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PsyPal; Psilocybin Therapy for Psychological Distress in Palliative Patients
EU CTIS ID: 2023-510488-36-01
What this study is testing
To examine medium/high-dose psilocybin therapy safety and efficacy in reducing symptoms of depression in patients with COPD, ALS, MS, or APD, compared to the low-dose control group. This will be determined by using the clinician-administered Montgomery Åsberg Depression Rating Scale (MADRS) score and comparing changes between scores at Baseline and Primary endpoint (6 weeks post Dose 2).
- Therapeutic exploratory (Phase II)
A plain-language read of the study's public EU CTIS listing. The study team confirms the details.
Who can take part
You may be able to join if
- COPD: diagnosis by specialist
- APD: Diseases in the spectrum of Progressive supranuclear palsy (PSP), fulfilling possible and probable criteria, according to the MDS diagnostic criteria
- APD: Clinically Established and Clinically Probable Multiple System Atrophy (MSA) according to the MDS diagnostic criteria
- Patient meets ICD-10 criteria for major depressive disorder documented through the completion of the mood section of the Mini International Neuropsychiatric Interview by a screening psychologist or physician
- Patient has a MADRS score of > 19
- Patient should have a life expectancy of at least 6 months (assessed by study physician)
You likely can't join if
- Patient has used a psychedelic substance in the past 6 months (e.g., psilocybin, LSD, 5-MeO-DMT, DMT, ayahuasca or mescaline)
- Patient is unwilling or unable to pause formal psychotherapy (days 0-42)
- Patient has neurological conditions (e.g., intracranial tumour, epilepsy, brain injuries, or other neurological disorders) expected by the PIs to conflict with the treatment / study protocol
- Cardiovascular conditions: recent stroke (< 1 year from signing of ICF), recent myocardial infarction (< 1 year from signing of ICF), uncontrolled hypertension (blood pressure > 140/90 mmHg), clinically significant arrhythmia within 1 year of signing the ICF, or QTc prolongation exceeding 450ms (males) / 470ms (females).
- Patient has moderate to severe hepatic impairment (Child-Pugh score ≥ 7)
- Patient has insulin-dependent diabetes or who are taking oral hypoglycaemic agents and have a current risk of hypoglycaemia that would require medical intervention
See the full eligibility criteria
Who can join
- COPD: diagnosis by specialist
- APD: Diseases in the spectrum of Progressive supranuclear palsy (PSP), fulfilling possible and probable criteria, according to the MDS diagnostic criteria
- APD: Clinically Established and Clinically Probable Multiple System Atrophy (MSA) according to the MDS diagnostic criteria
- Patient meets ICD-10 criteria for major depressive disorder documented through the completion of the mood section of the Mini International Neuropsychiatric Interview by a screening psychologist or physician
- Patient has a MADRS score of > 19
- Patient should have a life expectancy of at least 6 months (assessed by study physician)
- Patient is at least 18 years of age
- Patient has an identified caregiver/support person
- Patient is able to read and understand the informed consent and all scales used in a local language. For those with ALS, MS, or APD, competency is ensured via neurologist assessment, cognitive screening, caregiver support during screening and interactive approaches where the screening clinician ask the patient to explain their understanding of consent elements, re-explaining potentially misunderstood information
- Patient is able to and willing to adhere to study requirements, including attending all study visits, preparatory and follow-up sessions, and completing all study evaluations
- Patient is able to ingest capsules
- COPD: Postbronchodilator FEV1/FVC < 0,7 and FEV1 <80% pred
- COPD: ≥ 40 years old
- COPD: ≥ 10 years smoking
- ALS: ALS according to Goldcoast criteria
- ALS: ALS-FRS-R subscores of minimum 1 in item 2, 3 and 8, subscore of minimum 2 in item 1, 4 and 10 and a subscore of minimum 3 in item 11 and 12
- MS: Fulfilled diagnostic revised McDonald criteria for MS from 2017
- MS: EDSS ≥ 1,0
- APD: Advanced to Late-Stage Parkinson’s Disease – patients with a diagnosis of Parkinson’s Disease per the MDS clinical diagnosis criteria with evidence of motor and non-motor fluctuations
What rules you out
- Patient has used a psychedelic substance in the past 6 months (e.g., psilocybin, LSD, 5-MeO-DMT, DMT, ayahuasca or mescaline)
- Patient is unwilling or unable to pause formal psychotherapy (days 0-42)
- Patient has neurological conditions (e.g., intracranial tumour, epilepsy, brain injuries, or other neurological disorders) expected by the PIs to conflict with the treatment / study protocol
- Cardiovascular conditions: recent stroke (< 1 year from signing of ICF), recent myocardial infarction (< 1 year from signing of ICF), uncontrolled hypertension (blood pressure > 140/90 mmHg), clinically significant arrhythmia within 1 year of signing the ICF, or QTc prolongation exceeding 450ms (males) / 470ms (females).
