Terran Biosciences secures intellectual property for psychedelic prodrugs

Terran Biosciences, a neurology and psychiatry-focused startup, has announced the publication of patent applications under the Patent Cooperation Treaty (PCT) for its novel prodrugs of DMT, 5-MeO-DMT and MDMA.

Claim of superior pharmacokinetics

The company believes the prodrugs have superior pharmacokinetic profiles compared to the unmodified forms of these Schedule I substances. Additionally, it believes it can make DMT and 5-MeO-DMT orally active through its proprietary prodrug approach. Visceral monoamine oxidase (MAO), a digestive enzyme, inactivates the drug when taken orally in its standard form.

DMT, the primary psychoactive ingredient in ayahuasca, is traditionally consumed with an MAO inhibitor (MAOI) such as harmine or harmaline. This approach is unlikely to become widely adopted in clinical practice as a result of potential side effects such as nausea, vomiting and blood pressure changes.

Although injectable, inhaled, buccal and sublingual del…

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