Nov 12 - The US government will provide up to $4.9 million to support preparatory work for clinical trials testing ibogaine as a possible treatment for veterans diagnosed with post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. said on Thursday.
Kennedy noted that the awards being announced are intended to ready trials and related infrastructure, and he emphasized that they "do not fund patient treatment or human subject research." The funds will come from ARPA-H, the federal health research agency.
President Donald Trump previously allocated $50 million in April for research into ibogaine, and the current funding supplements those earlier commitments. Kennedy also said that Mark Cuban Cost Plus Drug Company has been tasked with developing methods to produce ibogaine domestically. If the company secures regulatory approval, Kennedy said the drug's price would be similar to that of generic medicines.
Federal research activity related to psychedelic and rapid-acting compounds extends beyond the ARPA-H awards. The National Institute of Mental Health has opened a $20 million program to study agents such as ketamine and psilocybin. That program is expected to announce its award winners in summer 2027.
In addition to the up to $4.9 million for veterans-focused ibogaine trial preparation, ARPA-H will back a separate ibogaine initiative targeting substance-use disorder. Kennedy said that the results of that procurement should be announced by the end of 2026.
Kennedy also referenced a recent move by the Trump administration in October, which it said was advancing the first government-funded trials of ibogaine to treat opioid addiction and PTSD. The Department's announcements make clear the current funding is focused on preparatory activities rather than direct clinical enrollment or treatment.
Context and next steps
- The awards under discussion are intended to support preparatory stages for clinical work rather than pay for patient care or human subject research.
- ARPA-H is the funding agency executing the up to $4.9 million awards.
- Mark Cuban Cost Plus Drug Company has been named to develop domestic manufacturing methods for ibogaine, with price expectations aligned to generics if approved.
- Parallel federal programs include a $20 million NIMH initiative studying ketamine and psilocybin, with awardees to be named in summer 2027, and a planned ARPA-H ibogaine effort for substance-use disorder expected by end-2026.
The announcements signal a coordinated federal effort to move toward clinical evaluation of ibogaine for mental health indications affecting veterans, while distinguishing preparatory funding from trials that involve patient participation.