Definium LSD therapy for major depression helped patients in Phase 3 trial

Elaine’s stories explore the boom in new obesity treatments, new drug payment models, the ways companies are affected by FDA changes, and the emerging psychedelics drug sector. She co-writes The Readout newsletter, and co-hosts STAT’s weekly biotech podcast, The Readout Loud. You can reach Elaine on Signal at elaineywchen.70.

Definium Therapeutics said Monday that its LSD therapy significantly helped patients with major depression in its first Phase 3 trial, bringing the psychedelic drug closer to a potential approval.

Six weeks after a single dose, patients on the pill, called DT120, experienced a 13.3-point drop on a depression test called the Montgomery-Åsberg Depression Rating Scale (MADRS), compared with a 5.2-point drop among patients taking placebo.

By 12 weeks, the effect waned a bit but was largely maintained, as patients on the pill had an 11-point drop from their baseline, compared with a 3.6-point drop in the placebo group.

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