![Source: mouse, Blackbox Bio, background, DI Studio]](https://lifesciencedfw.com/wp-content/uploads/elementor/thumbs/BlackboxBio-mouse-2up-970-e1727147963505-quk7rle48pc5qgvqo42cvmjd4nguvozrmkbokqgxoo.jpeg "Source: mouse, Blackbox Bio, background, DI Studio]")
Dallas-based biotech startup Cacti is harnessing technology from fellow DFW company Blackbox Bio to develop groundbreaking psychedelic-derived medicines that eliminate traditional side effects. Spearheaded by husband-and-wife duo Kaitlin and David Roberson, the company is leveraging AI-powered algorithms capable of detecting psychedelic hallucinations in mice.
The rich data sets gathered from their research may one day lead to the creation of AI-generated virtual mice, potentially reducing the need for live animal testing.
In 2021, over 51 million Americans suffered from chronic pain, according to the CDC, while the NIH reports that 2.1 million people in the U.S. have opioid use disorder. The founders of Cacti believe these numbers are closely related.
By combining their expertise in brain development and function, Kaitlin Roberson, CEO of Cacti, and David Roberson, Cacti’s lead scientific advisor, are taking an innovative approach to pain treatment. Their focus is on addressing trauma, which often lies at the root of chronic pain.
“Cacti has two main programs,” David explains. “One aims to reset ‘angry’ pain nerves by delivering a psychedelic molecule directly to the nerve sending the pain signal. Essentially, we’re making pain nerves ‘trip.’ The second approach involves a therapeutic catalyst: a psychedelic-derived medicine that targets the brain’s emotional processing of pain, paired with psychotherapy to help retrain the brain’s pain response.”
To develop these medicines, Cacti utilizes technology from Blackbox Bio.
AI-Driven Drug Development
Blackbox Bio, also based in Dallas-Fort Worth, uses artificial intelligence to monitor the behavior of lab mice and rats under various conditions, such as when they experience arthritis pain or are treated with experimental drugs. Their technology observes rodents from below, a perspective crucial for studying prey animals that instinctively mask injury or weakness to avoid predators.
This method allows AI algorithms to detect subtle signs of pain, such as favoring a limb or difficulty with balance, which improves the quality of data collected. By replacing human observation with AI, outcomes are more reliable, fewer animals are needed, and the process accelerates drug approval.
“The ultimate goal is to use these data sets to create AI virtual mice, which could replace live animals in many experiments,” said David.
Cacti is already utilizing this technology to identify psychedelic-derived medicines without the hallucinogenic effects that are typical of classical psychedelics. The AI can even detect when a mouse is experiencing hallucinations.
“Having access to this technology has given us a significant head start in our search for new therapies to address the root causes of chronic pain,” said Kaitlin.
The Growth of Cacti
The seeds of Cacti were planted four years ago in Massachusetts, before the company began its journey toward FDA approval. At the time, Kaitlin was finishing her graduate studies at Harvard University, and the family of six, along with their dog Ruby, lived in a small Harvard Square apartment.
When the COVID-19 pandemic hit, the family realized they needed to leave the cramped space. Though initially reluctant to leave Massachusetts, they decided to move to Texas, drawn by the state’s unique position as both the largest refugee resettlement state and a border state facing immigration challenges.
Kaitlin took a job with a Texas-based resettlement agency, but when the agency went bankrupt a year later, David, a neurobiologist and drug developer, began exploring the idea of a startup to integrate psychedelics into chronic pain treatment. He focused on phenethylamines, a class of compounds produced by the cactus family, which inspired the company’s name.
Reinventing Pain Management
With her background in developmental psychology, Kaitlin took on the role of CEO, and Cacti was born. The company aims to revolutionize pain management by addressing both the emotional and physical aspects of pain.
“Depression, grief, and negative emotions are processed in the same part of the brain that activates when chronic pain occurs,” David explained. Cacti’s approach is designed to treat the triggers of pain, offering a more holistic solution.
The company faces challenges with the healthcare system, particularly in how new treatments involving psychedelics and psychotherapy might be covered by insurance, given the extensive time required for therapy sessions.
A Future Without Pain
Cacti’s medicines have not yet entered human trials, but the company is committed to creating treatments for trauma-related chronic pain, including for refugees, a cause close to Kaitlin’s heart.
