What the trial was testing
The MAPP2 enrolled 121 patients with ptsd. The study was sponsored by Resilient Pharmaceuticals and tracked outcomes across the full group of patients who matched the trial's eligibility profile.
It was a large trial designed to confirm whether the treatment works well enough for wider use. Trials at this stage are designed to produce evidence regulators and physicians can act on — not just observations to follow up later.
What the results showed
MDMA-assisted therapy reduced PTSD symptoms 60% more than therapy alone.
Nature medicine · 2023 · NCT04077437
These findings — that mDMA with therapy reduced symptoms more than therapy alone — were published in the Nature medicine and represent the headline result of the study.
Researchers tracked outcomes across 121 patients enrolled in the trial. The result was consistent enough across the group that the team felt confident reporting it.
What this means for patients
For patients with ptsd, this result changes the calculus on what to ask their care team about. Whether it changes day-to-day care depends on factors like disease subtype, prior treatments, and where the patient is in their care journey.
What you can do now
This large-scale study showed MDMA-assisted therapy helped reduce PTSD symptoms significantly. The FDA has not yet approved this treatment, but the agency has granted it breakthrough therapy designation. Talk to your doctor about whether any clinical trials are open in your area or whether other trauma-focused therapies might help.
Eligibility for the treatments mentioned above depends on specific test results and clinical history. Bring this summary, the trial name, and your most recent labs or pathology report to your next visit.
Open ptsd trials
Suvorexant for Treatment of AUD and PTSD
This study is to determine if suvorexant (SUV) will reduce insomnia in 76 men and women veteran and non-veterans between the ages 21-65 with posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) symptoms and alcohol use disorder (AUD). All participants will have a 7-day placebo run-in period, followed by a random assignment to receive placebo or suvorexant for an additonal 14 days. Post-randomization, participants will attempt to stop drinking for two weeks and will complete daily virtual diaries and study outcome assessments via in-person clinic visits on days 7 and 14.
Depressive Symptoms After Cardiac Surgery
The primary goal of this project is to develop a predictive model for clinically significant depressive symptoms (CSDS) in patients undergoing coronary artery bypass graft (CABG) surgery, using pre- and perioperative data. CSDS occur in about 30 percent of CABG patients, which is four times higher than in the general population. These symptoms are linked to poor quality of life and increased morbidity and mortality. The aim is to create a model that can identify patients at risk for postoperative depression. This tool could help clinicians make informed decisions and take preventive measures to manage depression after surgery.