Tactogen

Last updated
Tactogen
Company type Public benefit corporation
Industry Pharmaceutical; Psychedelic medicine
Founded2020;5 years ago (2020) in Palo Alto, United States
Founder Matthew J. Baggott; Luke Pustejovsky
Headquarters
Palo Alto, California
,
United States
Website tactogen.com

Tactogen is a public benefit corporation and start-up pharmaceutical company based in Palo Alto, California that is developing novel MDMA-like entactogens and psychedelics as medicines. [1] [2] [3] [4] [5] [6] [7] [8] Its stated goal is to develop new MDMA-like drugs with improved effectiveness, tolerability, and safety, as well as gentleness and accessibility, for treatment of psychiatric disorders and other conditions. [1] [2] [5] [7] Tactogen was co-founded by neuroscientist Matthew J. Baggott and Luke Pustejovsky in 2020. [1] [6] [8] Baggott is the chief executive officer (CEO) while Pustejovsky is the chief operating officer (COO). [6] [9]

Contents

Drug candidates

Tactogen has patented various novel entactogen-like compounds from different chemical families. [2] [10] [11] [9] These include benzofurans like 5-MAPB, 5-MBPB, and BK-5-MAPB, [12] [13] [14] [15] benzothiophenes like 5-MAPBT, [16] [15] α-alkyltryptamines like BK-NM-AMT, [17] indolizines like 2ZEDMA, 1ZP2MA, and Z2MAP1O, [18] [19] 2-aminoindanes like "BFAI", [20] and non-racemic mixtures of enantiomers. [21] [12] [22] It also has several drugs in its developmental pipeline, including TACT411, TACT833, TACT908, and TACT523. [1] [7] [23] [24] The company is said to have been the first to develop novel entactogens. [9] It says that it has synthesized hundreds of different molecules [9] and claims that it has developed the largest known library of entactogenic compounds. [11]

At least some of Tactogen's candidates are said to be benzofurans, for instance 5-MAPB. [1] In preliminary research, they have found that 5-MAPB appears to reduce social anxiety and promote self-compassion similarly to MDMA, but does not seem to promote energy and positive emotions as much as MDMA, and hence may retain therapeutic efficacy with less misuse potential. [1] Phase 1 and 2 clinical trials of Tactogen's drug candidates in healthy volunteers and people with post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) are said to be in the planning stages as of February 2024. [1] Some of its candidates have been said to lack the serotonergic neurotoxicity of MDMA in animals. [1]

Tactogen is additionally studying MDMA followed by the selective serotonin reuptake inhibitor (SSRI) citalopram in efforts to reduce the serotonergic neurotoxicity and negative after-effects of MDMA. [7] A phase 2 trial of this strategy is planned to commence in 2025. [7]

Funding

In January 2023, it was reported that Tactogen had raised $6.3 million since early 2020. [9] [25]

Selected publications

Presentations

Studies

See also

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Empathogen</span> Class of psychoactive drugs that produce empathic experiences

Empathogens or entactogens are a class of psychoactive drugs that induce the production of experiences of emotional communion, oneness, relatedness, emotional openness—that is, empathy or sympathy—as particularly observed and reported for experiences with 3,4-methylenedioxymethamphetamine (MDMA). This class of drug is distinguished from the classes of hallucinogen or psychedelic, and amphetamine or stimulants. Major members of this class include MDMA, MDA, MDEA, MDOH, MBDB, 5-APB, 5-MAPB, 6-APB, 6-MAPB, methylone, mephedrone, GHB, αMT, and αET, MDAI among others. Most entactogens are phenethylamines and amphetamines, although several, such as αMT and αET, are tryptamines. When referring to MDMA and its counterparts, the term MDxx is often used. Entactogens are sometimes incorrectly referred to as hallucinogens or stimulants, although many entactogens such as ecstasy exhibit psychedelic or stimulant properties as well.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Substituted methylenedioxyphenethylamine</span> Class of psychoactive drugs

The substituted methylenedioxyphenethylamines represent a diverse chemical class of compounds derived from phenethylamines. This category encompasses numerous psychoactive substances with entactogenic, psychedelic, and/or stimulant properties, in addition to entheogens. These compounds find application as research chemicals, designer drugs, and recreational substances.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">5-MAPB</span> Chemical compound