“It’s a long road to FDA approval for a first-in-class medicine, but we’re committed to helping patients with chronic pain who deserve better treatments. We’re well on our way to finding them,” Kaitlin said.
A future without opioid dependence may be closer than we think.
Original article written by: Dallas Innovates
Dallas-based biotech startup Cacti is harnessing technology from fellow DFW company Blackbox Bio to develop groundbreaking psychedelic-derived medicines that eliminate traditional side effects. Spearheaded by husband-and-wife duo Kaitlin and David Roberson, the company is leveraging AI-powered algorithms capable of detecting psychedelic hallucinations in mice.
The rich data sets gathered from their research may one day lead to the creation of AI-generated virtual mice, potentially reducing the need for live animal testing.
In 2021, over 51 million Americans suffered from chronic pain, according to the CDC, while the NIH reports that 2.1 million people in the U.S. have opioid use disorder. The founders of Cacti believe these numbers are closely related.
By combining their expertise in brain development and function, Kaitlin Roberson, CEO of Cacti, and David Roberson, Cacti’s lead scientific advisor, are taking an innovative approach to pain treatment. Their focus is on addressing trauma, which often lies at the root of chronic pain.
“Cacti has two main programs,” David explains. “One aims to reset ‘angry’ pain nerves by delivering a psychedelic molecule directly to the nerve sending the pain signal. Essentially, we’re making pain nerves ‘trip.’ The second approach involves a therapeutic catalyst: a psychedelic-derived medicine that targets the brain’s emotional processing of pain, paired with psychotherapy to help retrain the brain’s pain response.”
To develop these medicines, Cacti utilizes technology from Blackbox Bio.
AI-Driven Drug Development
Blackbox Bio, also based in Dallas-Fort Worth, uses artificial intelligence to monitor the behavior of lab mice and rats under various conditions, such as when they experience arthritis pain or are treated with experimental drugs. Their technology observes rodents from below, a perspective crucial for studying prey animals that instinctively mask injury or weakness to avoid predators.
This method allows AI algorithms to detect subtle signs of pain, such as favoring a limb or difficulty with balance, which improves the quality of data collected. By replacing human observation with AI, outcomes are more reliable, fewer animals are needed, and the process accelerates drug approval.
“The ultimate goal is to use these data sets to create AI virtual mice, which could replace live animals in many experiments,” said David.
Cacti is already utilizing this technology to identify psychedelic-derived medicines without the hallucinogenic effects that are typical of classical psychedelics. The AI can even detect when a mouse is experiencing hallucinations.
“Having access to this technology has given us a significant head start in our search for new therapies to address the root causes of chronic pain,” said Kaitlin.
The Growth of Cacti
The seeds of Cacti were planted four years ago in Massachusetts, before the company began its journey toward FDA approval. At the time, Kaitlin was finishing her graduate studies at Harvard University, and the family of six, along with their dog Ruby, lived in a small Harvard Square apartment.
When the COVID-19 pandemic hit, the family realized they needed to leave the cramped space. Though initially reluctant to leave Massachusetts, they decided to move to Texas, drawn by the state’s unique position as both the largest refugee resettlement state and a border state facing immigration challenges.
Kaitlin took a job with a Texas-based resettlement agency, but when the agency went bankrupt a year later, David, a neurobiologist and drug developer, began exploring the idea of a startup to integrate psychedelics into chronic pain treatment. He focused on phenethylamines, a class of compounds produced by the cactus family, which inspired the company’s name.
Reinventing Pain Management
With her background in developmental psychology, Kaitlin took on the role of CEO, and Cacti was born. The company aims to revolutionize pain management by addressing both the emotional and physical aspects of pain.
“Depression, grief, and negative emotions are processed in the same part of the brain that activates when chronic pain occurs,” David explained. Cacti’s approach is designed to treat the triggers of pain, offering a more holistic solution.
The company faces challenges with the healthcare system, particularly in how new treatments involving psychedelics and psychotherapy might be covered by insurance, given the extensive time required for therapy sessions.
A Future Without Pain
Cacti’s medicines have not yet entered human trials, but the company is committed to creating treatments for trauma-related chronic pain, including for refugees, a cause close to Kaitlin’s heart.
“It’s a long road to FDA approval for a first-in-class medicine, but we’re committed to helping patients with chronic pain who deserve better treatments. We’re well on our way to finding them,” Kaitlin said.
A future without opioid dependence may be closer than we think.
Original article written by: Dallas Innovates
