Psilocybin mushrooms
(Source: Optimi Health)
  • Health Canada has cleared psychedelics stock Optimi Health (CSE:OPTI) to conduct a phase 2 clinical trial in partnership with ATMA Journey Centers
  • The trial will evaluate Optimi’s psilocybin capsules in 200 frontline healthcare workers in Canada with a focus on Major Depressive Disorder related to COVID-19 and potential capacity enhancements while on the job
  • Optimi is a GMP-certified psychedelic pharmaceuticals manufacturer licensed by Health Canada specializing in psilocybin and MDMA
  • Optimi Health stock has added 50 per cent year-over-year, but remains down by 68.09 per cent since inception in 2021

Health Canada has cleared psychedelics stock Optimi Health (CSE:OPTI) to conduct a phase 2 clinical trial in partnership with ATMA Journey Centers.

The trial, beginning in the coming months, will evaluate Optimi’s psilocybin capsules in 200 frontline healthcare workers in Canada for safety, efficacy and therapeutic effectiveness, with a focus on Major Depressive Disorder related to COVID-19 and potential capacity enhancements while on the job.

According to Nature, Major Depressive Disorder will become the leading cause of disease burden by 2030, with significant unmet needs among existing treatments in terms of improved safety profiles and reliable, more long-lasting effects. Optimi is keen to advance the growing potential of psilocybin as a new standard of care with its phase 2 trial and follow up on its successes in Australia to alleviate treatment-resistant depression and post-traumatic stress disorder.

Optimi has yet to turn a profit on a net income basis, but did turn gross profitable over the past two quarters, rising from 27.27 per cent in Q4 2023 to 50 per cent in Q1 2024 on revenue of C$110,000 and C$80,000, respectively.

Leadership insights

“We are deeply grateful to Health Canada for approving our psilocybin extract for this pivotal phase 2 trial,” Bill Ciprick, Optimi Health’s chief executive officer, said in a statement. “This approval not only propels our clinical validation efforts in Canada but also underscores our unique position in the global psychedelics industry. We are thrilled to be partnering with ATMA on this groundbreaking study, which complements our ongoing collection of real-world evidence from patients in Australia.”

About Optimi Health 

Optimi is a GMP-certified psychedelic pharmaceuticals manufacturer licensed by Health Canada specializing in psilocybin and MDMA.

Optimi Health stock (CSE:OPTI) last traded at C$0.30 per share. The stock has added 50 per cent year-over-year, but remains down by 68.09 per cent since inception in 2021.

Join the discussion: Find out what everybody’s saying about this psychedelics stock on the Optimi Health Corp. Bullboard and check out Stockhouse’s stock forums and message boards.

The material provided in this article is for information only and should not be treated as investment advice. For full disclaimer information, please click here.

(Top photo: Optimi Health)


More From The Market Online

@ the Bell: Steady rates, rising gold weigh on markets as S&P hits milestone

Canada’s main stock index finished modestly higher on Wednesday as gold prices climbed to a new...

Bank of Canada holds key interest rate for second straight meeting

The Bank of Canada held its key interest rate at 2.25 per cent for a second straight meeting, a move analysts widely expected
The Market Online Video

Markets in Motion: Weaker dollar fuels commodity and small-cap rotation

In this Markets in Motion episode, Bruce Campbell explores U.S.dollar weakness, accelerating commodity prices, small-cap rotation, and shifting market leadership in early 2026.