5-MAPB, also known as 5-(N-methyl-2-aminopropyl)benzofuran, is an entactogen and designer drug of the amphetamine family that is similar to MDMA in its structure and effects.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">6-MAPB</span> Chemical compound

6-MAPB is a psychedelic and entactogenic drug which is structurally related to 6-APB and MDMA. It is not known to have been widely sold as a "designer drug" but has been detected in analytical samples taken from individuals hospitalised after using drug combinations that included other benzofuran derivatives. 6-MAPB was banned in the UK in June 2013, along with 9 other related compounds which were thought to produce similar effects.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">5-MBPB</span> Chemical compound

5-MBPB is an amphetamine and phenylisobutylamine derivative which is structurally related to MDMA and has been sold as a designer drug. It can be described as the benzofuran-5-yl analogue of MBDB or the butanamine homologue of 5-MAPB, and is also a structural isomer of 5-EAPB and 6-EAPB. Anecdotal reports suggest this compound has been sold as a designer drug in various European countries since early 2015, but the first definitive identification was made in December 2015 by a forensic laboratory in Slovenia.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">BK-5-MAPB</span> Chemical compound

βk-5-MAPB, or BK-5-MAPB, is an entactogen of the benzofuran and cathinone groups which is related to both 5-MAPB and methylone. It was patented by Matthew Baggott and Tactogen and is under investigation by Tactogen for potential medical use.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">5-MAPBT</span> Chemical compound

5-MAPBT (5-methylaminopropylbenzothiophene) is an empathogenic drug of the benzothiophene group. It is closely related to 5-MAPB but with the oxygen atom replaced by sulfur, changing the core ring structure to benzothiophene rather than benzofuran.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">BFAI</span> Chemical compound

BFAI (5,6-benzofuranyl-2-aminoindane) is a drug of the 2-aminoindane group that acts as a serotonin releasing agent (SSRA) and produces entactogen effects in humans, which may be useful for psychotherapeutic applications. It is closely related to MDAI but with the benzodioxole ring system replaced by benzofuran. The drug was patented by Matthew Baggott and Tactogen in 2022.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">BK-NM-AMT</span> Monoamine releaser and entactogen

BK-NM-AMT, or βk-NM-αMT, also known as β-keto-N-methyl-αMT or as α,N-dimethyl-β-ketotryptamine, is a serotonin–dopamine releasing agent (SDRA) and putative entactogen of the tryptamine, α-alkyltryptamine, and β-ketotryptamine families. Along with certain other tryptamines, such as α-ethyltryptamine (αET), 5-chloro-αMT and 5-fluoro-αET, it is one of the few SDRAs known.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Borax combo</span> Designer drug combination mimicking MDMA

The Borax combo, also known by the informal brand names Blue Bliss and Pink Star, is a combination recreational and designer drug described as an MDMA-like entactogen.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">6-MBPB</span> Pharmaceutical compound

6-MBPB, also known as 6-(2-methylaminobutyl)benzofuran (6-MABB), is a monoamine releasing agent (MRA) and entactogen-like drug of the amphetamine, phenylisobutylamine, and benzofuran families. It is a positional isomer of 5-MBPB (5-MABB).

Matthew John Baggott, PhD is an American neuroscientist who studies entactogens, hallucinogens, and other psychoactive drugs. He is one of the leading experts on MDMA and other entactogens per Hamilton Morris and is an influential figure in the psychedelic medicine movement.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Substituted benzothiophene</span>

The substituted benzothiophenes are a class of chemical compounds based on benzothiophene. They are closely related to the substituted benzofurans, substituted tryptamines, and to other chemical groups such as the substituted benzodioxoles.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">TACT908</span> Pharmaceutical compound

TACT908, also known as [2-(indolizin-1-yl)ethyl]dimethylamine (2ZEDMA), is a serotonin receptor agonist which is under development for the treatment of cluster headaches. It is an analogue and positional isomer of the tryptamine serotonergic psychedelic N,N-dimethyltryptamine (DMT) in which the indole ring has been replaced with an indolizine ring.

