Definium's LSD Therapy Eases Anxiety in Second Trial — SkimNews
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- Definium Therapeutics said its LSD-based drug DT120 reduced anxiety in a second late-stage 12-week trial, positioning the company to seek what would be the first approval of a psychedelic drug for anxiety.
- Patients on the 100-microgram dose of DT120 saw a 9.8-point drop on the Hamilton Anxiety Rating Scale versus 4.7 points for placebo — a 5.1-point treatment gap.
- The 5.1-point placebo-adjusted effect was similar to Definium's first late-stage anxiety study and larger than what's been observed with many other anxiety therapies, though Definium flagged that cross-study comparisons are difficult.
- Symptom changes appeared as early as the second day after dosing, in contrast to traditional antidepressants, which typically take weeks to take effect.
- Definium is among the first wave of biotechs nearing regulatory approval for psychedelic therapies — a drug class notable for its rapid onset versus standard options.
Why it matters: If approved, DT120 would be the first psychedelic drug cleared for anxiety — a new mechanism showing effects as early as day two versus the weeks traditional antidepressants require. The 5.1-point placebo-adjusted benefit matched Definium's first late-stage study, giving the company a second positive dataset to support an approval filing.
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