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Compass Pathways Initiates Phase 3 Study of Psilocybin for Treatment-Resistant Depression
Compass Pathways announced recently that it has initiated the United Kingdom component of its Phase 3 program of investigational COMP360 psilocybin treatment of treatment-resistant depression (TRD).
The Phase 3 program, which is the largest randomized, controlled, double-blind psilocybin treatment clinical program on record, has 2 trials (COMP 005 and COMP 006), with each trial having an integrated, long-term outcomes component.
Research is taking place at multiple sites within the UK, including the company’s new Centre for Mental Health Research and Innovation in London.
“Every 40 seconds, someone dies from suicide; tens of millions more live with mental health conditions for which there is no good standard of care.” Compass CEO Kabir Nath said in a news release. “The launch of our Phase 3 clinical study in treatment-resistant depression here in the UK is an important step in developing innovations that are urgently needed, and we recognize the important role that public-private partnerships play in this.”
New Research Facility Launches
Compass opened the Centre for Mental Health Research and Innovation on November 13. The facility is part of a research partnership between Compass, South London and Maudsley NHS Foundation Trust, and the Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology & Neuroscience at King’s College London. Located at the Maudsley Hospital in South London, the Centre is led by Allan Young, head of academic psychiatry at King’s College London, and James Rucker, MD, PhD, consultant psychiatrist and Psychoactive Trials Group lead at King’s College London.
In addition to the Phase 3 study of COMP360 for TRD, initial research at the facility will focus on the treatment of anorexia nervosa.
“Over several years, we have moved to Phase 3 clinical trials for psilocybin and TRD, an achievement that would not have been possible without the facilities and staff of the NIHR King’s Clinical Research Facility,” Young said in a statement. “Now with this new Centre, the continuing partnership between Compass Pathways, King’s College London and South London, and Maudsley is embarking on the next stage of research where we can evaluate the safety and effectiveness of psychedelics to treat a range of mental health conditions, explore the mechanisms behind how psychedelics might work and assess the feasibility for their delivery at scale.”
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