The results of an advanced clinical trial evaluating psilocybin-assisted therapy for patients with cancer and major depressive disorder (MDD), conducted by Sunstone Therapies Oncology Center, have been published in the prestigious journal JAMA Oncology.

The phase 2 open label trial tested psilocybin coupled with psychological support in 30 patients with curable and terminal cancer. Participants were divided into cohorts of 3 to 4 and each received a single dose of 25 mg COMPASS CMPS‘ Synthetic Psilocybin COMP360.

Dosing was administered simultaneously to all patients located in adjacent rooms open to a common space, in a one-to-one therapist/patient ratio. Group therapy was offered during one preparatory and two integration sessions, supplemented by individual therapy.

Data from the study showed a sustained response in 80% of patients and 50% of patients in complete remission of depressive symptoms as measured by MADRS scores from baseline to 8 weeks after treatment.

Self-reported measures of depressive symptoms supported the findings, with an average 48% reduction from baseline and a 53% reduction in depression severity.

Sunstone’s CEO and PI of the study, Dr. Manish Agrawal said the study was “the first of its kind” conducted within a community hospital cancer center in groups and with a lower therapist-to-patient ratio than previous studies of psilocybin therapy.

“This approach has been shown to be effective in achieving significant improvement in these patients’ symptoms of depression and, if replicated in larger studies, could open the door to broader and more rapid adoption of psilocybin therapy in the future,” said dr Agrawal .

Chief Therapist Bill Richards, Ph.D. commented that although the number of study participants was small, the results of the open-label study add to the growing evidence for psilocybin therapy for mental distress and offer hope to cancer patients and their families for an effective treatment for depression…