The NIH’s National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA) awarded atai Life Sciences a $11.4 million five-year grant to develop non-hallucinogenic 5-HT2A/2C agonists for opioid addiction. The compounds are designed to avoid 5-HT2B activity, which carries heart risks, while delivering therapeutic benefits without psychedelic effects. It’s the second-largest NIDA grant ever for psychedelic research and the first major federal award given directly to a private biotech company. While atai’s broad pipeline raises questions about focus, the grant signals federal confidence that “trip-free” psychedelics could offer safer, scalable treatments for the 16 million people affected by opioid use disorder worldwide.