Oxford, Mississippi: Revolutionary Device to Microdose LSD Emerges
In a groundbreaking development, engineers from the University of Mississippi are paving the way for an innovative approach to managing treatment-resistant depression. Thomas Werfel, the assistant professor of biomedical engineering, and Glenn Walker, professor of biomedical engineering, are preparing for preclinical testing on a bold new device designed for microdosing LSD and other psychoactive substances.
Transition from Idea to Development
Wefer and Walker’s project, which has been incubating for three years, recently received a state-level funding boost from the Strengthening Mississippi Academic Research Through Business Act. This financial leg-up is set to thrust their concept of a tiny, implantable device from theory to reality.
“We heard from physicians who were really interested in microdosing psychedelics for depression,” Werfel confessed. However, the puzzle of how to deliver these substances in a safe and non-abusable manner remained.
A Dissolvable Solution
Their breakthrough came in creating an entirely biodegradable and implantable device. “The goal is to implant a very small device, and it microdoses the psychedelic every three to five days for a length of time. Then, it erodes into the body, eliminating the need to retrieve the device,” Werfel explained. The creation of a method that necessitates timed and monitored doses tackles the challenge of potential substance abuse.
Potential Wider Applications
Walker, with his background in microfabrication, expressed that the size of the device – approximately that of a grain of rice – offers a multitude of potential applications beyond treating depression. With the device’s capability to deliver regulated, repeated doses, potential future adaptations could extend to medications for heart conditions, diabetes, and other illnesses requiring regular drug intake.
One Step Closer to Clinical Trials
The two pioneering engineers are in the process of securing additional funding for advanced preclinical testing. Looking towards the future, the ultimate goal lies in obtaining Investigational New Drug status from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration for clinical trials in humans. Nevertheless, this could potentially take several years.
Ole Miss Team Pioneering Depression Treatment
The Ole Miss team of researchers and students working on the implantable device includes postdoctoral researcher Saif Mohammad Ishraq Bari and graduate student Parker Brewster, alongside Professors Werfel and Walker. Werfel emphasized the all-round involvement of Ole Miss in the project, stating, “the Transactional Law Clinic in the School of Law helped us as well—every aspect of this thing so far has been enabled by resources on campus.”
An Optimistic Outlook
While acknowledging the challenges inherent to drug startups and difficult medical solutions, Walker remains hopeful and optimistic for this innovative approach. “I think this would be a huge win for treating depression in general because it solves so many problems with how it is currently treated,” Walker expressed. As the project surges forward, the whole team are conscious of the potential impact their small, dissolvable device could make on the treatment of not only depression but a wide range of persistent conditions.