- Patient has moderate to severe hepatic impairment (Child-Pugh score ≥ 7)
- Patient has insulin-dependent diabetes or who are taking oral hypoglycaemic agents and have a current risk of hypoglycaemia that would require medical intervention
- Patient has any physical or psychological symptoms, medications, blood test results or clinically significant findings at Screening or Baseline (based on the clinical judgement of clinical/medical study personnel) that would make a patient unsuitable for the study
- Patient has an allergy or intolerance to any of the materials contained in either drug product
- Cognitive and Neuropsychological assessment: Patients will be excluded if they score below mean minus 1.5 Standard Deviation according to normative age and scholarity adjusted data on the Montreal Cognitive Assessment (MoCA) assessment
- Recent (2 weeks) change or planned change in antidepressant medication during the intervention
- Women who are pregnant, intend to become pregnant during the study, who are currently nursing or are unwilling to use Highly Effective Contraceptive Methods (section 8.2.1).
- Patient is in active treatments for other psychiatric disorders, judged by the screening clinician to be a more significant clinical problem than depression / distress
- COPD: Unresolved exacerbation or pulmonary infection within last 4 weeks
- ALS: Significant cognitive deficits (MoCA)
- MS: Significant cognitive deficits (MoCA), epilepsy or radiologically isolated syndrome
- APD: Dementia (MoCa), or Schwab and England ADL scale with scores > 80% in the best functional state
- Patient meets ICD-10 criteria for schizophrenia spectrum or other psychotic disorders, including major depressive disorder with psychotic features (except substance/medication-induced or due to another medical condition) or bipolar I/II disorder
- Patients with any lifetime diagnosis of schizophrenia spectrum or other psychotic disorders
- Patient has a first-degree relative with schizophrenia spectrum, bipolar I disorder or other psychotic disorders (expect substance/medication-induced or due to another medical condition).
- Patients with a pre-existing psychiatric condition judged to be incompatible with safe exposure to psilocybin therapy
- Significant suicide risk as defined by (1) suicidal ideation with intent to act (defined as ≥ 5 on MADRS item 10), (2) suicidal attempts within the past year, or (3) clinical assessment of significant suicidal risk during patient interview
- Patient meets ICD-10 criteria for active/current alcohol or drug use disorder
- Patient has ongoing treatment with antipsychotic drugs. Any prohibited agents must have been stopped at least 5x the elimination half-life of the specific drug at the time of baseline (see Appendix 1a of the Clinical Trial Protocol for Prohibited medications)
The study team makes the final eligibility decision.
Questions & answers
Do participants get paid in this trial?
This listing doesn't specify compensation. Many trials still reimburse travel or offer a stipend, so it's worth asking the study team when you connect.
Is it free to join, and do I need insurance?
Searching and applying through BridgeMD is free. In clinical trials the study-related treatment and visits are generally provided at no cost to you. You usually don't need insurance to take part - confirm specifics with the study team.
How long does this study last?
The listing doesn't state an exact length. The study team walks you through the schedule and number of visits before you decide to enroll.
Who can join this trial?
This study is enrolling all sexes, 65+ years, 18-64 years. The study team makes the final eligibility decision.
Explore other conditions
BridgeMD is an information and trial-matching tool - not medical advice, and not the study sponsor. Details come from EU CTIS; the study team decides eligibility.