MDMA-Assisted Psychotherapy for Anxiety Associated With a Life-Threatening Illness

A Randomized, Double-Blind, Placebo-Controlled Phase 2 Pilot Study of MDMA-Assisted Psychotherapy for Anxiety Associated With a Life-Threatening Illness

The goal of this clinical trial is to learn if MDMA-assisted therapy is safe and effective in people with anxiety associated with a life-threatening illness. The main question it aims to answer is: Does anxiety decrease in people receiving two sessions of MDMA-assisted therapy?

Researchers will compare people receiving placebo with therapy to people receiving MDMA-assisted therapy.

• Participants will undergo three non-drug preparatory therapy sessions before their first blinded session of MDMA or placebo with therapy.
• Each medication session will be followed by three non-drug integrative therapy sessions.
• After the second blinded medication session, participants receiving MDMA will complete a third open-label medication session.
• Participants who received placebo will be given the option to crossover and receive three sessions of assisted therapy.

Study Overview

• Status: Completed
• Conditions: Anxiety
• Intervention / Treatment: Behavioral: Therapy; Drug: Placebo; Drug: Midomafetamine HCl

Detailed Description

This Phase 2 pilot study is a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled study in 18 participants comparing the effects of MDMA-assisted therapy vs. placebo with therapy. Thirteen participants were randomized to the active dose condition of 125 mg of MDMA HCl (plus an optional supplemental dose of 62.5 mg MDMA HCl) with therapy and five participants were randomized to the placebo with therapy condition. The study consisted of two blinded experimental sessions of MDMA-assisted therapy or placebo with therapy, each session lasting six to eight hours and scheduled two to four weeks apart. Each participant was unblinded one month after their second experimental session in Stage 1. After unblinding, participants receiving MDMA were to complete a third open-label experimental session of MDMA-assisted therapy and participants who originally received placebo had the opportunity to cross over to open-label Stage 2 and receive active MDMA-assisted therapy in 3 sessions.

The primary objective of the study is to assess changes in trait anxiety in subjects receiving active dose MDMA compared to those receiving placebo as measured by State-Trait Anxiety Index (STAI) Trait scores from Baseline to the Primary Endpoint (one month after the second experimental session).

• Study Type: Interventional
• Enrollment (Actual): 18
• Phase: Phase 2

Contacts and Locations

Study Locations

• United States
  • California
    • San Anselmo, California, United States, 94960
      • Offices of Philip Wolfson MD

Participation Criteria

Eligibility Criteria

• Ages Eligible for Study: 18 years and older (Adult, Older Adult)
• Accepts Healthy Volunteers: No

Description

Inclusion Criteria:

• Diagnosed with life-threatening cancer or non-dementing neurological illness, which can be ongoing or in remission, but with a possibility of recurrence
• Prognosis of at least nine months life expectancy from the time of screening
• Have anxiety as a result of facing their illness
• Are at least 18 years old
• Are willing to refrain from taking any psychiatric medications during the study period;
• Are willing to commit to medication dosing, experimental sessions, follow-up sessions, and to complete evaluation instruments
• Are willing to remain overnight at the study site after each experimental session until after the integrative session occurring the next morning
• Must sign a medical release for the investigators to communicate directly with their therapist and doctors;
• Are willing to select up to three observers who will complete observer measures of subject attitudes and behavior
• Negative pregnancy test if able to bear children and agree to use effective birth control
• Are proficient in speaking and reading English
• Agree to have all psychotherapy sessions recorded to audio/video.

Exclusion Criteria:

• Are pregnant or nursing, or if a woman who can have children, those who are not practicing an effective means of birth control;
• Weigh less than 48 kg
• Are abusing illegal drugs
• Are unable to give adequate informed consent
• Upon review of past, current drugs/medication must not be on or have taken a medication that is exclusionary
• Upon review of medical or psychiatric history must not have any current or past diagnosis that would be considered a risk to participation in the study
• Have used "Ecstasy" (material represented as containing MDMA) at least once within twelve months of enrollment.

