Sensorium Therapeutics Receives FDA IND Clearance for SNTX-2643, a First-in-Class, Rapid-Acting Anxiolytic

Nature–evolved chemistry, human insight, and AI converge to advance a new generation of brain and mental health medicines

 Company Appoints Jacob Hooker, PhD as CEO and Simba Gill, PhD, as Executive Chair

BOSTON, July 8, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- Sensorium Therapeutics, Inc. (Sensorium), a neuroscience therapeutics company inspired by nature and guided by human biology to transform mental health treatment, announced today that the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has cleared the Investigational New Drug (IND) application for SNTX-2643, its lead anxiety program. With IND clearance secured, Sensorium enters a new stage of operational maturity, enabling first-in-human dosing and expanding the potential for strategic partnerships and downstream value creation. First in-human dosing begins in Q3 2025.

"A fast-acting, well–tolerated anxiolytic would be an important innovation for the hundreds of millions worldwide living with anxiety disorders," said Maurizio Fava, MD, Scientific Advisor to Sensorium and Chair of the Mass General Brigham Academic Medical Centers Psychiatry Department. "FDA clearance of SNTX–2643 moves us one step closer to that goal."

SNTX-2643 is a first-in-class precision serotonin modulator designed to treat neuropsychiatric conditions including social anxiety disorder (SAD), a leading anxiety disorder underserved by current pharmacologic treatments. Re-engineered from a natural product with a long history of human use, SNTX-2643 could overcome many critical limitations commonly associated with benzodiazepine-like drugs by enabling rapid onset of action, reducing off-target side effects, and avoiding sedation. It acts through unique pharmacology distinct from SSRIs, which are limited by delayed onset and can paradoxically increase acute anxiety in the early stages of treatment.

Co-Founder Jacob Hooker appointed as CEO, affirms company vision

Sensorium has appointed Jacob Hooker, PhD—co–founder and formerly endowed Harvard Medical School professor—as Chief Executive Officer. Dr. Hooker is a world-renowned expert in chemical neuroscience, biomarker development, and CNS pharmacology. He has co-founded and advised several biotech companies, including Eikonizo Therapeutics, Delix Therapeutics, and Rocket Science Health. Dr. Hooker succeeds Sandra Glucksmann, PhD, who will remain on Sensorium's Board of Directors and serve as a senior advisor.

"Leading Sensorium is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to change the course of neuropsychiatry that can't be realized through research alone," said Dr. Hooker. "We will help people living with mental health conditions by exploring nature's rich goldmine of medicinal compounds to discover and develop innovative therapies. Our approach starts with chemistry that co–evolved with humans, validates insights with modern neuroscience, and accelerates opportunities with AI. That combination can reshape how we treat brain and mental health conditions on a global scale."

Simba Gill named Sensorium Executive Chairman

Simba Gill, PhD, a current Board member, has been appointed Executive Chairman of Sensorium's Board of Directors. Dr. Gill has built and led multiple category–defining biotech companies, adding deep expertise in financing, business development, and commercialization to Sensorium's board. "Jacob and the founding team's brilliance and track record, combined with Sensorium's data–rich platform, position the company for rapid value inflection," said Dr. Gill.

"Sensorium is exactly the kind of company we are excited to back at this pivotal stage," said Kevin Lalande, Founder & Managing Partner at Santé Ventures, adding, "With an IND in hand, a differentiated platform, additional programs in epilepsy and Alzheimer's disease advancing quickly, and brilliant leadership, the company will illuminate new paths to safer, more effective mental health medications for millions globally."

Sensorium's current pipeline, powered by the company's SensAI™ discovery platform, is illustrated above. The platform mines natural bioactive materials with ethnobotanical records and applies rigorous neuroscientific and chemical analysis to identify broader and de-risked starting points for CNS drug discovery.

About Sensorium

Sensorium Therapeutics is a clinical–stage biotechnology company developing brain and mental health treatments that are derived from nature, mechanistically driven, clinically precise, and designed to help people thrive. Its proprietary SensAI platform integrates artificial intelligence, chemistry, and neuroscience to mine more than 50 million curated relationships across biology, pharmacology, clinical outcomes, and human experience to unlock broader and derisked starting points for CNS drug discovery. SensAI has already produced three differentiated programs in under three years—led by SNTX–2643, a first-in-class treatment for anxiety—and built a robust IP estate extending into the 2040s.

Contact
Jeney Zhang
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SOURCE Sensorium Therapeutics, Inc