Tactogen is a public benefit corporation and

start-up A startup or start-up is a company or project undertaken by an entrepreneur to seek, develop, and validate a scalable business model. While entrepreneurship includes all new businesses including self-employment and businesses that do not intend ...

pharmaceutical company The pharmaceutical industry is a Medicine, medical industry that discovers, develops, produces, and markets pharmaceutical goods such as medications and medical devices. Medications are then administered to (or Self-medicate, self-administered b ...

based in

Palo Alto Palo Alto ( ; Spanish language, Spanish for ) is a charter city in northwestern Santa Clara County, California, United States, in the San Francisco Bay Area, named after a Sequoia sempervirens, coastal redwood tree known as El Palo Alto. Th ...

California California () is a U.S. state, state in the Western United States that lies on the West Coast of the United States, Pacific Coast. It borders Oregon to the north, Nevada and Arizona to the east, and shares Mexico–United States border, an ...

that is developing novel

MDMA 3,4-Methylenedioxymethamphetamine (MDMA), commonly known as ecstasy (tablet form), and molly (crystal form), is an empathogen–entactogenic drug with stimulant and minor Psychedelic drug, psychedelic properties. In studies, it has been used ...

-like

entactogen Entactogens, also known as empathogens or connectogens, are a class of psychoactive drugs that induce the production of experiences of emotional communion, oneness, connectedness, emotional openness—that is, empathy—as particularly observe ...

s and

psychedelic Psychedelics are a subclass of hallucinogenic drugs whose primary effect is to trigger non-ordinary mental states (known as psychedelic experiences or "trips") and a perceived "expansion of consciousness". Also referred to as classic halluci ...

s as medicines. Its stated goal is to develop new MDMA-like drugs with improved

effectiveness Effectiveness or effectivity is the capability of producing a desired result or the ability to produce desired output. When something is deemed effective, it means it has an intended or expected outcome, or produces a deep, vivid impression. Et ...

, tolerability, and

safety Safety is the state of being protected from harm or other danger. Safety can also refer to the control of recognized hazards in order to achieve an acceptable level of risk. Meanings The word 'safety' entered the English language in the 1 ...

, as well as gentleness and accessibility, for treatment of

psychiatric disorder A mental disorder, also referred to as a mental illness, a mental health condition, or a psychiatric disability, is a behavioral or mental pattern that causes significant distress or impairment of personal functioning. A mental disorder is ...

s and other conditions. Tactogen was co-founded by

neuroscientist A neuroscientist (or neurobiologist) is a scientist specializing in neuroscience that deals with the anatomy and function of neurons, Biological neural network, neural circuits, and glia, and their Behavior, behavioral, biological, and psycholo ...

Matthew J. Baggott and Luke Pustejovsky in 2020. Baggott is the

chief executive officer A chief executive officer (CEO), also known as a chief executive or managing director, is the top-ranking corporate officer charged with the management of an organization, usually a company or a nonprofit organization. CEOs find roles in variou ...

(CEO) while Pustejovsky is the

chief operating officer A chief operating officer (COO), also called chief operations officer, is an executive in charge of the daily operations of an organization (i.e. personnel, resources, and logistics). COOs are usually second-in-command immediately after the C ...

(COO).

Drug candidates

Tactogen has

patent A patent is a type of intellectual property that gives its owner the legal right to exclude others from making, using, or selling an invention for a limited period of time in exchange for publishing an sufficiency of disclosure, enabling discl ...

ed various novel entactogen-like compounds from different chemical families. These include

benzofuran Benzofuran is the heterocyclic compound consisting of fused benzene and furan rings. This colourless liquid is a component of coal tar. Benzofuran is the structural nucleus (parent compound) of many related compounds with more complex stru ...

s like

5-MAPB 5-MAPB, also known as 5-(''N''-methyl-2-aminopropyl)benzofuran, is an entactogen and designer drug of the amphetamine family that is similar to MDMA in its structure and effects. It has been patented by Tactogen as an entactogen for potential ...

