Albert Labs International Corp (CSE:ABRT) said it has appointed Dr Sara Tai as principal investigator for its upcoming trial on KRN-101, a psilocybin-based medicine, for the treatment of cancer-related distress.
Tai, a senior lecturer in clinical psychology at Manchester University, has extensive clinical research experience, according to Albert Labs.
Tai developed psychological interventions for people diagnosed with a variety of mental health issues such as depression, psychosis and bipolar disorder, and her research focuses on the science and practice of therapy, progressing these into regulatory approved clinical practices.
READ: Albert Labs secures psilocybin licence from Health Canada
Vancouver-based Albert Labs also noted Tai’s “deep understanding of the commercial imperative of delivering the necessary training to offer these novel therapeutics at scale as part of the UK's National Health Service.”
"I'm delighted that Dr Tai has agreed to work with Albert Labs as principal investigator in what will be the company's key first study investigating the effects of a natural psilocybin treatment on cancer-related distress,” Malcolm Barratt-Johnson, chief medical officer at Albert Labs said in a statement.
“Sara is rightly regarded as a leading global light in the field of psilocybin research, having been involved in several of the studies underpinning our present knowledge in this important area of clinical research," he added.
Tai said she was “thrilled” to be working with Albert Labs, noting the company’s commitment to addressing the mental health needs of people with cancer.
“I value Albert Labs' emphasis on ethical and patient-centred investigations of the effectiveness of psychotherapy assisted by novel plant-based medications,” Tai added. “Being involved in such groundbreaking research with the potential to develop new treatments for people in great need is very exciting.”
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