LOS ANGELES / Jul 20, 2023 / Business Wire / Kernel, a leader in non-invasive neuroimaging, announces the publication of their study "Measuring acute effects of subanesthetic ketamine on cerebrovascular hemodynamics in humans using TD-fNIRS," in the journal Scientific Reports from the Nature Portfolio of Journals. The study, sponsored by Cybin Inc. (NEO:CYBN) (NYSE American:CYBN), underscores the ability of Kernel’s Flow1 system to capture and analyze brain changes resulting from the administration of a psychoactive substance. This is the first fNIRS human neuroimaging study with ketamine ever conducted and the largest fNIRS study measuring the acute effect of a psychedelic.

In this single-blind, placebo-controlled study, employing a non-randomized design, the Flow1 system, built with time-domain functional near-infrared spectroscopy (TD-fNIRS) was utilized to measure acute brain dynamics following intramuscular subanesthetic ketamine (0.75 mg/kg) and placebo (saline) administration in a clinical setting. The study, conducted at a traditional psychiatry office with 15 healthy participants (8 females, 7 males; average age 32.4 ± 7.5 years), showcased the seamless integration of Flow1 into everyday clinical settings, highlighting its user-friendly nature for neuroimaging in real-world environments.

Flow1 recorded that ketamine administration induced an altered state of consciousness and systemic physiological changes, such as an increase in pulse rate. Additionally, the data showed a brain-wide reduction in the fractional amplitude of low frequency fluctuations (fALFF), coupled with a decrease in global brain connectivity within the prefrontal region. Preliminary evidence suggests that a combination of neural and physiological metrics may serve as predictors of subjective mystical experiences and reductions in depressive symptomatology.

"This study represents a significant milestone in the field of neuroimaging, demonstrating the remarkable ease and capabilities of Flow1 to explore the physiological effects of psychedelics like ketamine in natural settings," commented Ryan Field, CEO of Kernel. "It also paves the way for large-scale clinical studies using our Flow technology, which enables the quantification of psychedelics' impact on the brain."

“The feasibility study is truly groundbreaking as it supports Kernel’s ability to measure functional brain activity in real time, using a wearable, convenient device. The study results also suggest that a combination of metrics may be predictive of subjective mystical experiences during psychedelic treatment,” said Doug Drysdale, Chief Executive Officer of Cybin. “We are excited about the potential for this technology in expanding our understanding of the mechanisms and effects of psychedelic-based therapeutics on the brain and applications to research and clinical trials, which is essential to Cybin’s goal of developing differentiated therapeutics for people with mental health conditions.

Kernel's dedication to advancing precision neuromedicine is part of its mission to develop the world's most comprehensive portfolio of brain-based biomarkers. By leveraging the immense potential of Kernel Flow1 and its ability to generate clinically relevant biomarkers, Kernel is revolutionizing the landscape of mental and brain health treatments.

About Kernel

Kernel has built a new class of functional neuroimaging technology that is scalable and easy to use, Kernel Flow. The Flow technology is a headset that maintains the data quality of research systems that have come before it, allowing Kernel to build robust brain-based biomarkers. These biomarkers enable a new field of precision neuromedicine, a transformative approach using brain data to inform mental and brain health. Similar to the way that genetic screening has revolutionized the understanding and treatment of cancer, brain data will personalize and accelerate neuromedicine.

About Cybin

Cybin is a clinical-stage biopharmaceutical company on a mission to create safe and effective psychedelic-based therapeutics to address the large unmet need for new and innovative treatment options for people who suffer from mental health conditions.

Cybin’s goal of revolutionizing mental healthcare is supported by a network of world-class partners and internationally recognized scientists aimed at progressing proprietary drug discovery platforms, innovative drug delivery systems, novel formulation approaches, and treatment regimens. The Company is currently developing CYB003, a proprietary deuterated psilocybin analog for the treatment of major depressive disorder and CYB004, a proprietary deuterated DMT molecule for generalized anxiety disorder and has a research pipeline of investigational psychedelic-based compounds.

Headquartered in Canada and founded in 2019, Cybin is operational in Canada, the United States, the United Kingdom, the Netherlands and Ireland. For company updates and to learn more about Cybin, visit www.cybin.com or follow the team on Twitter, LinkedIn, YouTube and Instagram.