MindBio Therapeutics Corp. announced the appointment of Felipe Leyton to lead commercialization of its Voice-Initiated AI Drug & Alcohol Screening Platform across South America's mining sector. Leyton, recognized as a leading authority in alcohol and drug public policy and mining industry safety, previously headed Chile's National Alcohol Prevention Unit and led implementation of the country's Zero Tolerance alcohol law. His expertise positions MindBio for accelerated enterprise adoption in a market where substance use presents substantial occupational safety risks.
Leyton currently serves as Partner at TConsulting, advising major Chilean mining operators, government ministries, and international organizations on drug and alcohol prevention strategy and regulatory compliance. His mandate at MindBio includes developing mining-specific testing protocols, expanding clinical validation, refining AI prediction models, strengthening multi-substance detection capability, and overseeing phased deployment into active mining environments. This appointment represents a significant inflection point as MindBio transitions from advanced development to commercial field deployment.
The company is near completion of its integrated Edge AI hardware-software kiosk system prototype, with on-site field testing at mining operations scheduled to commence in Q2 2026. The platform delivers rapid, non-invasive screening using real-time AI-driven impairment prediction through voice analysis, offering reduced operational friction compared to traditional biological testing methods. This technology addresses an urgent safety market where substance use remains a significant occupational risk in heavy industry.
In Chile alone, alcohol consumption among mining workers exceeds 75%, with approximately 40% classified as problem drinkers and about 9% reporting drug use within a workforce exceeding 200,000 individuals. Globally, an estimated 20–25% of occupational accidents are directly or indirectly linked to substance use according to International Labour Organization data. These statistics underscore the substantial opportunity for scalable, real-time impairment detection technologies in safety-critical industries.
Justin Hanka, CEO of MindBio, stated that Leyton brings exceptional credibility, regulatory authority, and direct access to the mining industry, having helped design and implement Chile's Zero Tolerance alcohol framework at a national level. This marks a transition from technology development to structured commercial deployment, positioning MindBio at the forefront of next-generation industrial safety solutions and voice-initiated health diagnostic technologies. The company continues to build scalable, non-invasive solutions designed to improve safety outcomes, reduce liability exposure, and modernize impairment detection across global high-risk industries.
