MindBio Appoints National Drug Policy & Mining Industry Expert to Lead South American Mining Industry Commercialisation

Executive Summary

• MindBio appoints Felipe Leyton, a leading South American drug‑and‑alcohol policy architect with deep mining industry ties, to head commercialization of its AI voice‑based impairment detection platform in the South American mining sector.
• The appointment marks a strategic inflection point as MindBio moves from advanced development toward field deployment and revenue generation, with prototype Edge AI kiosk testing slated for Q2 2026.
• Market opportunity highlighted: >75% alcohol use among Chilean miners, 40% problem drinkers, and an estimated 20‑25% of occupational accidents linked to substance use, underscoring a sizable safety market.

Key Details

• Appointment: Felipe Leyton – former Head of Chile’s National Alcohol Prevention Unit and key architect of the Zero Tolerance framework; now leading commercialization for MindBio in South American mining.
• Mandate:
• Co‑develop mining‑specific testing protocols with engineering team.
• Expand clinical validation, refine AI models for multi‑substance detection (cocaine, benzodiazepines, amphetamines, cannabis, hallucinogens, alcohol).
• Create scalable enterprise licensing frameworks for mining operators.
• Oversee phased deployment into active mines.
• Product Readiness: Edge AI hardware‑software kiosk prototype near completion; on‑site field testing at mining operations scheduled for Q2 2026.
• Market Size (Chile):
• Mining workforce >200,000 workers.
• Alcohol consumption among miners >75%; ~40% classified as problem drinkers.
• Drug use reported by ~9% of miners.
• Global Safety Context: 20‑25% of occupational accidents linked to substance use (ILO data).
• CEO Quote (Justin Hanka): Emphasizes Leyton’s credibility and the transition from technology development to structured commercial deployment, positioning MindBio at the forefront of industrial safety solutions.

Notable Quotes

“Mr Leyton brings exceptional credibility, regulatory authority, and direct access to the mining industry… This marks a transition from technology development to structured commercial deployment.” – Justin Hanka, CEO, MindBio Therapeutics Corp.