NeonMind Announces Positive Preclinical Results Demonstrating the Efficacy of Psilocybin in Reducing Weight Gain in Obese Animal Subjects

Data Further Validates Psilocybin as a Drug Candidate for Obesity and Supports Development of NeonMind's Drug Programs NEO-001 and NEO-002

OAKVILLE, ON / ACCESSWIRE / March 23, 2022 / NeonMind Biosciences Inc. (CSE:NEON)(OTCQB:NMDBF)(FRA:6UF) ("NeonMind'' or the "Company"), an integrated drug development and wellness company focused on bringing innovative psychedelic-based treatments to people suffering from obesity and mental health disorders, announced today it has released preclinical data demonstrating the efficacy of psilocybin in reducing weight gain in obese subjects. In previous preclinical studies, NeonMind has shown efficacy in reducing weight gain in healthy subjects with normal weight. This latest study suggests a broader therapeutic potential of psilocybin in weight management and supports the current development track of NeonMind's drug candidates.

Foto: Accesswire

The data from NeonMind's preclinical models revealed a novel finding for its drug candidates: the ability to target visceral fat. Increased visceral fat is linked to poorer cardiometabolic health and reduction in this type of fat is important in weight loss and better overall health outcomes. Additional findings from the preclinical models in obese subjects include:

• Statistical significance compared to the control group for both absolute and relative weight gain;
• Efficacy seen within days of administration;
• Reduced food consumption compared to control group;
• No safety signals.

The positive results further reinforce the drug development opportunity of NeonMind's two lead psilocybin-based drug candidates targeting obesity. Moreover, the novel findings provide opportunities to enhance their commercial profiles. These candidates include NEO-001, which employs psilocybin as an agonist at the serotonin 5- HT2A receptor, and NEO-002, which utilizes low-dose psilocybin as an agonist at the 5-HT2C receptor, which controls appetite.

"These latest findings show psilocybin's ability to modulate weight gain, which is absolutely critical for any drug candidate targeting obesity and weight loss," said Robert Tessarolo, President & CEO of NeonMind. "In two separate rodent studies, we have shown that psilocybin has efficacy in modulating weight in both obese and normal subjects. This is important given visceral fat is associated with increased comorbidities and poorer health outcomes. These findings show promise for the future development of psilocybin-based treatments for obesity, which may also lead to improved cardiovascular and metabolic health."