Nutrasource scores green light for expanded psychedelic and psychostimulant research in Canada

07 Dec 2021 --- Health Canada has approved an amendment to Nutrasource Pharmaceutical and Nutraceutical Services’ controlled drugs and substances dealer’s license. The global full-service contract research organization can now investigate a number of controlled psychedelic and psychostimulant drugs and pain management drugs.

These include synthetic cannabinoids, psilocybin, psilocin, ketamine, LSD, methamphetamines, opioids and DMT.

“This initiative is a natural progression building and diversifying our portfolio of licenses including our Institution-Wide Cannabis Research Licence and Cage Level Security Licence,” says Joshua Baisley, vice president, clinical design and delivery.

Better serving clients
Nutrasource says the new approval will give its clients a “unique” opportunity to conduct early-stage clinical studies. These include bioavailability/bioequivalence studies and proof of concept studies on many novel controlled substances in Canada.

Specifically, this Security Level 5 Licence allows clinical trials for safety, tolerability, characterization and efficacy for an expanded list of controlled drugs and substances.

“Working with sponsors in the natural health product industry, we often see a transition into the pharmaceutical space as an avenue for innovation,” says Tania John, vice president, NHP & pharmaceutical regulatory sciences.Nutrasource helps nutraceutical and pharmaceutical clients commercialize health and wellness products.

At CPhI Worldwide 2021, nutraceutical players also spotlighted how pharmaceutical alignment can help maximize the market potential for their ingredients. 

John asserts that obtaining this license further fulfills Nutrasource’s mission of helping health companies launch scientifically substantiated products and aligns with its expanded pharmaceutical regulatory services.

“Ultimately, this higher level of security allows us to better serve our clinical and regulatory clients, including those interested or already in the controlled drugs and substances sector.”

Rising interest in new ingredients
There are myriad factors contributing to a surge of research with controlled drugs and substances. According to Nutrasource, these include social, political, economic and regulatory paradigm shifts emerging across the globe in multiple jurisdictions.

This is especially evident in the cannabinoid space, with recent developments including cancer-friendly applications and the rise of mainstream CBD supplements. 

According to Innova Market Insights, just 7% of US consumers have never heard of CBD or cannabis, and many associate it with benefits surrounding stress, relaxation, mood, pain and sleep.

These shifts across controlled drugs and substances have also driven increased interest from the pharmaceutical and biotechnology industries in opioid alternatives and “drugs of abuse.”

This is along with other agents related to the central nervous system and neurology, such as anxiety, mood, depression, Alzheimer’s and pain management, notes Nutrasource. 

Earlier this year, NeonMind Biosciences also explored the use of psilocybin – a complex organic compound in psychedelic mushrooms – as a potential treatment to improve eating habits and aid weight loss.

Edited by Katherine Durrell