He has been open about his mental health struggle.
And now, Liam Payne, 27, has become the latest star to invest in a depression treatment made from psychedelic drugs, such as magic mushroom components.
The former One Direction heartthrob has joined a number of other prominent figures in investing in Atai Life Sciences, including American DJ Diplo, real name Thomas Pentz, 42, and new Dragons’ Den star Steve Bartlett, 28.
Investor: Liam Payne, 27, has become the latest star to invest in a depression treatment made from psychedelic drugs, such as magic mushroom components (Pictured in April)
Liam, who shares four-year-old son Bear with Cheryl, has become the latest celebrity to invest in the new biopharmaceutical company.
Atai Life Sciences is undertaking clinical trials to look at treating mental health disorders by using psychedelic drugs, such as magic mushroom components.
Just days after the company went public at the end of last month, Liam tweeted: ‘I am a supporter and investor in Atai.
‘Proud to be learning more everyday about the advancements that are happening globally.’
Honest: The former One Direction heartthrob – who has been open about his mental health struggle – has joined a number of stars in investing in Atai Life Sciences (Pictured in 2020)
Dragon’s Den entrepreneur Steve, who is also the company’s Creative Director, tweeted: ‘Today, the most important company I’ve ever encountered, worked on and invested in, goes public…
‘I can honestly say that if any company is to effectively tackle the global mental health crisis, it is $Atai.’
Hailing his firm as ‘the biggest psychedelics mental health company in the world’, Steven told the Daily Mirror newspaper: ‘There are clinical trials going on at the moment using one of the psychedelic compounds called psilocybin. It is a compound that is found in magic mushrooms.
‘It unlocks your subconscious, as much of what causes resistant depression and depression generally isn’t that you have something like a melt in your brain, it is more to do with something that has happened to you.’
Getting involved: American DJ Diplo, real name Thomas Pentz, 42, has also invested in the new biopharmaceutical company (Pictured om 2015)
But the businessman insisted the treatment would only ever be used in controlled settings, adding: ‘What we are pushing for is for it to be legal in clinical settings – not for it to be legal out on the streets.’
Atai Life Sciences is the largest shareholder in Compass Pathways, a London venture carrying out research into psilocybin, the psychoactive compound in magic mushrooms, and its effects on treatment-resistant depression.
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In April, a study carried out by researchers at the Centre for Psychedelic Research at Imperial College London found that those who were treated with Compass Pathways’ synthetic version of psilocybin saw a quicker reduction in symptoms than those on escitalopram – a traditional antidepressant.
Psilocybin is detectable for up to eight hours and can make users feel euphoric. It can also cause visual disturbances.
Entrepreneur: New Dragons’ Den star Steve Bartlett, 28, is the company’s Creative Director (Pictured in 2015)
Liam has spoken openly in the past about his own struggles with mental health, revealing he battled suicidal thoughts after finding fame, aged 16, alongside Harry Styles in X Factor boyband One Direction.
‘For some certain circumstances I’m quite lucky to be here still,’ he told Sky One’s Straight Talking with Ant Middleton.
‘There are times when that level of loneliness and people getting into you every day, it’s like, ‘When will this end?’ That’s almost nearly killed me a couple of times.’
He welcomed son Bear with former Girls Aloud singer Cheryl in March 2017, a milestone that he claims also ‘messed’ him up, adding: ‘Becoming a dad at such a young age, it’s such a difficult thing.
‘And I think I built fatherhood up so much in my head that it kind of messed me up to start with. I started in a bad place with it.’
Proud: ‘Just days after the company went public at the end of last month, Liam tweeted: ‘I am a supporter and investor in Atai’ (Pictured n 2019)
Atai Life Sciences has become the latest psychedelic-drug developer to go public, raising $225 million (£163 million) at a $2.6 billion (£1.89 billion) valuation.
It was launched in 2018 by German entrepreneur Christian Angermayer, three years after his first psychedelic trip in the Caribbean where mushrooms are legal.
‘It was the single most meaningful thing I’ve ever done in my whole life,’ he said.
Christian, who is worth £396 million according to The Sunday Times Rich List, is also working with companies conducting trials on the use of Ketamine on treatment-resistant depression.
In the UK it is illegal to consume, give away or sell fresh or prepared magic mushrooms containing psilocin or psilocybin. They were classified Class A drugs in 2005.
Liberty caps (Psilocybe semilanceata) and fly agaric (Amanita muscaria) are the most common types of magic mushroom in the UK while some users ingest drops of liquid psilocybin.
Wow! Atai Life Sciences has become the latest psychedelic-drug developer to go public, raising $225 million (£163 million) at a $2.6 billion (£1.89 billion) valuation (Pictured in 2020)
Source: Daily Mail
