2 New Studies Look At Compass Pathways' Psilocybin Drug For Anorexia And Depression

Compass Pathways CMPS, a company developing psychedelic pharmaceutical drugs for the mental health space, announced the publication of two new investigator-initiated studies using its flagship compound, COMP360.

COMP360 is a synthetic isolate of psilocybin, the active compound commonly found in psilocybe mushrooms, also known as “magic mushrooms.” The molecule is currently moving to phase 3 clinical trials, after closing phase 2 in November of last year. Compass is expecting to have COMP360 approved by the FDA.

The new studies looked at psilocybin therapy in two indications: anorexia nervosa and severe treatment-resistant depression, in small patient cohorts.

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The study looking at patients with anorexia nervosa analyzed the use of psilocybin in 10 patients who received a single 25mg dose and looked for safety, efficacy and tolerability of the drug.

Conducted by Dr. Walter Kaye at the University of California San Diego School of Medicine, the trial found that 30% of participants experienced clinically significant reductions in eating disorder psychopathology at the 1-month follow-up, while 40% experienced clinically significant reductions at the 3-month follow-up. 

Participants also demonstrated statistically significant reductions in shape concerns at the 1-month and 3-month follow-ups with high tolerability and no serious adverse events reported. 

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The other study looked at 12 patients with severe treatment-resistant depression and also gave a single 25mg dose. In this trial, run by Dr. Scott Aaronson at Sheppard Pratt, Baltimore, all participants had tried at least five antidepressant treatments without success, prior to joining the study.

After 12 months of the dose, 58.3% of the participants maintained response criteria, for the Montgomery-Asberg Depression Rating Scale (MADRS), and a quarter maintained remission. There was no increase in suicidality, and no serious adverse events were reported.

Compass also announced that it will release financial results for the first quarter of 2022 on May 10.

The company’s shares were worth ​​$9.51 at the time of this writing Tuesday afternoon.

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