Sunstone Therapies Launches to Accelerate and Scale Psychedelic Therapy in the Medical Setting

ROCKVILLE, Md., Dec. 1, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- Sunstone Therapies, a company dedicated to easing the suffering associated with cancer, today formalizes its structure to accelerate and scale safe psychedelic therapy that will help address the mental and emotional needs of oncology patients. Sunstone, a pioneer in whole person healing, developed the only psychedelic therapy design that integrates the physical setting with drug administration to ensure the most effective therapeutic experience for cancer patients. By conducting clinical trials, providing specialized training for therapists, and serving as the intermediary between cancer centers and psychedelic drug manufacturers, Sunstone is creating the standard of care for the delivery of psychedelic therapy.

More than 17 million people live with cancer in the U.S. and depression and anxiety affect 15-25% of these patients. Historically, patients with cancer do not receive adequate treatment for their mental health, as doctors prioritize treating the physical impacts of cancer. Psychedelic therapy is a promising avenue to help address the gap in care for cancer patients experiencing severe mental illness. 

"While working as an oncologist, I saw first-hand that there was a huge unmet need; I was taking good care of my patients by treating their cancer, but they were dealing with tremendous suffering that I couldn't address properly through traditional cancer care," said Manish Agrawal, MD, chief executive officer for Sunstone Therapies. "This led me to research psychedelic therapy—specifically psilocybin therapy—with the goal of integrating effective mental health treatment into cancer care protocols across the country."

Founded by medical oncologists Dr. Manish Agrawal and Dr. Paul Thambi, Sunstone Therapies operationalizes psychedelic-assisted therapy within cancer centers, and their inaugural site is the Bill Richards Center for Healing at the Aquilino Cancer Center. Sunstone plays an integral role in creating the physical setting where patients receive care and training therapists with the skills needed to make sure patients feel safe and supported. The company is now focused on accelerating on-the-ground learning and operations necessary to scale psychedelic therapies in additional cancer centers and medical settings throughout the country.

Sunstone is currently conducting clinical trials on psilocybin, a naturally occurring compound produced by multiple species of fungi, and MDMA to determine their role in addressing the mental health needs of cancer patients. In developing the clinical trial protocol at the Bill Richards Center for Healing, the team at Sunstone pioneered simultaneous group administration of psilocybin, allowing the therapist team to test the value of group support for cancer patients as well as the potential for increased scalability in providing psilocybin therapy in real world settings. In 2022, Sunstone Therapies aims to expand its clinical trial offerings to cancer patients and their families with different clinical indications. 

"At the Aquilino Cancer Center, we are committed to providing the best cancer care to our patients, and that includes treating the whole person," said Terry Forde, president and CEO of Adventist HealthCare, which operates Aquilino Cancer Center. "We are thrilled to partner with Sunstone Therapies to bring this valuable mode of therapy to our center and look forward to the increased ways it will enhance the wellbeing of our patients."

Sunstone Therapies was founded to change the standard of cancer care. Formed by shared compassion among the company's leaders to address the emotional needs of patients, Sunstone firmly believes the design and delivery of psychedelic therapy are as important as the drug itself. The Sunstone team understands that there are multiple layers of grief associated with cancer and is committed to addressing these complex needs by providing an exceptional experience for every patient receiving psychedelic therapy.

Sunstone Therapies

Sunstone Therapies is a company committed to accelerating and scaling the gold standard of psychedelic therapy in the medical setting by conducting clinical trials with drug manufacturers, providing tactical training for therapists in the field, and serving as the intermediary between cancer centers with psychedelic drug manufacturers. They are creating a network of cancer centers that offer psychedelic therapy for their patients suffering from depression, anxiety, and other mental health conditions.

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SOURCE Sunstone Therapies