TAMPA, Fla. — When people think of psychedelics, they often think that means hallucinations too. 

But Tampa-based company Psilera is working to make medical psychedelics without those kind of effects that can be used to help treat people with certain kinds of dementia. 

What You Need To Know

  • Tampa-based Psilera is working to develop compounds that allow patient-centric therapy options for those suffering from neurological conditions

  • The psilocybin derivative Psil 006 is a compound designed by the company to help with frontal-temporal dementia

  • After several successful animal studies, company officials say the next step is a human trial, which they expect to happen in 2025

Company co-founder and CEO Dr. Chris Witowski said the goal is to create something that people can use outside of a controlled medical environment.

“It is companies like us that really make fine tunes to the molecules to make them less hallucinogenic so you can take them on an outpatient basis," said Witowski. "You don’t have to undergo a trip, if you will, or intense psychological therapy. And they are safer on your heart, which is a potential side-effect of psychedelics.” 

He said a compound the company is currently working on has the potential to treat neurodegenerative diseases. 

“The way the molecule works can help the patients very rapidly with their psychiatric issues, depression, apathy, but also we believe it can actually help slow the progression of the disease as well," said Witowski. 

To create a compound like that, synthetic chemistry is necessary. 

“It’s all about the dosing and making sure it's been regulated in some way so that we know it's safe," said Psilera co-founder and chief scientific officer Dr. Jackie von Salm. 

Witowski and von Salm say they are very excited about a blueish molecule called Psil 006.

“This is a next-generation psilocybin derivative — it is non-hallucinogenic, and we are targeting frontal-temporal dementia," said Witowski. 

Dementia is something both founders say they know a lot about. 

“So, my grandmother passed away about 15 years ago from Alzheimer’s disease," said Witowski. 

“And my father was actually diagnosed with that over 10 years ago," von Salm said. "And he actually passed away last year after struggling for a long time with that."

They say it is a personal mission that keeps them dedicated to their work. 

“The way the drug works, we think really can actually slow the disease and actually help improve cognition in patients with dementia," said Witowski. 

After several successful animal studies, the next step is a human trial, which they expect to take place in 2025.