Freedom Biosciences is a technology company.
Freedom Biosciences has raised $11.0M across 1 funding round.
Freedom Biosciences has raised $11.0M in total across 1 funding round.
Freedom Biosciences has raised $11.0M in total across 1 funding round.
Freedom Biosciences's investors include 8VC, Arkitekt Ventures, Initialized Capital, MBX Capital, Mystic Ventures, The Hit Forge, Balaji Srinivasan.
Freedom Biosciences is a clinical-stage biotechnology company developing next-generation ketamine-based and psychedelic therapeutics for neuropsychiatric disorders, including depression, mental health conditions, and substance use disorders.[1][2][3] Co-founded by Dr. John Krystal, Chair of Psychiatry at Yale University, and Dina Burkitbayeva, it focuses on combination therapies leveraging ketamine, 5-HT2A agonists, and other compounds to improve safety and efficacy over existing treatments, serving patients underserved by current antidepressants.[1][3] The company, founded in 2021 and based in San Francisco, has raised $10.5M in funding, launched from stealth in 2022, and maintains a pipeline of clinical and preclinical programs with early clinical data, positioning it for growth in the burgeoning psychedelics space.[1][2][3]
Freedom Biosciences emerged in 2021 from the vision of co-founders Dr. John Krystal, a pioneering researcher in ketamine's antidepressant effects and Yale Psychiatry Chair who contributed to patents underlying Janssen's Spravato, and Dina Burkitbayeva, co-founder of PsyMed Ventures with expertise in novel antidepressants investments.[1][2][3] Alongside Hunter Bouchard and Morgan Springer, they assembled a team to capitalize on ketamine's promise, launching publicly from stealth in 2022 backed by investors like MBX Capital, Village Global, PsyMed Ventures, and LongeVC.[3] Early traction included securing $10.5M in funding and appointing Dr. David Hough, former J&J executive who oversaw Spravato strategy, as Chief Medical Officer to advance the pipeline.[2][3]
Freedom Biosciences rides the psychedelics and neuropsychiatric therapeutics wave, fueled by growing recognition of ketamine (e.g., Spravato) and psychedelics for treatment-resistant depression amid a mental health crisis affecting millions.[1][3] Timing aligns with regulatory shifts, post-pandemic demand for rapid-acting antidepressants, and investor interest in biotech platforms addressing unmet needs in psychiatry, where traditional SSRIs fall short.[1][2] Market forces like AI-driven discovery and longevity investing (via backers like LongeVC) favor its small-molecule approach, positioning it to influence ecosystem shifts toward combination therapies that could redefine mental health treatment standards.[3]
Freedom Biosciences is poised to advance its pipeline into later-stage trials, potentially delivering breakthroughs in ketamine combinations for depression and addiction, with Dr. Hough's leadership accelerating clinical milestones.[2][3] Trends like psychedelic decriminalization, AI-optimized drug discovery, and integrated mental-physical health (echoing LongeVC's thesis) will shape its path, amplifying influence as it scales from $10.5M-funded startup to market disruptor.[3] Watch for partnerships or FDA progress tying back to its mission of transformative neuropsychiatric treatments that restore lives.[1]
Freedom Biosciences has raised $11.0M across 1 funding round. Most recently, it raised $11.0M Seed in August 2022.
| Date | Round | Lead Investors | Other Investors |
|---|---|---|---|
| Aug 1, 2022 | $11.0M Seed | 8VC, Arkitekt Ventures, Initialized Capital, MBX Capital, Mystic Ventures, The Hit Forge, Balaji Srinivasan |