We knew we had done something huge,” said Alexandra Adams, lead author. “Once we transferred the DNA, we saw peak emerge in our data. The new strain serves as a “modular biosynthetic production platform” for the psychedelic compound. We are effectively taking the technology that allows for scale and speed of production and applying it to our psilocybin producing E. “It’s similar to the way you make beer, through a fermentation process. “We are taking the DNA from the mushroom that encodes its ability to make this product and putting it in E. coli, and created a new strain called pPsilo16. The team of researchers took genes responsible for producing psilocybin, added them to the bacteria E. In a 2019 study published in the journal Metabolic Engineering, Miami University researchers led by Andrew Jones discovered a way to sustainably produce psilocybin. While this method can create pure psilocybin, COMPASS Pathways uses 4-hydroxyindole as a starting substrate which results in high production costs with 4-hydroxyindole being around $350 CAD/$275 USD per gram.Īs such, scientists are also investigating alternative, biologically-derived methods to produce psilocybin. COMPASS Pathways has developed and patented a new method of isolating psilocybin through chemical synthesis without the need for any magic mushrooms. However, the current extraction techniques have their challenges, which can include inconsistent yields and chemical instability for natural mushrooms, and a higher price tag for synthetic psilocybin.Īt present, scientists are exploring new ways to produce psilocybin without needing to grow magic mushrooms or rely on conventional methods of extracting and producing synthetic psilocybin. Psilocybin mushrooms are most prominent among the psychedelic drugs being researched for their therapeutic potential.įor the new psychedelic industry, the process of extracting psilocybin from these psychedelic mushrooms should ideally produce results that are both timely and cost-effective in order to administer repeatable mental health treatments. While psychedelic drugs remain largely illegal for recreational use, a growing body of research is exploring their potential application for the treatment of both mental and physical health conditions, including major depressive disorder, anxiety, alcohol use disorder, and PTSD. In recent years, advancements in the field of psychedelic medicine have been gaining attention, and bringing with them their own concerns about sourcing and production.
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