La Jolla, Calif.–based Tryp (CSE: TRYP) is tapping the University of Michigan to test its TRP-8803 drug formulation against traditional oral formulations of synthetic psilocybin.
The psilocybin-based drug developer will also work with the university to compare TRP-8803 with conventional formulations of synthetic psilocybin. In particular, the university will perform pharmacokinetic analysis for blood samples from patients who received psilocybin via oral and novel delivery methods.
Additionally, Tryp expects the partnership with the University of Michigan to help advance TRP-8803 to Phase 2b clinical trials. The research alliance will explore the psilocybin-induced increase in neurophysiological complexity and psilocybin’s potential to reduce chronic central pain. The University of Michigan also will explore the impact of alternative delivery strategies of psilocybin on pain indices and insular glutamate and gamma-aminobutyric acid (GABA) levels.
Tryp has also entered into an advisory agreement with University of Michigan professor Dr. George A. Mashour regarding the initial clinical trial design for TRP-8803.
“The University of Michigan has extensive expertise in the dosing and delivery of active pharmaceutical ingredients and world-class expertise in several pain-related indications that are aligned with our interests,” said Jim Gilligan, president and chief science officer of Tryp Therapeutics, in a statement.
While the recent news focuses on TRP-8803, TRP-8802 is the company’s lead pipeline candidate. In February, the company announced that it was also entering into a partnership with Dr. Jennifer Miller of the University of Florida as the principal investigator of a clinical study to test the potential of TRP-8802 in treating eating disorder symptoms. Tryp also believes that TRP-8802 has the potential to treat fibromyalgia and chronic pain disorders.
In recent years, psychedelic compounds have emerged as promising potential treatments for various conditions in psychiatry and beyond.
In 2018, FDA gave an investigational psilocybin drug from Compass Pathways (NSDQ:CMPS) a breakthrough therapy designation for treatment-resistant depression. In addition, FDA has also granted breakthrough therapy designation to MDMA-assisted psychotherapy for post-traumatic stress disorder.