in DMT study for stroke and TBI treatment
The University of California San Diego recently received a US$1.5 million donation from philanthropist and Harvard Law graduate, Eugene Jhong, to explore the effects of DMT on the brain.
This generous contribution, announced last week, will bolster the ongoing research of the university’s Psychedelics and Health Research Initiative, particularly focusing on the “extended state” of DMT achieved through continuous intravenous (IV) infusion.
Other companies doing DMT research include Algernon Pharmaceuticals Inc.’s (CSE: AGN) (FRANKFURT: AGW0) (OTCQB: AGNPF) subsidiary Algernon Neuroscience which will be the first company to test intravenous (IV) DMT on people suffering from traumatic brain injury or stroke.
The molecular structure of DMT is the backbone of some popular psychedelics being tested for medical purposes such as psilocin and LSD. The psychedelic is also similar to other biomolecules such as serotonin, a neurotransmitter known to regulate mood.
DMT and other DMT-like psychedelics such as 5-MeO-DMT can activate serotonin receptors and cause strong psychoactive effects.
