Ibogaine Research for OUD Receives $11M Federal Grant; IND Clearance Sought

Harvard University's Mass General Brigham has secured an $11 million NIDA grant to advance ibogaine research for Opioid Use Disorder (OUD), aiming for FDA Investigational New Drug (IND) clearance and subsequent Phase I/IIa clinical trials. This significant federal investment, coupled with a related ARPA-H funding opportunity, signals a major push toward potentially bringing ibogaine to medical use in the U.S.

Harvard University's Mass General Brigham has received an $11 million grant from the National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA) to research ibogaine for Opioid Use Disorder (OUD). Led by Principal Investigator Joji Suzuki, the project aims to secure Investigational New Drug (IND) clearance from the FDA, followed by Phase I and potentially Phase IIa clinical trials.

This initiative could mark a pivotal moment for ibogaine in the U.S., potentially leading to the first IND clearance for the drug itself (distinct from its metabolite, noribogaine). Concurrently, the Advanced Research Projects Agency for Health (ARPA-H) has opened a related funding opportunity for ibogaine development for OUD. These federal actions underscore a growing interest and investment in the medical potential of psychedelics.

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