ABVC BioPharma Highlights Plant-Based ADHD Treatment Alternative Amid Growing Concerns About Psychiatric Polypharmacy

ABVC BioPharma has addressed growing public concern about attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder treatment in the United States, emphasizing the safety-focused approach of its plant-based drug candidate ABV-1505. Recent media reports have highlighted an increasing trend of psychiatric polypharmacy, where individuals who begin ADHD medication at a young age often receive multiple additional psychiatric drug prescriptions over their lifetime. A recent Wall Street Journal article referenced multiple anecdotal accounts illustrating this pattern, underscoring public awareness of potential long-term medication burdens associated with conventional stimulant therapies.

National conversations, including analyses published by major media outlets, have drawn attention to research suggesting children and adolescents starting with ADHD medications are more likely than the general population to later receive additional psychiatric drug prescriptions. ABVC's ADHD program centers on ABV-1505, a botanical extract derived from Polygala tenuifolia that differs from traditional approaches. Unlike conventional stimulant or amphetamine-based therapies, ABV-1505 is plant-based, non-stimulant, and has not shown evidence of causing addiction or dependency in clinical studies. The company reports no drug-related serious adverse events have been observed in clinical studies to date.

The candidate has completed a Phase II clinical trial at the University of California, San Francisco, which showed statistically significant improvement on ADHD rating scales compared with placebo, with the treatment being well tolerated and no serious safety concerns observed. Dr. Uttam Patil, ABVC's Chief Executive Officer, stated that growing concerns about long-term psychiatric medication burden highlight the need for safer, non-stimulant, and non-habit-forming ADHD treatment options. "Many families are searching for therapies that can help manage ADHD symptoms without increasing the risk of additional psychiatric medications later in life," Patil noted.

"We believe ABV-1505 represents a meaningful step toward expanding the treatment toolbox available to patients and healthcare providers." The company is preparing the next phase of clinical development in collaboration with global partners as it seeks to address what it views as an unmet clinical and social need for alternative therapeutic approaches that minimize downstream medication burden. This development comes at a time when healthcare providers and families are increasingly aware of the potential long-term implications of psychiatric medication regimens that begin in childhood.

The broader context of this announcement involves ongoing discussions about medication safety profiles and the search for treatment options that address core symptoms while minimizing potential adverse effects over a patient's lifespan. As research continues to examine patterns of psychiatric medication use, pharmaceutical companies are responding to patient and provider concerns by developing alternatives to established treatment paradigms. The emphasis on non-stimulant, plant-based approaches reflects evolving understanding of both therapeutic efficacy and long-term patient outcomes in mental health treatment.