Beckley Psytech announces first cohort of psychotherapists have begun training for treatment resistant depression Phase 2 trials

Beckley Psytech announces first cohort of psychotherapists have begun training for treatment resistant depression Phase 2 trials

• Training programme to be conducted in partnership with industry-leading educational company, Fluence
• Initiation of training represents key step to incorporate psychedelic-assisted psychotherapy to deliver potentially clinically meaningful improvements

Oxford, United Kingdom – 24 January 2022 - Beckley Psytech, a private company dedicated to addressing neurological and psychiatric disorders through the novel application of psychedelic medicines, today announces that the first cohort of psychotherapists have begun training in advance of the expected Phase 2 clinical trial examining 5-MeO-DMT-assisted psychotherapy in treatment resistant depression (TRD). The training is being conducted in collaboration with Fluence, an expertise-driven educational platform that provides professional training in psychedelic therapy for psychiatrists, psychotherapists, social workers, and other healthcare practitioners.

The initial elements of the training programme feature online, interactive, self-taught modules, after which participating psychotherapists will be hosted by the Kadima Neuropsychiatry Institute in San Diego, U.S. where the trainers will provide live, in-person training sessions. This comprehensive training programme aims to empower psychotherapists to deliver meaningful change to people suffering from severe mental health disorders and provide patients a best-in-class psychotherapy framework inside and outside of the clinic. Over the course of the next year Beckley Psytech aims to train 80 psychotherapists.

Psychedelic-assisted psychotherapy works to create a therapeutic model which improves clinical symptoms and promotes lasting, positive change for patients. Through this partnership with leading psychiatrists and researchers, Beckley Psytech aims to develop a holistic system which will enable delivery of the best care to patients.

Cosmo Feilding Mellen, CEO of Beckley Psytech, said: “The initiation of this training programme is a vital step towards developing an ecosystem to support the emerging paradigm shift in how we treat neurological and psychiatric conditions. We are delighted to be partnered with Fluence, a world-class leader in psychotherapy training and education, and we are confident that this programme will deliver a differentiated solution to optimise patient outcomes in difficult-to-treat medical conditions.”

Frederick Reinholdt, participating psychotherapist, commented, "What a fortunate opportunity to meet up with such a wide range of clinicians and researchers all with a keen interest in the therapeutic potential 5-MeO-DMT may prove to possess. In partnership with Fluence, Beckley Psytech has devised a rich and leading-edge training program."

Dr David Feifel, Director of the Kadima Neuropsychiatry Institute, said, “The impetus to offer Kadima’s space and facilitate the training is merely our desire to facilitate the success of this exciting and important project and to develop a deeper collaborative relationship.”

Dr. Elizabeth Nielson, Fluence co-founder "Due to the unique demands of creating and testing a psychedelic-assisted psychotherapy with 5-MeO-DMT, our focus on psychotherapy and psychotherapist training at Fluence is a natural fit for Beckley Psytech’s innovative research program. It’s been a delight to see clinicians get involved and learn Beckley Psytech’s therapeutic approach and protocol so they’re ready to provide this therapy to study participants."

Beckley Psytech is currently conducting a double-blind, randomised, single ascending dose Phase 1 study to evaluate the safety and tolerability of a single intranasal dose of Beckley Psytech's novel formulation of intranasal 5-MeO-DMT healthy subjects.