Sunstone Therapies
Sunstone Therapies is a Rockville, MD-based clinical research organization that conducts FDA-approved clinical trials of psychedelic-assisted therapy for cancer-related distress, PTSD, treatment-resistant depression, and trauma, operating the purpose-built Bill Richards Center for Healing and supported by major academic and pharmaceutical partners.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded2021
- HeadquartersRockville, United States
- Headcount51–100
- GTM typeB2C
- OfferingServices
What Sunstone Therapies does
Sunstone Therapies is a privately held clinical research organization founded in 2021 and headquartered in Rockville, Maryland, that conducts FDA-approved clinical trials of psychedelic-assisted therapy for patients with complex mental health conditions. The company's core offering is the delivery of psychedelic-assisted therapy in a structured clinical trial setting using compounds including psilocybin, MDMA, LSD, DMT, methylone, 5-MeO-DMT, and ketamine, with primary therapeutic focus on cancer-related depression and distress, PTSD (including veterans and sexual assault survivors), treatment-resistant depression, and adjustment disorder in serious medical illness. Sunstone operates the Bill Richards Center for Healing, a purpose-built psychedelic therapy facility within the Adventist HealthCare Aquilino Cancer Center that won a 2022 American Institute of Architects Design Award, and its clinical team includes oncologists, psychiatrists, and licensed therapists affiliated with Johns Hopkins Center for Psychedelic & Consciousness Research and Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, with 100+ years of combined specialized experience.
The company's business model operates on two revenue streams. The primary stream is clinical trial site services funded by pharmaceutical sponsors — including AtaiBeckley, Compass Pathways, Usona Institute, Helus Pharma, Reunion Neuroscience, Transcend Therapeutics, Gate Neurosciences, and Resilient Pharmaceuticals — under multi-year professional services contracts; patients participate at no cost with some trials providing compensation and travel coverage. The second stream, launched in 2025, is a Talk Therapy program delivered via telehealth on a subscription basis, providing evidence-based psychotherapy to patients outside of clinical trials. Go-to-market combines a patient-facing website enrollment portal, a provider referral network, content marketing (media features in WebMD, PBS NOVA, National Geographic, and Netflix's "How to Change Your Mind"), webinars, and thought-leadership publishing. Sunstone is supported by academic partnerships with Johns Hopkins, Dana-Farber, Memorial Sloan Kettering, McGill, University of Vermont, and NIH, and was backed by an $8.5 million financing round from AlleyCorp in July 2024.
Sunstone Therapies firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Sunstone Therapies
- Legal name
- Sunstone Therapies
- Website
- https://sunstonetherapies.com
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 2021
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 51–100 employees
- Short description
- Sunstone Therapies is a Rockville, MD-based clinical research organization that conducts FDA-approved clinical trials of psychedelic-assisted therapy for cancer-related distress, PTSD, treatment-resistant depression, and trauma, operating the purpose-built Bill Richards Center for Healing and supported by major academic and pharmaceutical partners.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Sunstone Therapies industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Psychedelic-Assisted Therapy Services
- NAICS
- Offices of Physicians, Mental Health Specialists (621112), Outpatient Mental Health and Substance Abuse Centers (621420)
- SIC
- Services-Health Services (8000), Services-Specialty Outpatient Facilities, Nec (8093), Services-Commercial Physical & Biological Research (8731)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Outpatient Mental Health Clinics & Counseling Centers (HLAFACAA)
- akta.pro secondary industries
- General Mental Health Therapy Platforms (Talk Therapy) (HLALAEAA), Outpatient Mental Health & Counseling Clinics (HLAFABAC), Grief, Trauma & PTSD-Focused Teletherapy Platforms (HLALAEAL)
Keywords
Where Sunstone Therapies is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Rockville
- HQ country
- United States
- HQ region
- North America
Offices1 record
Markets served
Sunstone Therapies business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2C
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Personnel, Operations, Technology or R&D, Infrastructure, Marketing or Sales
Revenue model
- Clinical Trial Operations: Sunstone conducts FDA-approved clinical trials in psychedelic-assisted therapy as a clinical research site. Revenue comes from pharmaceutical sponsors (AtaiBeckley, Compass Pathways, Reunion Neuroscience, Usona Institute, etc.) who fund trial operations and participant compensation.
