atai Life Sciences N.V. (NASDAQ: $ATAI (+7,55 %) ) is a Berlin-based, clinically advanced biopharmaceutical company founded in 2018. The company focuses on the development of novel, rapid-acting and long-lasting therapies for psychiatric disorders, in particular based on psychedelics, entactogens and neuroplastogenic substances.
The guiding principle of atai is to create effective alternatives to existing therapies for indications with high unmet medical needs, such as treatment-resistant depression, anxiety disorders or addictions. The research and development programs cover current key candidates:
VLS-01 (DMT) for treatment-resistant depression (phase 2)
EMP-01 (R-MDMA) for social anxiety disorder (Phase 2)
5-HT2A agonists (incl. non-hallucinogenic neuroplastogens, undisclosed)
BPL-003 (mebubotenin benzoate) in partnership with Beckley Psytech (Phase 2) .
Recently, atai and Beckley Psytech announced a planned combination in an all-share deal, subject to certain success criteria for BPL-003 (mebubotenin) in the Phase 2b trial. This transaction is expected to strengthen the global reach and portfolio potential of both companies. On July 1, 2025, the Financial Times reported positive initial data from a Phase 2 trial of a psychedelic nasal spray (mebubotenin benzoate) that showed clinically relevant symptom reductions in treatment-resistant depression within one day and maintained efficacy for up to eight weeks with a single dose. The majority of the 193 study participants could be discharged within 90 minutes of administration, promising a much more favorable environment for clinical care.
(Written with LLM)
