Cybin Launches EMBARK and Co-Sponsors First Clinical Trial to Treat Frontline Clinicians Experiencing COVID-Related Burnout and Distress with Psychedelic-Assisted Psychotherapy

Cybin Inc. (OTCMKTS:CLXPF), a biotechnology company focused on progressing psychedelic therapeutics, today announced that it will co-sponsor a randomized, placebo-controlled trial of psychedelic-assisted psychotherapy with psilocybin for frontline clinicians experiencing COVID-related distress. The study will aim to treat symptoms of depression, anxiety, burnout and post-traumatic stress among frontline doctors, nurses and healthcare professionals.

Cybin has formed a strategic collaboration with the University of Washington to help sponsor the trial, which will be led by Dr. Anthony Back. The study will be hosted in Seattle, a city hit hard with an early coronavirus outbreak.

“There is tremendous potential in a collaboration between the University of Washington and Cybin to move the field forward, and this project is an incredibly valuable initial step towards a productive future,” said Dr. Anthony Back, who will serve as Primary Investigator to the clinical trial.

To support the initiative, Cybin’s Chief Clinical Officer, Alex Belser, PhD and Bill Brennan, PhD (candidate) developed EMBARK. The development of EMBARK has been guided by leading process evidence for the clinical efficacy of psychedelic-assisted psychotherapy and demonstrated theories of therapeutic action to support healing. EMBARK was designed as a transdiagnostic psychotherapy model that can be adapted to address a range of clinical indications and populations.

“Our nation’s doctors, nurses and clinicians have been shouldering the burden of COVID-19 by taking care of the sickest among us. They’re experiencing high levels of anxiety, depression and burnout. Now it’s our turn to help them,” said Dr. Alex Belser, Cybin’s Chief Clinical Officer. “We are sponsoring research to see if psychedelic medicine, when used with EMBARK’s supportive therapy, can help clinicians recover from COVID-related distress.”

Dr. Anthony Back is a recognized leader in the fields of palliative care and oncology. He is a board-certified physician at the University of Washington, Founding Co-director of the University of Washington Center for Excellence in Palliative Care, and a University of Washington professor of Oncology and Medicine. He is triple board certified in Hospice and Palliative Medicine, Medical Oncology and General Internal Medicine. He was the principal investigator for the National Cancer Institute-funded Oncotalk interventions, which enabled the founding of the nonprofit VitalTalk, co-wrote Mastering Communication with Seriously Ill Patients, produced the first iPhone app for clinician communication skills, and is a Contemplative Studies Fellow of the Mind and Life Institute. His clinical and research interests include patient-physician communication and quality of life in palliative care. Dr. Back earned his medical degree at Harvard Medical School.

For more than a year now, frontline clinicians and healthcare professionals have made immeasurable sacrifices to protect public health in their communities. We consider it an honor and our duty to now help support their own healing processes, post-COVID-19. We are also delighted and proud to launch EMBARK, a ground-breaking psychotherapy model aimed at delivering best-practice, supportive healing in conjunction with psychedelic therapeutics. We look forward to working with and supporting Dr. Anthony Back on this important program

Doug Drysdale, CEO of Cybin. Inc

To view the original press release in its entirety click here