- Talk Therapy Services: Evidence-based psychotherapy services offered to individuals seeking support outside of clinical trials. Delivered via telehealth primarily, with weekly or biweekly sessions. Session fees apply with various payment options including insurance.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Other | Multi-year contract | Clinical trial participation - no cost to eligible participants |
| Subscription | Monthly | Talk therapy sessions - fee-based |
Go-to-market motion2 records
Distribution channels3 records
Marketing channels5 records
Sunstone Therapies product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Sunstone Therapies delivers psychedelic-assisted therapy (primarily psilocybin and MDMA) to patients with cancer-related distress, treatment-resistant depression, PTSD, and trauma through FDA-regulated clinical trials conducted in purpose-built healing centers. In addition to sponsor-funded trials, it offers a Talk Therapy Program for patients not enrolled in trials and a Therapist Training Program for mental health professionals seeking psychedelic-therapy certification.
Product overview
Sunstone Therapies is a clinical research organization offering psychedelic-assisted therapy through FDA-approved clinical trials. The core offering is psychedelic-assisted therapy using compounds including psilocybin, MDMA, LSD, DMT, methylone, and 5-MeO-DMT, delivered within structured clinical trial settings. This is complemented by Talk Therapy services for individuals outside clinical trials. The company operates the Bill Richards Center for Healing, a purpose-built facility in Rockville, MD, and provides therapist training programs. Therapeutic focus areas include cancer-related distress, depression, military/veteran wellness, and trauma/PTSD care.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Products and services
- Psychedelic-Assisted Therapy (FDA-Regulated Clinical Trials) FDA-regulated clinical trials of psilocybin- and MDMA-assisted therapy for patients with cancer-related distress, treatment-resistant depression, PTSD, military trauma, and sexual-assault-related PTSD. Delivered in purpose-built healing centers including the Bill Richards Center for Healing in Rockville, MD, with academic partners including NIH, Johns Hopkins, and Dana-Farber Cancer Institute. Participation is free to patients; trials are sponsored by psychedelic drug developers.
- Talk Therapy Program Direct-pay counseling and therapy services for individuals with cancer-related distress, depression, anxiety, trauma, and PTSD who are not enrolled in a clinical trial. Delivered by Sunstone's licensed therapists in person and via telehealth, leveraging the same trauma-informed care approach used in its trials.
- Therapist Training Program Training and certification program for licensed mental health professionals to deliver psychedelic-assisted therapy in clinical research settings. Curriculum covers the trauma-informed care framework, psilocybin and MDMA-assisted therapy protocols, and integration therapy, led by Sunstone's senior clinicians including Bill Richards, Ph.D.
Quantifiable outcome
- 80% of cancer patients with depression experienced greater than 50% reduction in depressive symptoms after psilocybin-assisted therapy
- +2 more outcomes
Companies that use Sunstone Therapies
Customer profileNamed customers5 records
Segments4 records
Ideal customer profiles5 records
Sunstone Therapies technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Feature3 records
Sunstone Therapies partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
15 partnerships are on record, tiered core and flagship.
- AtaiBeckleycoreClinical-stage biopharmaceutical company formed through atai Life Sciences and Beckley Psytech combination in November 2025. Sunstone participates in Phase 2 trial for VLS-01 buccal thin film (5-MeO DMT analog) for TRD, hosted training, and served as site for BPL-003 intranasal study for TRD.
