Recently, the NIHR Oxford Health Clinical Research Facility (OH CRF) has begun researching a new potential drug treatment for Treatment-Resistant Depression.
A significant number of people with depression are not helped by at least two antidepressant medications. This is known as treatment-resistant depression (TRD).
The COMP006 study is a large international study, aiming to examine the efficacy, safety, and tolerability of investigational COMP360 psilocybin treatment at different doses for individuals who have TRD.
Psilocybin is a psychedelic that works on the serotonin system in the brain. Serotonin is linked to important brain functions including regulation of mood, sleep and thinking processes. COMP360 is a synthetically produced formulation of psilocybin, a form of the naturally occurring compound found in some species of mushrooms, commonly known as “magic mushrooms”. It is administered with psychological support from specially trained therapists during the trial.
The OH CRF is one of the nine sites delivering the COMP 006 study with the first participant recently enrolling in Oxford. Each participant has a diagnosis of TRD and fulfills certain eligibility criteria, which includes a 52-week follow-up period.
Participants are required to attend the OH CRF at the Warneford Hospital in Oxford for study visits. These visits can last up to 8 hours, so it is important that participants are able to attend these visits comfortably. When attending the OH CRF for study visits, participants are looked after by a highly trained team consisting of psychiatrists, research nurses, research assistants, pharmacists and administrators.
Principal Investigator, Dr Katharine Smith, said:
‘We are excited to have opened the COMP006 study at the OH CRF. Treatment-resistant depression has a significant impact on people’s lives and this research offers a potentially different and novel approach. The study will help to show whether the new investigational treatment is effective and, if so, how long that effect might last.’
Results from earlier phases of the trial were promising. It was shown that a single 25mg dose of COMP360 psilocybin, in combination with psychological support, was associated with a significant reduction in depressive symptoms after three weeks, with a rapid and durable response for up to 12 weeks.
The OH CRF is based at the Warneford Hospital in Oxford and is a dedicated centre for improving mental and cognitive health treatments through clinical research. It is committed to investigating new and innovative mental health treatments and is experienced in the delivery of experimental clinical trials. The OH CRF is a purpose-built unit consisting of eight clinic rooms managed by a highly trained research team. The excellent facilities and expertise ensure that OH CRF can deliver complex studies like COMP 006.
If you live within a 50-mile radius of Oxford and would like to know more about the COMP006 study, please email: mentalhealthresearch@oxfordhealth.nhs.uk
Reimbursement for reasonable, out-of-pocket expenses for travel and other expenses are available.