Tryptamine Therapeutics Ltd (ASX:TYP) has appointed leading psychiatric scholar Professor David Castle to its Scientific Advisory Board (SAB) to provide expert consulting services with respect to best-practice for regulatory engagement and grant funding initiatives in connection with Tryp’s ongoing clinical trial program.
Extensive experience
Professor Castle is one of Australia's most distinguished psychiatrists with 20 years of experience at the University of Melbourne, including 15 years as Professor of Psychiatry.
In 2021, he was recruited to serve as the Inaugural Scientific Director at the Centre for Complex Interventions (CCI) and the Centre for Addictions and Mental Health (CAMH) at the University of Toronto.
He was recently appointed by the Tasmanian Government as Professor of Psychiatry at the University of Tasmania’s Centre for Mental Health Service Innovation, which was launched in partnership with the Tasmanian Department of Health.
Throughout his career, Professor Castle has focused his clinical and research work on mental health conditions including schizophrenia and related disorders, bipolar disorder and the obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) spectrum.
In particular, he has a major current interest in psychedelic treatments to achieve improved health outcomes in the field of psychiatry. He is also pursuing his work on OCD spectrum disorders, notably body dysmorphic disorder, in which he is a recognised international expert (ranked first globally on Expertscape).
Professor Castle is currently one of the lead clinicians for an ongoing psychedelic clinical study utilising oral psilocybin in OCD. Comprising 160 patients, the three-arm, placebo-controlled study is the largest single study for OCD globally.
He has also provided input into a second clinical study (scheduled to commence soon) that gained grant support from the Australian Government for oral psilocybin's use in Anorexia Nervosa.
As one of Australia’s leading researchers in mental health, he has published over 900 articles and book chapters and is a regular reviewer for more than 30 national and international scientific journals. Over the course of his career, he also has a demonstrated track record of attracting continuous and significant grant funding for research projects.
Another high-calibre appointment
Tryptamine Therapeutics CEO Jason Carroll said: “It’s my pleasure to welcome Professor Castle to Tryp’s Scientific Advisory Board, marking another high-calibre appointment to guide the strategic direction of the company in pursuit of our stated clinical development strategy.
“In discussions with the Tryp management team and incumbent members of the SAB, Professor Castle has showed a high level of interest in the potential for use of IV-infused psilocin in terms of supporting both patients and clinicians as well as the potential for it to be viewed positively by the TGA for potential registration and reimbursement.
“The Tryp team have enjoyed discussions with Professor Castle to date and appreciate the strength and breadth of his knowledge and expertise.
"We strongly believe that his addition to our SAB will be truly beneficial, not just due to his professional input to the company’s clinical program, but also in the support of patients and clinicians as we develop a path for the registration, approval and clinical use of IV-infused psilocin for those that are in medical need.”
Professor Castle’s appointment, for a three-year term, follows the recent reappointment of Robin Carhart-Harris, PhD, a psychopharmacologist and globally recognised leader in psychedelics research, who renewed his role as chair of the company’s Scientific Advisory Board for a three-year term.