5-MBPB 5-MBPB (also known as 5-MPBP and 5-MABB) is an amphetamine and phenylisobutylamine derivative which is structurally related to MDMA and has been sold as a designer drug. It can be described as the benzofuran-5-yl analogue of MBDB or the butan ...

, and

BK-5-MAPB βk-5-MAPB, or BK-5-MAPB, is an entactogen of the benzofuran and cathinone groups which is related to both 5-MAPB and methylone. It was patented by Matthew Baggott and Tactogen and is under investigation by Tactogen for potential medical use. P ...

benzothiophene Benzothiophene is an aromatic organic compound with a molecular formula C8H6S and an odor similar to naphthalene (mothballs). It occurs naturally as a constituent of petroleum-related deposits such as lignite tar. Benzothiophene has no househol ...

s like

5-MAPBT 5-MAPBT (5-methylaminopropylbenzothiophene) is an empathogenic drug of the benzothiophene group. It is closely related to 5-MAPB but with the oxygen atom replaced by sulfur, changing the core ring structure to benzothiophene rather than benzofura ...

α-alkyltryptamine Substituted tryptamines, or simply tryptamines, also known as serotonin analogues (i.e., 5-hydroxytryptamine analogues), are organic compounds which may be thought of as being derived from tryptamine itself. The molecular structures of all trypt ...

s like

BK-NM-AMT BK-NM-AMT, or βk-NM-αMT, also known as β-keto-''N''-methyl-αMT or α,''N''-dimethyl-β-ketotryptamine, as well as 3-indoylmethcathinone, is a serotonin–dopamine releasing agent (SDRA) and putative entactogen of the tryptamine, α-alkyltryp ...

and

BK-5F-NM-AMT BK-5F-NM-AMT, or βk-5F-NM-αMT, also known as β-keto-5-fluoro-''N''-methyl-αMT or α,''N''-dimethyl-5-fluoro-β-ketotryptamine, is a monoamine releasing agent of the tryptamine, α-alkyltryptamine, and β-ketotryptamine families. It is known ...

indolizine Indolizine is an heterocyclic compound with the formula C8H7N). It is an uncommon isomer of indole with the nitrogen located at a ring fusion position. The saturated analog is indolizidine, which is the core of a variety of alkaloids such as swa ...

s like 2ZEDMA,

1ZP2MA 1ZP2MA, also known as -(indolizin-1-yl)propan-2-ylmethyl)amine or as 1-(indolizin-1-yl)-''N''-methylpropan-2-amine, is a monoamine releasing agent and an indolizine derivative. It is the analogue and positional isomer of the stimulant-like dru ...

, and Z2MAP1O, 2-aminoindanes like "

BFAI BFAI (5,6-benzofuranyl-2-aminoindane) is a drug of the 2-aminoindane group that acts as a serotonin releasing agent (SSRA) and produces entactogen effects in humans, which may be useful for psychotherapeutic applications. It is closely related t ...

", and non-racemic mixtures of

enantiomer In chemistry, an enantiomer (Help:IPA/English, /ɪˈnænti.əmər, ɛ-, -oʊ-/ Help:Pronunciation respelling key, ''ih-NAN-tee-ə-mər''), also known as an optical isomer, antipode, or optical antipode, is one of a pair of molecular entities whi ...

s. It also has several drugs in its developmental pipeline, including

TACT411 TACT411 is a monoamine transporter modulator and serotonin 5-HT1B receptor modulator which is under development for the treatment of alcohol use disorder, anorexia, and binge-eating disorder. It is being developed by Tactogen. As of the first q ...

TACT833 TACT833 is a monoamine transporter transporter modulator, modulator and serotonin 5-HT1B receptor, 5-HT1B receptor receptor modulator, modulator which is under development for the treatment of alcohol use disorder, anorexia, and binge-eating diso ...