MYCO-002 is an MDMA-like entactogen that is under development for the treatment of psychiatric disorders. It is said to be being developed towards the aim of improving the safety profile of MDMA. The drug is under development by Mydecine. It was patented in July 2021 and received breakthrough therapy designation from the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) in November 2021. As of November 2021, MYCO-002 is in the preclinical research for treatment of psychiatric disorders. The chemical structure of MYCO-002 does not yet appear to have been disclosed.

Mydecine Innovations Group, or simply Mydecine, is an American and Canadian pharmaceutical company that is developing psychedelics and entactogens as medicines.

MYCO-006 is an MDMA-like entactogen that is under development for the treatment of psychiatric disorders. It is a short-acting and fast-onset MDMA analogue. Based on animal studies, it is predicted that MYCO-006 will have a duration of 1 to 2 hours, about one-third the 6- to 8-hour duration of MDMA, and to onset 4 times as fast as MDMA. MYCO-006 is being developed by Mydecine. As of February 2024, it is in preclinical research. The chemical structure of MYCO-006 does not yet appear to have been disclosed. However, MYCO-006 is said to be a benzodioxole like MDMA. 5-BZT-MDMA (MY100) and 6-BZT-MDMA (MY101) were described in Mydecine's patent for short-acting MDMA analogues.

MYCO-007 is an MDMA-like entactogen that is under development for the treatment of psychiatric disorders. It is a short-acting MDMA analogue. MYCO-007 is being developed by Mydecine. As of February 2024, it is in preclinical research. The chemical structure of MYCO-007 does not yet appear to have been disclosed. 5-BZT-MDMA (MY100) and 6-BZT-MDMA (MY101) were described in Mydecine's patent for short-acting MDMA analogues.

MYCO-004 is a patch-delivered psychedelic tryptamine which is under development for the treatment of psychiatric disorders. It is anticipated to allow for precision dosing and to have a short duration of approximately 2 hours. The drug is being developed by Mydecine. As of December 2021, it is in preclinical research for psychiatric disorders. The exact chemical structure of MYCO-004 does not yet seem to have been disclosed.

