2A Biosciences

2A Biosciences is researching and developing a novel class of therapeutics that can treat inflammatory diseases that affect 191 million Americans. They are starting with chronic skin diseases such as psoriasis and atopic dermatitis, a market of over 25M patients. Their new approach to this class of diseases is important because existing drugs primary suppress rather than modify or control the inflammation. By treating the symptoms, patients continue to suffer from the disease as well as experience side effects from the current drugs. Unlike traditional drugs, 2A is targeting serotonin 2A (5-HT2A) receptors to potentially directly address the inflation. This pathway has been under researched due to the former association with psychedelic drugs like psilocybin. The 2A team has been able to isolate chemical components involved in targeting this receptor without inducing any hallucinatory or mind altering effects. As a comparison, it is a bit like extracting CBD from a cannabis plant for the anti-inflammatory benefits, without extracting the THC.