atai Life Sciences Acquires Psilera’s DMT Patent Portfolio

• Psilera has licensed its DMT (N,N-dimethyltryptamine) patent portfolio to atai Life Sciences, covering granted and pending patents for DMT and related psychedelics.

• The deal includes an upfront payment, milestone-based payments, and royalties, while Psilera continues developing PSIL-006 for frontotemporal dementia.

Psilera, Inc., a biotechnology company focused on neurological disorders, has entered into a licensing agreement with atai Life Sciences, a clinical-stage biopharmaceutical company developing psychedelic-based therapies. Under the agreement, atai has acquired Psilera’s patent portfolio covering DMT and related psychedelics.

Psilera’s patent portfolio includes multiple granted and pending patents for DMT-specific formulations designed for clinical and outpatient use. The agreement provides Psilera with an upfront payment, potential milestone-based payments, and royalties on future product sales. The financial terms of the deal were not disclosed.

“We’re pleased to collaborate with atai on the DMT patent portfolio given their leadership in psychedelic drug development,” said Dr. Chris Witowski, Co-Founder and CEO of Psilera. He added that this transaction enables Psilera to focus on advancing its lead candidate, PSIL-006, for frontotemporal dementia and other next-generation neuroplastogens.

Dr. Srinivas Rao, Co-Founder and CEO of atai, stated that the agreement strengthens atai’s DMT patent position and expands its potential for novel formulations. The company aims to explore DMT’s therapeutic potential across a range of neurological disorders.

Founded in 2019, Psilera continues to develop its neuroplastogen pipeline and expects to initiate first-in-human trials for PSIL-006 in 2026.