A pharmaceutical company called Compass Pathways has shared positive six-month results from a large study testing a new depression treatment. The treatment, called COMP360, is a lab-made version of psilocybin, the active ingredient found in certain mushrooms. Psilocybin is not the same as the illegal recreational drug but is being studied for its potential to help people with hard-to-treat depression when used in a controlled medical setting.
The study, called COMP006, involved nearly 600 people who had been struggling with severe, long-term depression that did not improve with standard treatments. On average, these participants had been dealing with depression for more than three years and had experienced six or more episodes of depression in their lifetime. In the study, about 39% of people who received a 25mg dose of COMP360 showed a significant improvement in their depression symptoms just six weeks after receiving two doses. This improvement lasted throughout the entire 26-week study period. For comparison, in a similar earlier study called COMP005, 25% of participants showed improvement after just one dose.
Most side effects from COMP360 were mild and short-lived, usually happening on the same day as the treatment. The company is now working on submitting an application to the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) to approve COMP360 as a treatment. If approved and if regulations around psilocybin change, Compass Pathways plans to make the treatment available to patients in early 2027.
The company’s CEO, Kabir Nath, said the results strengthen the evidence that COMP360 can provide rapid and lasting relief for people with chronic, treatment-resistant depression. He believes this could be a game-changer, offering a treatment that might only require a few doses per year instead of daily medication.
Dr. Guy Goodwin, the company’s Chief Medical Officer, added that the consistent results across two large studies are impressive, especially considering how difficult treatment-resistant depression is to manage. He expressed gratitude to the participants, study sites, and caregivers who contributed to the research.
Dr. Tobias Marton, Chief Medical Officer of Mindful Health Solutions, which specializes in mental health treatments, said the results are exciting. He explained that many of his patients with severe, chronic depression have not responded to traditional antidepressants. The study found that 39% of patients improved significantly after just two doses of psilocybin, and nearly 30% of those who improved went into remission, meaning their depression symptoms were almost gone for the six-month study period.