AUSTIN, Texas — May 5, 2026 — Leads & Copy — EPIK Biosciences (EPIK), a psychedelic drug development company, has announced its formation. The company aims to develop synergistic combination medications and advanced co-delivery formulations targeting mental health disorders, severe/chronic pain, and substance use disorders.
The company is entering the psychedelic medicine space following the White House’s April 18, 2026, Executive Order titled Accelerating Medical Treatments for Serious Mental Illness, which directs federal agencies to fast-track the research, review, and approval of psychedelic therapies and committing at least $50 million in new federal funding. According to EPIK Biosciences, state-level access programs are surging, FDA “Breakthrough Therapy” designations are accelerating, and institutional capital is flowing into the sector.
Brandon Romanek, founder, CEO, and inventor of EPIK Biosciences’ therapeutic portfolio, stated that the company’s proprietary medicines formulations are different from anything currently available. He added that they are building therapies designed to address the root causes of mental health disorders, chronic pain and addiction, and are focused on helping patients achieve consistent, long-term outcomes where existing therapies may fall short.
Romanek began researching ketamine in 2012 and following a severe illness and a prolonged ICU stay marked by multiple near-death experiences, he made the discoveries that led to the creation of EPIK’s proprietary formulations.
Romanek added that the opioid epidemic continues to take a devastating toll on our society, with more than 100,000 overdose deaths each year in the United States. He said that his journey through ketamine research began when life-changing ICU experiences in 2019 and 2020 showed him firsthand the urgent need for better, non-addictive treatment options. At EPIK Biosciences, the goal is to build therapies that go beyond symptom management to address root causes, with the goal of helping millions of patients worldwide to achieve lasting recovery and fundamentally changing the trajectory of this crisis.
EPIK Biosciences is developing a portfolio of proprietary ketamine-based formulations engineered around NMDA receptor modulation, with the goal of improving on the efficacy, durability, and accessibility limitations of currently available treatments. The Company has initiated preclinical pharmacokinetic and animal studies across its lead formulations and is concurrently building an intellectual property portfolio covering its compositions, delivery technologies, and methods of use.
EPIK is working with Casimir Jones, S.C., a life sciences intellectual property firm and recognized leader in psychedelic patent law, to advise the Company on its patent strategy and support the advancement of its drug formulations through preclinical and clinical development toward FDA approval.
David A. Casimir, J.D., Ph.D., founding partner of Casimir Jones and co-founder of Porta Sophia, stated that Casimir Jones is committed to advancing thoughtful and defensible intellectual property in emerging therapeutic fields. He added that EPIK’s approach stands out for its rigor and originality, and they believe the Company is building a meaningful and defensible IP position with the potential to shape the future of mental health and addiction treatment.
EPIK’s leadership team is assembling to support the Company’s clinical development roadmap. Senior appointments to executive roles are forthcoming.
EPIK will provide further updates on its pipeline, leadership team, and clinical strategy in the coming months.
EPIK Biosciences is a psychedelic drug development company building a proprietary platform rooted in NMDA receptor modulation, engineering ketamine-based, synergistic co-delivery formulations targeting mental health disorders, drug addiction, substance use disorders, and severe and chronic pain. Through formulation science, multi-route delivery systems and a strong intellectual property strategy, EPIK aims to expand access to safe, effective treatments that address some of the healthcare challenges worldwide.
Source: EPIK Biosciences
