Mindset Pharma Selects Lead Clinical Candidates From "Family 2" of its Next Generation Psychedelic Drug Portfolio

TORONTO, Oct. 05, 2022 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Mindset Pharma Inc. (CSE: MSET) (FSE: 9DF) (OTCQB: MSSTF) ("Mindset" or the "Company"), a drug discovery company developing novel, optimized, next-generation psychedelic and non-psychedelic medications to treat neuropsychiatric and neurological disorders with unmet medical needs, today announced that after extensive preclinical screening studies, a lead psychedelic drug clinical candidate, MSP-2020, and a second back-up drug candidate, MSP-2003, have been selected from its Family 2 program in collaboration with The McQuade Center for Strategic Research and Development, LLC (MSRD), a member of the global Otsuka family of pharmaceutical companies, to advance to IND enabling studies.

MSP-2020 and MSP-2003 are both novel and patentable compounds. They are covered under Mindset's United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO) patent number 17/387,864, titled "3-Pyrrolidine-Indole Derivatives as Serotonergic Psychedelic Agents for the Treatment of CNS Disorders." Mindset has received a notice of allowance from the USPTO for this application.

In side-by-side comparisons to psilocybin and psilocin, the two drug candidates elicit in vitro and behavioral responses consistent with a stronger and shorter acting psychedelic effect than psilocybin and a significantly reduced half-life. The drug candidates are CNS penetrant and exhibit high oral bioavailability in different species. They are being developed as optimized next-generation psychedelic drug candidates for the treatment of mental health disorders with IND enabling studies to be initiated by a leading global CRO in late 2022.

"Through a world class scientific collaboration among the Mindset, MSRD and Otsuka Pharmaceuticals teams, Mindset has successfully moved its Family 2 program forward. After extensively screening multiple drug candidates in preclinical studies, we were able to identify not one, but two novel drug candidates to potentially advance to clinical human trials. We are delighted to have reached this major milestone in our program's development," said James Lanthier, CEO of Mindset Pharma. "These candidates, when compared to psilocin and psilocybin, showed the potential to be stronger and faster acting. The preclinical results continue to support our belief that next-generation psychedelic drug compounds have the potential to be superior treatment options for mental health. Our teams continue to advance our collaboration to bring this innovative therapeutic into first-in-human clinical development and ultimately to patients in medical need as rapidly as possible."

To watch a video of Mindset's CEO and CSO discussing the announcement in greater detail, please visit: https://youtu.be/fEDe8nwkupI

About Mindset Pharma Inc.
Mindset Pharma Inc. is a drug discovery and development company focused on creating optimized and patentable next-generation psychedelic medicines to treat neurological and psychiatric disorders with unmet needs. Mindset was established in order to develop next-generation pharmaceutical assets that leverage the breakthrough therapeutic potential of psychedelic drugs. Mindset is developing several novel families of next-generation psychedelic compounds, as well as an innovative process to chemically synthesize psilocybin in addition to its own proprietary compounds. The company has a co-development agreement with the McQuade Center for Strategic Research and Development, a member of the Otsuka Pharmaceuticals family of companies, for its short-duration compounds, Mindset Families 2 & 4.

For further information on Mindset, please visit our website at www.mindsetpharma.com.

For more information, please contact:

Investor Contact:
Allison Soss
KCSA Strategic Communications
Email: [email protected]
Phone: 212-896-1267

Media Contact:
McKenna Miller
KCSA Strategic Communications
Email: [email protected]
Phone: 949-606-6585

Company Contact:
James Lanthier, CEO
Email: [email protected]

Jason Atkinson, VP, Corporate Development
Email: [email protected]
Phone: 416-479-4094

Forward-Looking Information
This news release contains certain "forward-looking information" within the meaning of applicable securities law. Forward looking information is frequently characterized by words such as "plan", "expect", "project", "intend", "believe", "anticipate", "estimate", "may", "will", "would", "potential", "proposed" and other similar words, or statements that certain events or conditions "may" or "will" occur. These statements are only predictions. Forward-looking information is based on the opinions and estimates of management at the date the information is provided and is subject to a variety of risks and uncertainties and other factors that could cause actual events or results to differ materially from those projected in the forward-looking information. Additional information regarding risks and uncertainties relating to the Company's business are contained under the heading "Risk Factors" in the Company's annual information form for the financial year ended June 30, 2020 dated March 5, 2021. The forward-looking information included in this news release is made as of the date of this news release and the Company does not undertake an obligation to publicly update such forward-looking information to reflect new information, subsequent events or otherwise, except as required by applicable law.

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