AbbVie is making a significant move into psychedelic medicine by acquiring Gilgamesh Pharmaceuticals' investigational drug, bretisilocin, for up to $1.2 billion, signaling a growing corporate interest in this emerging field.

This acquisition highlights AbbVie's strategic focus on developing psychedelic therapies for mental health conditions, specifically targeting Major Depressive Disorder with the novel drug Bretisilocin.

The deal involves an upfront payment along with milestone-based payments, and Gilgamesh will spin off a new company, Gilgamesh Pharma Inc., to manage its staff and other drug programs.

AbbVie's interest in neuroscience is growing, building on previous collaborations with Gilgamesh and its $9 billion acquisition of Cerevel Therapeutics, despite some setbacks like trial failures for certain drugs from that deal.

This news was published on August 25, 2025, by biotech correspondent Kyle Lahucik, emphasizing the company's expanding footprint in psychedelic medicine.