In a shocking move that contradicts its previous stance on intellectual property, Lykos Therapeutics (formerly known as MAPS PBC) — the organization leading the movement to legalize MDMA–assisted therapy — has filed multiple patent applications for specific forms and formulations of MDMA. Prior to this revelation, which was first reported on by Psychedelic Alpha, Lykos had long been praised in the psychedelic community and media for its “altruistic stance” in not seeking patent protections as part of its strategy, instead choosing to publish its research findings in scientific literature.
MAPS’s anti-patent stance, which intended to prevent MDMA from being monopolized, stood in stark contrast to the aggressive patent strategies of competitors like Compass Pathways and Atai Life Sciences. Rick Doblins, the founder of MAPS, had been analyzing the non-patentable status of MDMA since the late ‘80s, and in an article titled “MDMA Patentability and Orphan Drug Designation,” published in 1992, he wrote:
“It could be a major setback if MAPS funded MDMA research and secured approval for its medical use only to have someone else control it through an inexpensively obtained use patent.”
