Psilocybin for treatment resistant depression in patients taking a concomitant SSRI medication

In a new exploratory phase II clinical trial, a single dose of psilocybin, when used as an adjunct to ongoing SSRI treatment and combined with supportive therapy, demonstrated a generally favorable safety profile and significant therapeutic efficacy in individuals with treatment-resistant depression. The results of the study have been published in the journal Neuropsychopharmacology.

The new study aimed to understand whether the concurrent use of SSRIs, a common treatment for depression, could interfere with the therapeutic effects of a synthetic form of psilocybin (COMP360). Some reports and preclinical studies have suggested that SSRIs might reduce the subjective effects of psychedelics, potentially limiting their effectiveness.

“Many people living with treatment-resistant depression (TRD) take daily SSRI antidepressant drugs and it has long been thought that they could interfere with the potential therapeutic effect of psilocybin,” explained Guy Goodwin, the Chief Medical Officer at COMPASS Pathways and lead author of the study. “This is important because some patients are unwilling to withdraw from their SSRI to take another potential treatment, such as investigational COMP360 psilocybin treatment. It’s important for us to better understand this as it limits patient choice, if COMP360 psilocybin treatment receives regulatory approval for TRD in the future.”

'This study found that a single, open-label administration of psilocybin 25 mg led to an acceptable experience for participants with TRD when administrated adjunct to an SSRI and supports further development of psilocybin with psychological support for people with TRD. This study demonstrated the feasibility of simultaneous psilocybin administration to multiple participants as previously reported, provided that adequate support is available. This design could reduce resource requirements for administration and provide a more accessible option for future research or in clinical practice. These encouraging results suggest that further investigation of psilocybin adjunct to antidepressant drugs would be valuable, especially in cases where antidepressant drug withdrawal may not be desirable.'

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