BetterLife Pharma Participates in YAFO Capital Access Asia Partnering Forum During JPM Week to Foster North American-Asian Collaborations
Wednesday, January 07, 2026
BetterLife Pharma Inc., a Vancouver-based emerging biopharmaceutical company, has announced its participation in the YAFO Capital Access Asia 2025 Partnering Forum, scheduled during the prestigious JPM Week in San Francisco, California. This event, set for January 11, 2026, is designed to bridge innovative life science firms from North America with leading investors, pharmaceutical partners, and strategic advisors from Asia, emphasizing cross-continental partnerships in the biopharma sector.
The forum provides a critical platform for companies like BetterLife to showcase their pipelines and engage in high-level discussions on investment and collaboration opportunities. BetterLife's involvement underscores its strategic push into Asian markets, where capital and expertise in neurological disorder treatments are increasingly concentrated. Dr. Ahmad Doroudian, Chief Executive Officer of BetterLife, will lead the company's representation, making himself available for one-on-one meetings with potential investors and partners interested in the firm's development strategy.
Central to BetterLife's presentation is BETR-001, its proprietary patented stereoisomer of 2-bromo-LSD, a non-hallucinogenic derivative of LSD. This neuroplastogen is under development for treating neurological disorders including traumatic brain injury (TBI), post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), and cluster headaches. Preclinical and IND-enabling studies are underway, highlighting BETR-001's potential as a breakthrough therapy due to its non-hallucinogenic profile, safety in human trials, and self-administration capability since it is unregulated and non-controlled.
Prior clinical data on 2-bromo-LSD forms have demonstrated safety, tolerability, and efficacy in reducing cluster headache frequency, as evidenced by a small study published in Cephalgia in 2010. BetterLife's synthesis patent removes significant regulatory hurdles, while its pending composition and method-of-use patent extends protection until approximately 2042, covering various neurological indications. This intellectual property portfolio positions BETR-001 as a commercially viable asset with broad therapeutic potential.
Beyond the YAFO forum, Dr. Doroudian will attend complementary events to maximize networking: the H7 Life Science Investment Forum & China Night Reception on January 12, the WuXi Global Forum 2026 on January 13, and the DARPA and Ferocity Capital Biodefence Summit also on January 13. These gatherings further amplify opportunities for strategic alliances, particularly with Chinese and broader Asian stakeholders prominent in biopharma innovation.
BetterLife Pharma's broader portfolio includes a drug candidate for viral infections, for which the company is exploring strategic alternatives. This diversified approach aligns with industry trends toward partnerships that accelerate development and commercialization, especially in Asia where rapid clinical data generation and expertise in oncology and other high-value areas are dominant.
The company's participation reflects a larger movement in biopharma toward Asia-focused B2B engagements. As North American firms face funding pressures, events like YAFO facilitate access to Asian capital, which saw deal values surge to $92.2 billion through November 2025, nearly double the previous year. BetterLife's focus on neuroplastogens taps into unmet needs in neurology, where Asian markets offer both investment and patient populations for trials.
Interested parties can schedule meetings by contacting Dr. Doroudian directly. This proactive outreach signals BetterLife's commitment to advancing BETR-001 through collaborative R&D, manufacturing, and market entry strategies tailored for global impact, with Asia as a pivotal hub. Such forums are instrumental in Strategy and Bio Pharma categories, driving executive-level decisions on partnerships and investments.
In the context of 2026's projected M&A momentum and modality innovations like ADCs and radionuclides, BetterLife's LSD-derivative platform represents a unique niche in neuroplastogens, potentially attracting partners seeking novel mechanisms for brain health. The event's timing during JPM Week amplifies visibility among top-tier pharma executives and investors.
Overall, BetterLife's engagement exemplifies how B2B pharma networking in Asia-centric forums can catalyze progress in Research & Development and Clinical Trials pipelines, ensuring sustainable growth amid evolving regulatory and investment landscapes.
