Psychedelic drug discovery & optimization company CaaMTech Inc. and the psychedelics discovery, development & educational organization Alexander Shulgin Research Institute Inc. (ASRI) have recently signed an agreement to carry out structural and chemical analyses to further develop novel compounds designed and synthesized by the late Dr. Alexander Shulgin.
Known as “the Godfather of psychedelics,” Dr. Shulgin was a biochemist and pharmacologist known for his documented synthesis, which included personal testing of many unreported psychoactive compounds.
With his wife Ann, Dr. Shulgin published “PiHKAL: A Chemical Love Story” in 1991 and “TiHKAL: The Continuation” in 1997: Phenethylamines and Tryptamines I Have Known and Loved," respectively.
Dr. Shulgin’s groundbreaking research into novel psychoactive compounds was foundational to psychedelic chemistry and the CaamTech-ASRI research collaboration stands as a continuation of that legacy.
ASRI takes on Shulgin’s legacy, conducting scientific research into the chemistry and pharmacology of psychedelic drugs. Research activities involve novel chemical synthesis, natural product isolation, and basic chemical and pharmacological testing of newly discovered substances.
Several hundred compounds, collectively known as the Shulgin Vault, were created by Shulgin at his laboratory in Lafayette, California. Many of these compounds have not yet been characterized and some may have therapeutic value, although their effects remain unknown.
As part of the agreement, ASRI’s proprietary drugs will be transferred to CaaMTech-managed Manke Lab at UMass Dartmouth to be crystallized and then analyzed using X-ray crystallography - the gold standard of chemical characterization - to determine their crystal structures. This will eventually allow for future research to be conducted with rigorously pure, well-characterized molecules.
Dr. Nicholas Cozzi, president and co-founder of ASRI said he is ecstatic to continue the task. “We anticipate that some of these compounds will eventually be evaluated in humans for possible therapeutic benefits, while others may be useful as tools to deepen our understanding of neuropharmacology, brain function, and consciousness itself.”
For his part, CaaMTech CEO Dr. Andrew Chadeayne expressed gratitude for participating in the continuation of Shulgin’s work as well. In his words, “The current state of this industry is possible only because we’re standing on the shoulders of giants such as Alexander Shulgin.”
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