TACT908 TACT908, also known as -(indolizin-1-yl)ethylimethylamine (2ZEDMA), is a serotonin receptor agonist which is under development for the treatment of cluster headaches. It is an positional isomer of the famous tryptamine serotonergic psychedelic ...

, and TACT523. The company is said to have been the first to develop novel entactogens. It says that it has synthesized hundreds of different molecules and claims that it has developed the largest known library of entactogenic compounds. At least some of Tactogen's candidates are said to be benzofurans, for instance 5-MAPB. In preliminary research, they have found that 5-MAPB appears to reduce

social anxiety Social anxiety is the anxiety and fear specifically linked to being in social settings (i.e., interacting with others). Some categories of disorders associated with social anxiety include anxiety disorders, mood disorders, autism spectrum dis ...

and promote

self-compassion In psychology, self-compassion is extending compassion to one's self in instances of perceived inadequacy, failure, or general suffering. American psychologist Kristin Neff has defined self-compassion as being composed of three main elements – ...

similarly to MDMA, but does not seem to promote

energy Energy () is the physical quantity, quantitative physical property, property that is transferred to a physical body, body or to a physical system, recognizable in the performance of Work (thermodynamics), work and in the form of heat and l ...

and

positive emotions Positive affectivity (PA) is a human characteristic that describes how much people experience positive affects (sensations, emotions, sentiments); and as a consequence how they interact with others and with their surroundings. People with high po ...

as much as MDMA, and hence may retain therapeutic efficacy with less

misuse potential Substance misuse, also known as drug misuse or, in older vernacular, substance abuse, is the use of a drug in amounts or by methods that are harmful to the individual or others. It is a form of substance-related disorder, differing definitions ...

. Phase 1 and 2

clinical trial Clinical trials are prospective biomedical or behavioral research studies on human subject research, human participants designed to answer specific questions about biomedical or behavioral interventions, including new treatments (such as novel v ...

s of Tactogen's drug candidates in healthy volunteers and people with

post-traumatic stress disorder Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) is a mental disorder that develops from experiencing a Psychological trauma, traumatic event, such as sexual assault, domestic violence, child abuse, warfare and its associated traumas, natural disaster ...

(PTSD) are said to be in the planning stages as of February 2024. Some of its candidates have been said to lack the serotonergic neurotoxicity of MDMA in animals. Tactogen is additionally studying a combination of MDMA and citalopram wherein MDMA is followed by the

selective serotonin reuptake inhibitor Selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs) are a class of drugs that are typically used as antidepressants in the treatment of major depressive disorder, anxiety disorders, and other psychological conditions. SSRIs primarily work by blo ...

(SSRI)

citalopram Citalopram, sold under the brand name Celexa among others, is an antidepressant of the selective serotonin reuptake inhibitor (SSRI) class. It is used to treat major depressive disorder, obsessive compulsive disorder, panic disorder, and soci ...

in efforts to reduce the serotonergic neurotoxicity and negative after-effects of MDMA. A phase 2 trial of this strategy is planned to commence in 2025. Following the

Food and Drug Administration The United States Food and Drug Administration (FDA or US FDA) is a List of United States federal agencies, federal agency of the United States Department of Health and Human Services, Department of Health and Human Services. The FDA is respo ...

(FDA)'s rejection of Lykos Therapeutics's MDMA for

(PTSD), Tactogen said in late 2024 that it is seriously considering prioritizing its novel compounds over its MDMA/citalopram product.

Funding

In January 2023, it was reported that Tactogen had raised $6.3 million since early 2020.

Selected publications

Presentations

* *

Studies

* * *

References

{{Reflist

External links

Tactogen Website

Tactogen - LinkedIn

Tactogen - X (formerly Twitter)

Matthew Baggott and Tactogen - Google Patents
Pharmaceutical companies of the United States Public benefit corporations based in California Psychedelic drug research Psychedelic pharmaceutical companies

Drug candidates

Funding

Selected publications

Presentations

Studies

See also

References

External links