Study Plan

How is the study designed?

Design Details

• Primary Purpose: Treatment
• Allocation: Randomized
• Interventional Model: Parallel Assignment
• Masking: Quadruple

Number of Arms

2

Arms and Interventions

Participant Group / Arm	Intervention / Treatment
Placebo Comparator: Placebo with therapy; Inactive placebo administered on 2 blinded experimental sessions scheduled 2 to 4 weeks apart. Initial dose possibly followed 1.5 to 2.5 hours later by (optional) inactive placebo supplemental dose.	Behavioral: Therapy; Manualized therapy; Drug: Placebo; Two sessions of placebo with therapy lasting six to eight hours, scheduled two to four weeks apart.; Other Names: Inactive placebo
Experimental: MDMA-assisted therapy (125 mg); 125 mg midomafetamine HCl administered on 2 blinded experimental sessions scheduled 2 to 4 weeks apart. Initial dose possibly followed 1.5 to 2.5 hours later by a (optional) supplemental dose of 62.5 mg.	Behavioral: Therapy; Manualized therapy; Drug: Midomafetamine HCl; Two sessions of MDMA-assisted therapy lasting six to eight hours, scheduled two to four weeks apart.; Other Names: MDMA; 3,4-methylenedioxymethamphetamine; Midomafetamine

What is the study measuring?

Primary Outcome Measures

Outcome Measure	Measure Description	Time Frame
Change in State Trait Anxiety Inventory (STAI) Trait Score From Baseline to Primary Endpoint	The State-Trait Anxiety Inventory (STAI) is a 20-item self-report measure of intensity of anxiety. Each item consists of a 4-point Likert rating scale ranging from 1 ('Not at all') to 4 ('Very Much So'), with higher scores indicating greater anxiety. Items were summed for a total score that ranged from 20 to 80. The STAI differentiates between State Anxiety, defined as "anxiety experienced in reaction to a specific environmental circumstance," and Trait Anxiety, defined as "long-standing nervous affect or anxiety disorder." The use of the trait subscale as the primary outcome measure was intended to target those anxiety symptoms that are chronic and pervasive.	Baseline (3 months from enrollment) to Primary Endpoint (one month post-2nd experimental session)
Primary Endpoint STAI Trait Score	The State-Trait Anxiety Inventory (STAI) is a 20-item self-report measure of intensity of anxiety. Each item consists of a 4-point Likert rating scale ranging from 1 ('Not at all') to 4 ('Very Much So'), with higher scores indicating greater anxiety. Items were summed for a total score that ranged from 20 to 80. The STAI differentiates between State Anxiety, defined as "anxiety experienced in reaction to a specific environmental circumstance," and Trait Anxiety, defined as "long-standing nervous affect or anxiety disorder." The use of the trait subscale as the primary outcome measure is intended to target those anxiety symptoms that are chronic and pervasive.	One month post-2nd experimental session

