Neural Therapeutics Inc revealed that it has obtained a rare permit from Peru's Ministry of Agriculture's Servicio Nacional Forestal y de Fauna Silvestre (SERFOR) to access and study mescaline-containing cactus species.
The permit to study the Echinopsis cactus genus, commonly known as San Pedro or Huachuma, comes after an extensive 11-month review process and was further approved by The Ministry of the Environment (MINAM) due to the special nature of the company's request.
The permit allows Neural to study the genetic resources and derivatives of the San Pedro cactus for possible medicinal purposes. The company plans to develop intellectual property that could lead to the development of therapies for stress-related disorders such as depression, substance use, and anxiety.
"We are very pleased with the receipt of this crucial permit, which plays an important role in establishing a legally compliant supply chain for the plant material needed to commence our research towards the development of therapies," commented Ian Campbell, Neural's CEO in a statement.
Campbell added: "We expect that the development of intellectual property will create significant value for the Company. We are also very aware of the cultural and historical importance of this plant for the indigenous and other communities within Peru and elsewhere, and do not intend to file for plant-genetic based patents."
As part of the research, Neural intends to sequence the Echinopsis genome, a valuable information source that has been unavailable in scientific literature. This genetic data will be vital for future approvals of mescaline-based therapies by international medical regulators such as the United States Food and Drug Administration and Health Canada.
Neural has also entered into a contract with SERFOR that outlines the conditions under which the research and development activities will take place. The contract grants the company permission to file for patents related to derivatives of the genetics and process-related discoveries made during the research, ensuring the retention of intellectual property.
Mescaline, derived from the Peyote and San Pedro cacti, is classified as a psychedelic with potential medicinal and therapeutic applications. While Peyote is sacred to many indigenous populations and takes decades to mature, the San Pedro cactus grows faster and is considered more sustainable for research purposes.
Campbell concluded: "To receive this kind of permission is rare due to the cultural and religious significance of these plants. We are committed to developing medicinal products that have the power to profoundly improve peoples' quality of lives.
"Our intended biological sampling plan provides for replanting to ensure that plant density is not compromised by our efforts. Additionally, we will donate specimens to a Peruvian-sanctioned local herbarium for future scientific studies and species preservation."
With this rare permit in hand, Neural is poised to make significant progress in its research and contribute to the advancement of potential therapeutic treatments for mental ailments where significant treatments are currently lacking.
Contact the author at jon.hopkins@proactiveinvestors.com