AbbVie has completed its acquisition of Gilgamesh Pharmaceuticals' lead investigational candidate, bretisilocin.

Bretisilocin is a novel, short-acting serotonin 5-HT2A receptor agonist and 5-HT releaser currently in Phase 2 clinical development for the treatment of patients with moderate-to-severe major depressive disorder (MDD). This next-generation 5-HT2A receptor agonist is designed to help address current development challenges observed with classic psychedelic compounds.

"Recent clinical results have demonstrated the potential of bretisilocin to treat patients living with MDD," said Daniel Mikol, M.D., Ph.D., vice president, neuroscience development, AbbVie. "With the acquisition now complete, we look forward to accelerating the development of this next-generation compound, reinforcing AbbVie's commitment to delivering innovative, science-driven treatment options for people living with serious mental health conditions."