The Week of

Australian biotech company NuNerve announced that it’s advancing its experimental ALS drug, NUN-004, into a Phase 2 clinical trial involving 75 patients.

The treatment targets a protein believed to contribute to nerve cell damage, with the goal of protecting surviving nerve cells and potentially restoring damaged connections. Early testing showed encouraging signs of improved strength, mobility, and fatigue, although the study was too small to establish effectiveness. The upcoming trial will determine whether those improvements hold up in a larger group of patients. Here’s more: https://jlsfund.substack.com/p/experimental-als-drug-offers-hope.

NRx Pharmaceuticals landed FDA approval for a new preservative-free version of ketamine, with shipments to hospitals and clinics expected to begin in January 2027.

The drug eliminates a preservative found in existing formulations and comes in a specially designed vial that allows healthcare workers to prepare injections without using a needle to access the medication. Manufactured in South Carolina, the product could also help ease recurring U.S. ketamine shortages that have persisted since 2018. Although ketamine has attracted attention as a potential depression treatment, this new formulation is approved for anesthesia, not depression. Check it out: https://jlsfund.substack.com/p/nrx-pharmaceuticals-launches-new.

Neurosterix raised $105 million to advance its experimental schizophrenia drug, NTX-253, into Phase 2 clinical trials.

Unlike traditional antipsychotic medications that block dopamine, NTX-253 targets a brain receptor called M4, potentially reducing hallucinations and delusions without some of the troublesome side effects associated with existing treatments. The drug has completed initial safety testing, and the upcoming trial will determine whether it can meaningfully improve schizophrenia symptoms. Neurosterix was spun out of Addex Therapeutics in 2024. Here’s more: https://jlsfund.substack.com/p/neurosterix-raises-105-million-to.

Did You Know Scientists Are Tracking 3,000 Real-World Psychedelic Experiences?

Researchers at the University of California, San Francisco are launching a study to better understand what happens when people use psychedelics outside controlled clinical settings.

The federally funded project will track up to 3,000 participants and examine how factors such as environment, emotional state, and individual biology influence their experiences. Using surveys, wearable technology, and brain imaging, researchers hope to learn why psychedelics produce positive experiences for some people but difficult or distressing ones for others. Check it out: https://www.news-medical.net/news/20261110/UCSF-launches-global-study-tracking-real-world-psychedelic-experiences.aspx.