Confidential Institutional Briefing

Engineering the Brain's
Repair Circuitry.

Xycota is a preclinical biotechnology platform engineering precision delivery systems to physically restore synaptic connectivity. We leverage a targeted, non-psychoactive psilocin paradigm to directly upregulate the BDNF-TrkB pathway, driving structural neuroplasticity.

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Clinical Development

Development Pipeline

Lead Asset: FTD / Neuroplastic Repair

Frontotemporal Dementia (Orphan Designation Target)

Pre-IND / Formulation Complete Phase 1/2a

Expansion Asset: mTBI

Post-Concussion Cognitive Restoration

Platform Expansion Target Exploratory R&D

Future Asset: ALS & Memory Care

Broad-Spectrum Synaptic Degeneration

Strategic Roadmap Future Licensing

Execution & Exit History

De-Risked Execution.
Proven Clinical Leadership.

We are not funding discovery; we are advancing a de-risked biological mechanism. Xycota is anchored by Dr. Marvin S. Hausman, MD. With a 50-year track record in CNS drug development, Dr. Hausman has architected 6 successful NDAs, pioneered foundational Orphan Drug designations in the U.S. and EU, and achieved a major strategic exit via Medco Research (acquired by Pfizer).

"Xycota was formed to build a standardized biological interface for repairing the human brain, backed by institutional capital discipline."

Dr. Marvin S. Hausman, MD | Founder & CSO

6

Successful FDA NDAs

50+

Years in CNS Drug Dev

Pfizer

Acquired Prior Venture

Mechanistic Validation

Decoupling Healing
from Hallucination.

For decades, capital markets assumed the therapeutic benefits of psilocybin were intrinsically tied to the 5-HT2A psychedelic experience. Recent pre-clinical data materially invalidates this paradigm.

Objective cognitive restoration persists despite 5-HT2A blockade, but disappears entirely when TrkB signaling is inhibited. The true restorative benefit is strictly driven by the BDNF/TrkB signaling pathway. Xycota isolates this mechanism, delivering precise upregulation without the hallucinogenic liability.

"We are not chasing the trip.
We are engineering the repair."

Mechanism of Action

Engineered Exosome Delivery

Active moiety formulation (Psilocin)

Blood-Brain Barrier Penetration

First-pass liver metabolism bypassed

BDNF/TrkB Upregulation

5-HT2A psychedelic receptors bypassed

Endogenous Synaptogenesis

Physical Hardware Repair Achieved

Strategic Entry

The Clinical Wedge: FTD

Frontotemporal Dementia (FTD) presents a highly capital-efficient pathway to achieve human proof-of-concept and unlock platform value.

Mechanistic Alignment

FTD is characterized by rapid synaptic decay, presenting a direct, verifiable target for our synaptogenic mechanism.

Zero Approved Restoratives

An extreme unmet clinical need exists with no FDA-approved therapies capable of reversing disease progression.

Regulatory Efficiency

Orphan Drug Designation (ODD) secures 7-year market exclusivity, fee waivers, and a streamlined trial architecture.

Platform Expansion

Achieving a human signal in FTD de-risks the underlying mechanism, instantly unlocking broader markets (mTBI, ALS).

The Investment Thesis

A De-Risked Platform

Data Anchored

Validated by robust, peer-reviewed BDNF-TrkB pre-clinical evidence.

Precision Delivery

Engineered exosome formulation protecting the active moiety.

Defensible IP Moat

Provisional patent protection securing active loading methodologies.

Capital Efficient

Strategic FTD focus enables smaller, faster clinical trials.

Institutional Infra.

Established clinical and manufacturing partnerships active.

Leadership

Scientific & Corporate Governance

Led by pioneers in immunology, corporate architecture, and drug development.

Brad Listermann

Brad Listermann

President & Co-Founder

Technology visionary and public company architect holding multiple patents. Proven track record of developing and licensing complex technology platforms to the U.S. Government (USG) and global private sectors. Expert in capital market strategy, regulatory compliance, and accelerating biotech commercialization.

Dr. Marvin Hausman

Dr. Marvin S. Hausman, MD

Founder and CSO

World-renowned immunologist and board-certified surgeon with over 50 years of experience in the biopharmaceutical industry. Co-founder of Medco Research (acquired by Pfizer), key developer of the blockbuster antidepressant Wellbutrin®, and architect of 6 successful NDAs.

Scientific Advisory Board

Dr. Viviana Trezza

Dr. Viviana Trezza, PhD

Advisor | Pharmacology

Dr. Louise Hecker

Dr. Louise Hecker, PhD

Advisor | Cellular Biology

Andrew Charrette

Andrew Charrette, MSc

Director | Regulatory Affairs

Scientific Foundations & News

Official Press Announcement

Nature Portfolio
Neuropsychopharmacology

Psilocybin improves novel object recognition in a rat model of Fragile X Syndrome through the modulation of the BDNF/TrkB signaling pathway.

Published Findings
Trezza, V., Hausman, M. S., et al. (2026)

Nature Portfolio
npj Aging (Request Access)

Psilocin identifies as a direct modulator of cellular lifespan and telomere integrity in aged models.

Published Findings
Hecker, L., Hausman, M. S., et al. (2025)

Common Questions

Frequently Asked Questions

What is Xycota Biosciences?
Xycota is a preclinical precision CNS company developing exosome-delivered neuroplasticity therapeutics. We focus on engineering how a neuroplasticity-promoting compound reaches and acts within brain cells, in service of structural repair in neurodegenerative disease. Our guiding principle: we are not chasing the trip, we are engineering the repair.
What is the lead program, XYCO-01?
XYCO-01 is an exosome-formulated psilocin candidate, with Frontotemporal Dementia (FTD) as its initial indication. The company is pursuing the FDA Orphan Drug Designation pathway for this program. XYCO-01 is preclinical, and no clinical trials have begun.
What is the scientific rationale?
The thesis centers on the BDNF-TrkB neuroplasticity pathway. Published research supports that psychedelic-class compounds can promote cortical structural plasticity, and that intracellular receptor engagement is relevant to that effect. Xycota's hypothesis is that exosome formulation may allow us to modulate the intracellular pharmacology of psilocin: cellular uptake, intracellular exposure, signaling duration, tissue distribution, and tolerability. We treat this as a testable delivery and pharmacology hypothesis to be validated experimentally, not as a proven advantage over the free compound.
Is Xycota a psychedelic company?
No. Xycota is a precision CNS drug company. The objective is durable neuroplastic repair through engineered delivery and controlled pharmacology, not an acute psychoactive experience.
What does the pipeline look like beyond XYCO-01?
XYCO-01 (psilocin, FTD) is the lead program. A second program, XYCO-02 (5-MeO-DMT), is in early scientific evaluation as a distinct monotherapy. A longer-term platform concept, XYCO-03, would combine these approaches and is a future direction rather than a current asset. All programs are preclinical.
What is the evidence base today?
A 2026 peer-reviewed paper in Neuropsychopharmacology (Nature Portfolio) supports the underlying neuroplasticity biology. Xycota is candid that its own delivery and pharmacology claims remain hypotheses: key datasets, including pharmacokinetics, biodistribution, intracellular retention, and comparative efficacy and tolerability, are still to be generated.
How can I learn more or discuss partnership?
Detailed materials are shared with authorized strategic partners and investors on request. Use the Request Data Room Access button near the top of this page, or contact the leadership team in the section below.

This page is for general informational purposes and describes a preclinical research program. It contains forward-looking statements and is not an offer to sell or a solicitation of an offer to buy any security.

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of Brain Repair.

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