APA-01, also known as PharmAla-1, is an entactogen of the phenethylamine, amphetamine, and MDxx families related to MDMA which is under development for potential medical use. It is a cyclized phenethylamine and is a derivative of MDMA in which the α position has been cyclized with the amine via a propyl group to form a pyrrolidine ring.
The drug is predicted to interact with the monoamine transporters and with the serotonin 5-HT2 receptors. In contrast to MDMA, it does not produce hyperthermia in rodents, instead producing dose-dependent hypothermia. In addition, unlike MDMA, neither APA-01 nor the corresponding (S)- enantiomer showed hyperlocomotion in rodents. Both APA-01 and the (S)- enantiomer produced sympathomimetic cardiovascular effects in rodents, but APA-01 had reduced impact compared to the (S)- enantiomer and relative to MDMA and dextromethamphetamine. APA-01 showed prosocial effects in rodents similarly to MDMA, but with greater potency. The drug is said to have improved safety compared to MDMA.
The chemical synthesis of APA-01 has been described.
APA-01 is under development by PharmAla Biotech. As of April 2026, it is in the preclinical research stage of development. Possible medical applications of APA-01 include treatment of post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and neurological conditions like traumatic brain injury (TBI) and stroke. The drug was first described in the scientific literature, in a conference presentation, by 2024.
See also Substituted methylenedioxyphenethylamine Cyclized phenethylamine List of investigational hallucinogens and entactogens GYKI-13380 2-Benzylpiperidine MDPPP Non-racemic MDMA (ALA-002)
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