References

  1. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 Knutsen, Ashleen (1 February 2024). "Psychedelics Coming into the Modern Age of Medicine: The history of psychedelics spans the spiritual, the recreational, and the legal—and now the medical, thanks to safer and more convenient molecules and protocols". Genetic Engineering & Biotechnology News. 44 (2): 44–47. doi:10.1089/gen.44.02.15. ISSN   1935-472X. Tactogen is another company working to make MDMA safer—safe enough so that it could be taken at home, increasing treatment accessibility. The company is developing new molecules based on the MDMA structure that minimize adverse side effects such as blood pressure changes and the "high" feeling, while still maintaining the positive effects. [...] Tactogen's candidate compounds, developed to minimize adverse events, contain the chemical substructure benzofuran. In a preliminary analysis comparing another benzofuran-based molecule, 5-MAPB, to MDMA, Tactogen scientists found no difference in the degree of change in social anxiety and self-compassion. However, 5-MAPB did not have as strong an effect on high-energy, positive emotions as did MDMA, suggesting potentially lower abuse liability. [...] "MDMA and drugs in its class seem to help people contemplate without discomfort things that would normally be upsetting," says Matthew Baggott, PhD, the co-founder and CEO of Tactogen. [...] Tactogen has several promising candidate compounds in development. Preclinical tests in animals suggest that they are well tolerated, retain the key effects of MDMA without depleting serotonin, and may have durable fast-acting antidepressant effects. Tactogen is preparing for clinical trials and anticipates beginning Phase I trials with healthy volunteers and Phase II trials in patients with post-traumatic stress disorder within 18 months.
  2. 1 2 3 Krieger, Lisa M. (12 December 2023). "New psychedelic-like drugs: All treatment, no trip?". The Mercury News. Retrieved 29 January 2025. "Our goal is to make medicines that are derived from psychedelics that are safer and gentler, more effective and more accessible," said Matthew Baggott, former director of data science and engineering at Genentech, whose Palo Alto-based startup Tactogen has patented several novel MDMA, or "Ecstasy," molecules that offer spiritual and personal insights with less heart-racing anxiety and euphoria. [...] Tactogen co-founders Luke Pustejovsky, left, and Matthew Baggott, right, on Tuesday, Dec. 5, 2023, in Redwood City, Calif. The startup Tactogen has patented several novel molecules that minimize adverse effects while retaining the therapeutic promise of MDMA, or "Esctasy."(Aric Crabb/Bay Area News Group)
  3. ↑ Nuwer, R. (2023). I Feel Love: MDMA and the Quest for Connection in a Fractured World. Bloomsbury USA. ISBN   978-1-63557-957-4 . Retrieved 27 January 2025. [...] said Matthew Baggott, a neuroscientist, history enthusiast, and cofounder and CEO of Tactogen, a company trying to develop new MDMA-like molecules. [...]
  4. ↑ Nuwer, Rachel (18 August 2023). "MDMA Risks and How to Reduce Them". The New York Times. Retrieved 27 January 2025. Many of MDMA's health risks relate to the fact that it is an amphetamine derivative, said Matthew Baggott, a neuroscientist and chief executive of Tactogen, a life sciences company developing MDMA-like molecules for medical use.
  5. 1 2 James W. Jesso (1 June 2023). "Entactogens, MDMA, and Bringing New Love Drugs To Market (with Matthew Baggott)". Adventures Through The Mind (Podcast). Retrieved 27 January 2025. Matthew Baggott is a neuroscientist who has worked over three decades to legally study MDMA and related molecules. His research has ranged from studying the neurotoxicity of amphetamines in rodents to studying changes in emotional experience in people who have been given MDA or MDMA in a laboratory setting. Matthew is co-founder and CEO of Tactogen Inc, a public benefit corporation that is developing a next-generation of gentler, more accessible MDMA-like medicines. [...]
  6. 1 2 3 Rex, Erica (5 August 2021). "A Conversation with Dr Matthew Baggott". The Brave New World: Psychedelics in a Neoliberal Society. Retrieved 27 January 2025. Pharmaceutical entrepreneur and data scientist Matthew Baggott, the CEO and co-founder of Tactogen, never set out to enter the psychoactive pharmaceutical business. [...] Dr Baggott founded Tactogen in 2020, a public benefit corporation1 [...]
  7. 1 2 3 4 5 Goodwin, Kate (30 September 2024). "MDMA Drug Developers Reprioritize Following Lykos Rejection in PTSD". BioSpace. Retrieved 27 January 2025. [...] Matthew Baggott, co-founder and CEO of psychedelics-focused Tactogen, [...] Tactogen's pipeline includes a number of preclinical molecules that Baggott said he believes will be superior to MDMA. [...] Amidst this debate, Tactogen is working to improve the safety profile of MDMA through fixed dose combinations in hopes of decreasing side effects like difficulty concentrating and mood instability seen in some participants in the days after use. The company also hopes to improve tolerability with its program combining MDMA with citalopram, a selective serotonin reuptake inhibitor (SSRI) used to treat depression, for PTSD. Baggott anticipates beginning Phase II trials with the combo in 2025.
  8. 1 2 Nuwer, Rachel (6 November 2023). "The Search for New Psychedelics". Scientific American. Retrieved 27 January 2025. Nuwer: That's Matt Baggott, a neuroscientist and co-founder and CEO of a start-up called Tactogen. He and his colleagues are trying to make safer and more effective MDMA-like molecules for therapeutic and medical uses. [...]
