About Us /

Leaders in 
Specialized Development

Psygen, The Psychedelic CDMOTM, specializes in drug substance process R&D and clinical API manufacturing, proudly standing as the only company solely focused on manufacturing psychedelic and neuroplastogen APIs.
Led by a team of expert psychedelic chemists, Psygen focuses on accelerating APIs from route development to GLP manufacture for preclinical studies, toxicology, and formulation development, culminating in a high-quality GMP API ready for clinical use.
Driven by our passion to advance new and effective medicines, we provide a comprehensive and integrated CMC solution tailored to your project. For those seeking expertise in psychedelic chemistry with the requisite licences and experience, Psygen is your ideal partner.

Mission /

Seeds of Change

To reconnect humanity, Psygen will improve access to psychedelics.

If your project requires a supply of psychedelic medicines for academic research or humanitarian efforts, or you are a physician authorized under a compassionate-use system (e.g., Australia’s Authorized Prescriber Scheme, Canada’s Special Access Program, etc.), our team would love to hear from you.

Psygen is a mission-driven organization at its core, and projects such as these are why we exist – to grow the evidence base necessary to enable a paradigm shift in healthcare.

Our Team /

Industry Leaders
in Psychedelic Medicinal Chemistry and Large-Scale Manufacturing

Our directors and advisors are experts in pharmaceutical manufacturing, regulatory compliance, analytical chemistry, psychedelic chemistry, and supply chain security, but what brings us together as peers is our shared belief in the immense potential of psychedelic medicines.

Management /

Danny Motyka

Co-Founder & CEO

Danny is a long-time proponent for the use of psychedelic medicines. His academic background in chemistry, professional career in operations management and strategic planning, and his strong understanding of controlled substance regulations were all intentionally curated skills to build Psygen. Danny truly believes that psychedelics are important tools to transform and improve the world.

Peter van der Heyden, PhD

Co-Founder & Director

Peter van der Heyden is co-founder and former Chief Science Officer of Psygen. He has been active in psychedelic chemistry for over 50 years, and was first inspired by a pivotal transformative experience with the legendary “Orange Sunshine” LSD, produced by his mentor Nicholas Sand. Peter’s subsequent unauthorized specialization in large-scale synthesis of the major psychedelics paved the way for Psygen to become the world’s first licensed manufacturer dedicated exclusively to the GMP production of psychedelic APIs.

Giorgio Baggi, PhD

Chief Science Officer

Giorgio Baggi is a synthetic organic chemist at heart, with a PhD in Chemistry and over a decade of experience in the pharmaceutical industry and academic R&D environments. His deep-rooted passion for chemistry in all shapes and forms allows him, together with the rest of Psygen’s scientific team, to develop efficient and sustainable manufacturing processes and deliver psychedelic APIs of the highest quality. Giorgio is committed to creating a society where the transformative power of psychedelics is accessible to everyone in an equitable manner.

David Wood, PhD

Chief Legal Officer

David Wood is an experienced lawyer and patent agent, with a PhD in structural biochemistry.  David’s 15+ year legal career in intellectual property, regulatory, litigation and commercial practice included partnership at Canada’s largest national law firm, where he co-chaired a multi-office, multi-practice psychedelics and cannabis practice group.  David’s previous and current legal practice outside of Psygen earned him recognition in the competitive and peer-based Best Lawyers ranking for cannabis law.  David’s current top professional priority is responsibly broadening access to LSD, 2C-B and other psychedelics for medical, other therapeutic, traditional use and spiritual use.

Colin Kilty

Head of BD & Strategy

Colin Kilty is the Head of Business Development & Strategy at Psygen. With a background in Consumer Behaviour and Psychology, he excels at navigating complex markets to find strategic success. He joined Psygen in 2021 with experience in Operations and Marketing across Consumer Products, Banking, Oil & Gas, and Tobacco. Driven by a desire to make a positive impact, he shifted his career to align with his goal to improve the state of humanity. Colin believes the world’s primary problems can be traced back to the erosion of our common humanity, and he views psychedelics as a tool for reconnection.

Paul Mesburis, CFA, CPA

Chief Financial Officer

Paul Mesburis has over 25 years of experience in financial management, corporate finance, and public company board roles. Paul is passionate about advancing the field of psychedelics and their therapeutic potential. He is a CPA (Ontario, Illinois) and CFA, holding an MBA from Schulich School of Business and a B.A. from the University of Toronto.

Quality Assurance /

Shailendra Rane, PhD

QC Manager

Leidy Mateo, M.S., LSSBB

Head of Quality

Solomon Hailu, PhD

QC Chemist

Amy Bai

Document Controller

Wei Liu

QA Associate

Rachelle Varga

QC Chemist

Shailendra Rane, PhD

QC Manager

Leidy Mateo, M.S., LSSBB

Head of Quality

Solomon Hailu, PhD

QC Chemist

Amy Bai

Document Controller

Wei Liu

QA Associate

Rachelle Varga

QC Chemist

Operations /

Lisa McMullen, SCMP

Supply Chain Manager

Bob Pike

IT Manager

Dave Gvora, MBA, CPA, CA

Controller

James Bateman

Facility Maintenance Manager

Jayamma Yaruva, PhD

Sr.R&D Chemist

Bri Sebastian, PhD

Director of Laboratory Operations

Lisa McMullen, SCMP

Supply Chain Manager

Bob Pike

IT Manager

Dave Gvora, MBA, CPA,

CA-Controller

James Bateman

Facility Maintenance Manager

Jayamma Yaruva, PhD

Sr.R&D Chemist

Bri Sebastian, PhD

Director of Laboratory Operations

Our Values /

Good People. Great Product.

Quality:

We are dedicated to ensuring every product we develop meets the highest standards of purity, quality, and reliability. Our unwavering commitment to quality is driven by our mission to improve health outcomes and enhance the lives of patients around the world.

Connection:

We work closely with your team, ensuring quick turnaround and advantageous processes, facilitating proactive, ongoing communication. We believe the best human connections result in the best project outcomes.

Generosity:

At the heart of our company lies a spirit of generosity. We are committed to sharing our knowledge and resources generously, believing that by doing so, we can drive positive change and innovation within psychedelic research, ultimately benefiting patients worldwide.

Curiosity:

Curiosity is not just about asking questions—it’s about finding answers that make a meaningful impact. We are dedicated to leveraging our curiosity to develop improved manufacturing processes and ensure the highest quality medicines are available to those in need.

Vision

Psygen envisions a world where psychedelic medicines are recognized as valuable tools for mental health and wellness. The next generation of psychedelic-inspired APIs will offer interventions for disease that currently have no solutions. Psygen is here to help develop these important new discoveries.