** Shares of  drugmaker AtaiBeckley ATAI.O rise 1.29% to $3.94 premarket

**  Co says its experimental depression drug BPL‑003 will enter late‑stage testing in Q2 2026 after positive FDA feedback

** Says BPL‑003 is aimed at treatment‑resistant depression, a severe form of the condition where common therapies do not work

**  Adds nasal‑spray drug showed rapid, lasting benefit in mid‑stage study, with effects seen in two days and lasting up to eight weeks

**  Two upcoming 12‑week trials, plus a year‑long extension, will test the drug against placebo - ATAI

**  Co reaffirms cash runway into early 2029 and reports progress on anxiety drug EMP‑01 and depression drug VLS‑01

** ATAI rose about three-fold in 2025

(Reporting by Sahil Pandey in Bengaluru)

((Sahil.Pandey@thomsonreuters.com))