- Compass PathwayscoreBiotechnology company dedicated to evidence-based mental health innovation. Sunstone has worked with COMPASS since first psilocybin study in November 2020, participating as site for COMP104 (Phase 2 MDD) and COMP201 (PTSD). Therapists from other sites trained at Sunstone's center.
- Gate NeurosciencescoreFocused on pioneering therapies that safely harness neuroplasticity. Sunstone participates in GATE 251 study, Phase 2 evaluation of Oral GATE-251 for MDD.
- Helus PharmacoreFormerly Cybin, developing treatments for depression and anxiety. Sunstone was site for Phase 2a CYB004 (5-MeO DMT analog) for GAD, and currently site for Phase 3 ELUMINA study of CYB003 (psilocybin) for MDD.
- Resilient PharmaceuticalscoreFormerly Lykos Therapeutics, developing access to psychedelics for mental health. Sunstone was site for Expanded Access study and therapy training. Conducting own IIT (IUSAD1/Dyad) using MDMA for adjustment disorder in cancer dyads.
- Reunion NeurosciencecoreClinical-stage pharmaceutical company developing solutions for underserved mental health conditions. Sunstone was site for RE104 postpartum depression study and currently lead site for REKINDLE study in Adjustment Disorder.
- Transcend TherapeuticscoreClinical-stage neuroscience company developing treatments for neuropsychiatric diseases. Sunstone participated as site for IMPACT I and II trials investigating TSND-201 (methylone) for PTSD.
- Usona InstitutecoreExploring consciousness-expanding medicines for mental health conditions. Usona provides psilocybin and niacin for Sunstone's IIT Phase 2 study for MDD and cancer. Sunstone participates in Phase 3 PSIL301 study of psilocybin for MDD.
- Adventist HealthCareflagshipLongest-serving health system in Washington D.C. region. Sunstone's first medical partnership within the Aquilino Cancer Center, where Sunstone designed and leads the Bill Richards Center for Healing.
- Dana-Farber Cancer InstitutecoreCollaboration on clinical studies development and publication. Dr. Yvan Beaussant serves on faculty. Collaborated on ACCEPT study, MDMA dyadic treatment research, and BIPOC therapist training barriers research.
- Johns Hopkins Center for Psychedelic & Consciousness ResearchcorePostdoctoral fellow placement working with Sunstone at Bill Richards Center, studying psychedelics in cancer patients. Fellow writing papers on grief, prolonged grief disorder, and functional neuroimaging research.
- McGill UniversitycoreAdvised on grant development with Canadian Institutes of Health Research for study on group and individual psilocybin therapy in end-of-life distress. Collaborated on clinical trial protocol development.
- The University of VermontcoreCollaboration with Dr. Robert Gramling's language lab on understanding psychedelic experience using Natural Language Processing on audio/video recordings to measure therapeutic alliance.
- Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer CentercoreListed academic and medical partnership for psychedelic-assisted therapy research collaboration.
- National Institute of Health (NIH)coreDr. Ann Berger serves as Chief of Pain and Palliative Care at NIH's research hospital, developed NIH-HEALS measuring psychosocial spiritual healing of individuals with life-threatening conditions.
Scale indicators7 records
Recent moves7 records
Expansion highlights7 records
Sunstone Therapies competitors and assessment
Company assessmentOthers
Direct peers
- Compass Pathways: Public psychedelic medicine developer running pivotal psilocybin trials (COMP360) for treatment-resistant depression. Sunstone is a trial site for Compass; Compass also operates its own therapy research programs, making it a direct peer in psychedelic-assisted therapy delivery and trial execution.
- Helus Pharma (formerly Cybin): Clinical-stage psychedelic developer (CYB003 psilocybin, CYB004 5-MeO-DMT analog) running the ELUMINA Phase 3 trial at Sunstone. Direct peer with overlapping psilocybin therapy programs for MDD and GAD.
- Usona Institute: Nonprofit psilocybin clinical developer sponsoring Sunstone's investigator-initiated Phase 2 MDD trial and the PSIL301 Phase 3 program. Both organizations are focused on psilocybin therapy for major depression with overlapping research infrastructure.