  9. 1 2 3 4 5 Harrison, Annie Oak (13 January 2023). "Tactogen Supports Community Investment in Drug Development". Lucid News - Psychedelics, Consciousness Technology, and the Future of Wellness. Retrieved 29 January 2025. Tactogen Chief Operating Officer Luke Pustejovsky says this is the first time a drug discovery and development company creating derivatives of psychedelic substances has opened its doors to non-accredited investors. [...] Founded in 2020, Tactogen is creating an initial product line of therapeutic compounds called entactogens, which are more commonly called empathogens. [...] Tactogen is using funding from investors to develop new entactogens, confirm their effects, and file patent applications. To date, it has published four patent applications for candidate molecules. [...] Tactogen has raised $6.3 million since early 2020 and anticipates raising a total of more than $200 million in the next decade to bring its first products to market. The company has immediate plans to raise $4 to $7 million in the first quarter of 2023. [...] According to Baggott, Tactogen was the first company to work on inventing new entactogens and there are now several others, in addition to MAPS, which has advanced the field for decades. Baggott says that Tactogen has now synthesized hundreds of different molecules, including several in target profiles.
  10. ↑ Elder, Harrison (26 July 2022). "Ecstasy for the 21st Century: Designer Drugs to Improve MDMA Therapy". Psychedelic Science Review. Retrieved 29 January 2025. Piggybacking off of MDMA's recent success, startups including Palo Alto-based Tactogen have begun developing and patenting novel entactogens patterned off of MDMA and analogues such as the APBs.8,19
  11. 1 2 Dunne, Rowan (27 September 2023). "California startup Tactogen gets U.S. patent for MDMA derivatives". Mugglehead Investment Magazine. Retrieved 29 January 2025. California's startup company Tactogen has patented a series of its MDMA analogues that were designed to reduce negative side effects associated with using the molecule in clinical settings, such as feelings of anxiety and impairment. On Tuesday, the company announced that the United States Patent and Trademark Office had granted intellectual property rights for the derivatives, which covers their composition of matter as a mental health treatment. [...] The benzofuran molecules have had oxygen replaced with carbon to increase their resistance to a person's metabolism while prolonging effects and hindering the potential for toxic metabolites to form in the body. The company has been developing novel psychoactive entactogen compounds like these since 2020 and has a series of outstanding patent applications yet to receive approval. [...] "We believe we have amassed the largest library of psychoactive entactogens ever. This diversity of molecules has yielded important insights into how chemicals interact with monoamine systems in the brain," said Baggot. The company says its compounds are more gentle and less euphoric compared to existing psychedelics and can help facilitate psychological growth in users without the need for costly clinical monitoring.
  12. 1 2 "Advantageous benzofuran compositions for mental disorders or enhancement". Google Patents. 8 December 2022. Retrieved 29 January 2025.
  13. ↑ "Benzofuran salt morphic forms and mixtures for the treatment of mental disorders or mental enhancement". Google Patents. 8 December 2022. Retrieved 29 January 2025.
  14. ↑ "Advantageous fluorobenzofurans for the treatment of mental disorders or enhancement". Google Patents. 28 March 2024. Retrieved 29 January 2025.
  15. 1 2 "2-ethylamine substituted benzofuran and benzothiophene compositions for mental disorders or enhancement". Google Patents. 17 November 2023. Retrieved 29 January 2025.
  16. ↑ "Advantageous benzothiophene compositions for mental disorders or enhancement". Google Patents. 6 July 2021. Retrieved 29 January 2025.
  17. ↑ "Advantageous tryptamine compositions for mental disorders or enhancement". Google Patents. 20 September 2021. Retrieved 29 January 2025.
  18. ↑ "Indolizine compounds for the treatment of mental disorders or mental enhancement". Google Patents. 3 November 2022. Retrieved 29 January 2025.
  19. ↑ "Indolizine compounds for the treatment of mental disorders or inflammation". Google Patents. 24 March 2023. Retrieved 29 January 2025.
  20. ↑ "2-aminoindane compounds for mental disorders or enhancement". Google Patents. 6 February 2023. Retrieved 29 January 2025.
  21. ↑ "Specialized combinations for mental disorders or mental enhancement". Google Patents. 9 December 2022. Retrieved 29 January 2025.
  22. ↑ Hamilton Morris (28 November 2023). "POD 92: Understanding and Improving MDMA with Dr. Matthew Baggott". The Hamilton Morris Podcast (Podcast). Patreon. Retrieved 30 November 2024.
  23. ↑ Michael Haichin (2024). "Psychedelics Drug Development Tracker". Psychedelic Alpha. Retrieved 29 January 2025.
  24. ↑ "Tactogen Inc – Pipeline". Tactogen Inc. 8 February 2021. Retrieved 29 January 2025.
  25. ↑ "Psychedelic Bulletin #124: MAPS Wraps Second Phase 3 MDMA Trial; Preparing for atai's PCN-101 Results; Tactogen Launches Community Funding Round". Psychedelic Alpha. 19 November 2022. Retrieved 29 January 2025. Tactogen, a Public Benefit Corporation (PBC) which is focused on the discovery and development of entactogens, has raised $6.2 million since early 2020 by more conventional means like VC investment.
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