BetterLife Pharma Inc. announced filing of a PCT patent application along with a U.S. application for lysergic acid diethylamide ("LSD") derivatives, including 2-bromo-LSD. The applications cover compositions of these derivatives for their use in the treatment of a range of neuropsychiatric and neurological conditions, including depression, anxiety, cluster headaches and pain. The company is currently developing a new composition of 2-bromo-LSD ("BETR-001") covered by these patent filings.

BETR-001 is a second-generation LSD derivative molecule that does not cause hallucinations, and therefore is not subject to global controlled substance regulations. In addition, the synthesis of BETR-001 is via non-controlled substance synthetic routes, and therefore not subject to controlled substance regulatory restrictions. The company is already in advanced stages of GMP manufacturing of BETR-001 and completing the necessary preclinical IND-enabling studies for BETR-001.

The company expects to file the BETR-001 IND and start Phase 1, in healthy subjects, in first half of 2023.