HBL20017

HBL20017 is a non-selective and putatively non-hallucinogenic serotonin receptor agonist which is being investigated for the potential treatment of obsessive–compulsive disorder (OCD).

It acts as an agonist of the serotonin 5-HT_1A, 5-HT_2A, 5-HT_2B, and 5-HT_2C receptors. Its activational potencies (EC₅₀Tooltip half-maximal effective concentration) are 1.84 nM for the serotonin 5-HT_1A receptor, 7.95 nM for the serotonin 5-HT_2A receptor, 17.1 nM for the serotonin 5-HT_2B receptor, and 0.80 nM for the serotonin 5-HT_2C receptor. Despite acting as a serotonin 5-HT_2A receptor agonist, HBL20017 did not produce the head-twitch response (HTR), a behavioral proxy of psychedelic effects, in rodents, and hence appears to be non-hallucinogenic. A related drug, HBL20016, did produce the HTR on the other hand, and thus may be hallucinogenic.

HBL20017 has shown antiobsessional-like effects in rodents, for instance against obsessive marble burying and obsessive self-grooming. HBL20017 produced antiobsessional effects in SAPAP3 knockout mice (an obsessional self-grooming model) that were apparent within 48 hours and that lasted for as long as 42 days following a single dose. HBL20016 also showed antiobsessional-like effects but was not as effective as HBL20017. HBL20017 might be more effective than psilocybin in terms of antiobsessional effects, at least based on animal studies.

HBL20017 was first described in the scientific literature in December 2024. It was developed by Negev Labs and Parow Entheobiosciences. The drug is in the preclinical research stage of development.