Causes or Cures The Plant-Based Drug Being Tested for Autism, with CEO Joel Stanley
In this episode, Dr. Eeks talks with Joel Stanley, entrepreneur and biotech founder, about the long and often misunderstood road from plant based therapies to FDA approved medicines.
Joel shares the personal story behind building Charlotte’s Web, the company named after a young girl whose experience with severe epilepsy helped spark a global conversation about medical cannabis. He reflects on what it was like to grow a family run operation into a major force that reshaped public perception, while navigating science, regulation, and skepticism.
The conversation then turns to Joel’s current work at Ajna BioSciences, where he is pursuing FDA approval for botanical drugs, including a botanical-based drug being studied for autism, with trials to be conducted in 2 countries. Joel explains where this research currently sits in the regulatory process and why he has chosen the traditional drug approval route rather than supplements or wellness markets.
We also dig into the key differences between botanical drug development and conventional pharmaceutical development, from standardization challenges to clinical trial design, and why plant based medicines are often held to a different and sometimes contradictory standard.
Finally, Joel discusses his research into psychedelics, including psilocybin for depression, and why he believes these compounds represent more than a passing trend.
This episode is a grounded look at science, policy, and the tension between nature and modern medicine.
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