- Lykos Therapeutics (formerly MAPS Public Benefit Corp): Lead developer of MDMA-assisted therapy for PTSD and sponsor of trials Sunstone supports. Operates training programs and therapy delivery models that overlap directly with Sunstone's clinical trial and therapist training services.
- Atai Life Sciences / AtaiBeckley: Clinical-stage psychedelic biopharma platform whose AtaiBeckley subsidiary sponsors multiple Sunstone trials (VLS-01, BPL-003). Competes in the same psychedelic therapy delivery space with overlapping drug development and therapy protocols.
- MindMed: Public psychedelic medicine developer running Phase 2/3 trials for LSD (MM-120) and MDMA analogs. Develops therapy protocols and clinical operations comparable to Sunstone's psychedelic-assisted therapy research model.
- Transcend Therapeutics: Clinical-stage psychedelic developer (TSND-201 methylone for PTSD) that sponsored Sunstone's IMPACT I and II trials. Direct peer in psychedelic therapy trial execution for trauma-related indications.
- Reunion Neuroscience: Clinical-stage psychedelic developer (RE104) whose postpartum depression and adjustment disorder trials run at Sunstone. Comparable psychedelic therapy CRO/sponsor relationship model for underserved mental health indications.
Broad incumbents
- Johns Hopkins Center for Psychedelic & Consciousness Research: Leading academic psychedelic research center that hosts a postdoctoral fellow at Sunstone and collaborates on multiple trials. A broader academic institution that operates within the same research domain and competes for sponsor-funded psychedelic trials.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat5 records
Key risks5 records
Key highlights7 records
Customer concentration
Sunstone Therapies social profiles
Digital presenceSunstone Therapies compliance and trust
Trust signalCompliance1 record
Sunstone Therapies financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Sunstone Therapies leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles12 records
Sunstone Therapies funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds1 record
Investors1 record
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Sunstone Therapies M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about Sunstone Therapies
What does Sunstone Therapies do?
Sunstone Therapies delivers psychedelic-assisted therapy (primarily psilocybin and MDMA) to patients with cancer-related distress, treatment-resistant depression, PTSD, and trauma through FDA-regulated clinical trials conducted in purpose-built healing centers. In addition to sponsor-funded trials, it offers a Talk Therapy Program for patients not enrolled in trials and a Therapist Training Program for mental health professionals seeking psychedelic-therapy certification.
Is Sunstone Therapies a public or private company?
Sunstone Therapies is a private company. It is classified as venture growth investor backed and is currently operating.
When was Sunstone Therapies founded?
Sunstone Therapies was founded in 2021. It employs 51 to 100 people.
Where is Sunstone Therapies based?
Sunstone Therapies is headquartered in Rockville, United States, in the North America region.
How does Sunstone Therapies make money?
Two revenue lines are on record. Clinical Trial Operations are the primary driver. The others are talk Therapy Services.
Who are Sunstone Therapies's main competitors?
Charlie Health is listed as an others. Direct peers are Compass Pathways, Helus Pharma (formerly Cybin), Usona Institute, Lykos Therapeutics (formerly MAPS Public Benefit Corp), Atai Life Sciences / AtaiBeckley, MindMed, Transcend Therapeutics and Reunion Neuroscience. Johns Hopkins Center for Psychedelic & Consciousness Research is listed as a broad incumbent.
Does Sunstone Therapies have an API?
No public API is recorded for Sunstone Therapies.
What industry is Sunstone Therapies in?
Sunstone Therapies's product category is Psychedelic-Assisted Therapy Services. Its primary akta.pro industry code is HLAFACAA, Outpatient Mental Health Clinics & Counseling Centers, with a secondary code of HLALAEAA, General Mental Health Therapy Platforms (Talk Therapy). Its NAICS code is 621112 and its SIC code is 8000.