Champignon Brands is a public medicinal psychedelics company pursuing rapid-onset treatments of disorders including depression, post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), and substance use issues. Champignon was founded in 2019 and welcomed psychiatrist and professor of psychopharmacology Dr. Roger McIntyre, MD as CEO in May 2020.
In March 2020, Champignon acquired Tassili Life Sciences, a Toronto-based research corporation working to demonstrate effective treatment of post-concussion syndrome, PTSD, and obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) through the combined use of psilocybin and cannabidiol (CBD). Traumatic brain injury (TBI, and a condition called mild TBI or mTBI) and PTSD are frequently comorbid and have increased prevalence among military members.
Shortly before its acquisition by Champignon, Tassili granted the University of Miami $1.6 million to support studies into the possible entourage effect at play between the drugs — in other words, their enhanced therapeutic action when combined. Psychedelic Science Review covered the announcement in an article. Dr. Michael Hoffer, who heads the research at the University of Miami, told Inventum, “Our goal is to develop a prescription pill with these ingredients that treat mTBI and PTSD.”
The following month, Champignon acquired AltMed and its ketamine clinic in Mississauga, Canada. As of March 2021, Champignon owns four ketamine therapy clinics in Canada branded as Canadian Rapid Treatment Center of Excellence (CRTCE). Clinical research done through CRTCE published in two June 2020 studies evidenced ketamine’s therapeutic effects in treating depression, bipolar disorder, anxiety symptoms, and suicidal ideation.1,2
In May 2020, Champignon acquired Wellness Clinic, a ketamine infusion center in southern California, marking the company’s first expansion into the United States. Champignon intends to secure or open clinics in other states, beginning with New York, Pennsylvania, Texas, Florida, and Missouri. That same month, Champignon announced sponsorship of TheraPsil, a nonprofit organization in British Columbia advocating for legal psilocybin treatment for Canadians in palliative care and their loved ones. Champignon partnered with Dalriada Drug Discovery in the summer of 2020 to develop its new chemical entity (NCE) IP portfolio with derivatives of ketamine and psilocybin.
CEO Dr. McIntyre was the lead author on a December 2020 publication in The Lancet that offered primary care physicians an overview of evidence-based treatments for bipolar disorder.3 Among the report’s conclusions were that “the availability of so-called rapid-onset treatments (eg, ketamine) and treatments that could mitigate suicidality is crucial to clinical settings.”
Updates on Champignon Brands can be found on the News page of its website.