AbbVie, a biopharmaceutical company, has announced a definitive agreement to acquire Gilgamesh Pharmaceuticals’ lead investigational candidate, bretisilocin, a psychedelic compound being developed for the treatment of moderate-to-severe major depressive disorder (MDD). The acquisition is valued at up to $1.2 billion and marks AbbVie’s commitment to advancing innovative treatments for psychiatric care.
Bretisilocin has shown promising results in its Phase 2a study, demonstrating a clinically impactful reduction in depressive symptoms with no serious adverse events. The compound works as a 5-HT2A receptor agonist and 5-HT releaser, addressing development challenges observed in existing psychedelic compounds.
“This acquisition underscores our commitment to broadening and enhancing psychiatric care by investing in novel treatment approaches,” said Roopal Thakkar, AbbVie’s executive vice president of research and development. “We look forward to advancing bretisilocin rapidly forward while enabling Gilgamesh to continue pursuing its broader mission.”
The deal builds upon AbbVie and Gilgamesh’s 2024 collaboration and option-to-license agreement to advance next-generation therapies for psychiatric disorders. The acquisition is subject to customary closing conditions, with AbbVie spinning off a new entity, Gilgamesh Pharma Inc., to hold Gilgamesh’s employees, programs, and collaborations.
Source: https://news.abbvie.com/2025-08-25-AbbVie-to-Acquire-Gilgamesh-Pharmaceuticals-Bretisilocin,-a-Novel,-Investigational-Therapy-for-Major-Depressive-Disorder,-Expanding-Psychiatry-Pipeline