Secondary Outcome Measures

Outcome Measure	Measure Description	Time Frame
Change in STAI State Score From Baseline to Primary Endpoint	The state subscale of the STAI (STAI-S) is a 20-item self-reported scale which assesses subjects' levels of transient, situationally oriented, anxiety. Like the trait subscale, participants respond to each item on the state subscale by selecting a response from a 4-point Likert scale ranging from 4 ("Not at all") to 1 ("Very much so"), with higher scores indicating greater anxiety. Items were summed for a total score that ranged from 20 to 80. The STAI differentiates between State Anxiety, defined as "anxiety experienced in reaction to a specific environmental circumstance," and Trait Anxiety, defined as "long-standing nervous affect or anxiety disorder." The use of the trait subscale as the primary outcome measure is intended to target those anxiety symptoms that are chronic and pervasive.	Baseline (3 months from enrollment) to Primary Endpoint (one month post-2nd experimental session)
Change in Beck Depression Inventory-II (BDI-II) Score From Baseline to Primary Endpoint	The Beck Depression Inventory-II (BDI-II) is a a 21-item self-reported measure of depression according to Diagnostic and Statistical Manual IV (DSM-IV) criteria. Each item is rated on a 4-point Likert scale ranging from 0 to 3. The total score is the sum of 21 items and range from 0 to 63. Score cutoffs indicate: 0-13 minimal depression, 14-19 mild depression, 20-28 moderate depression, and 29-63 severe depression. Higher scores indicate more severe depressive symptoms.	Baseline (3 months from enrollment) to Primary Endpoint (one month post-2nd experimental session)
Change in Global Assessment of Functioning (GAF) Score From Baseline to Primary Endpoint	The Global Assessment of Function (GAF) is a measure of a person's global social functioning made through clinical observation. The GAF consists of a single score, with scores ranging from 0 to 100, with 100 reflecting superior function and zero reflecting serious risk of causing harm to the self or others.	Baseline (3 months from enrollment) to Primary Endpoint (one month post 2nd experimental session)
Change in MADRS Score From Baseline to Primary Endpoint	The Montgomery-Asberg Depression Rating Scale (MADRS) is a 10-item, clinician administered questionnaire used to diagnose the severity of depressive episodes. Each item has a score of 0 to 6. Overall scores are summed and range from 0 to 60. Score cutoffs indicate: 0-6 normal/symptom absent, 7-19 mild depression, 20-34 moderate depression, > 34 severe depression. Higher scores indicate greater severe depression.	Baseline (3 months from enrollment) to Primary Endpoint (one month post-2nd experimental session)
Change in Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Inventory (PSQI) From Baseline to Primary Endpoint	The Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index (PSQI) is a measure of self-reported sleep quality over a one month period. It consists of 19 items with possible responses ranging from zero to four on a five-point scale. The PSQI consists of seven sub-scales: sleep quality, sleep latency, sleep duration, habitual sleep efficiency, sleep disturbance, use of sleeping medications, and daytime dysfunction. These are all summed to produce a single global scale. Global scores can range from 0 to 21, with higher scores reflecting poorer sleep quality, and a score below 5 indicating good sleep quality.	Baseline (3 months from enrollment) to Primary Endpoint (one month post-2nd experimental session)
Change in Posttraumatic Growth Inventory (PTGI) From Baseline to Primary Endpoint	The Posttraumatic Growth Inventory (PTGI) is a 21-item self-report measure of perceived growth or benefits occurring after a traumatic event. It contains five subscales; relationship to others, new possibilities, personal strength, spiritual change, and appreciation of life. Questions are answered on a scale from 0 (I did not experience this change) to 5 (I experienced this change to a great degree). Items are added to calculate the total PTGI score which ranges from 0 to 105, with higher scores indicative of greater growth.	Baseline (3 months from enrollment) to Primary Endpoint (one month post-2nd experimental session)
Change in Functional Assessment of Chronic Illness Therapy Scale (FACIT) From Baseline to Primary Endpoint	The Functional Assessment of Chronic Illness Therapy Scale (FACIT-Sp) is a 27-item self-report measure of quality of life issues specifically relevant to individuals with a chronic or life-threatening illness or condition. The core questionnaire consists of four subscales: Physical Well-being, Social/Family Well-being, Emotional Well-being, and Functional Well-being. Responses range from 0 (not at all) to 4 (very much), with higher scores indicating greater well-being. For each subscale, total scores were summed and range from 0 to 16.	Baseline (3 months from enrollment) to Primary Endpoint (one month post-2nd experimental session)
Change in Death Attitudes Profile (DAP) From Baseline to Primary Endpoint	The Death Attitudes Profile (DAP) is a 32-item self-reported questionnaire that assesses individual attitudes and beliefs about death and dying. Each item on the scale is rated along a 7-point Likert scale ranging from "strongly disagree" (score of 1) to "strongly agree" (score of 7), with higher scores indicating more positive attitudes toward death. The DAP consists of 5 dimensions: fear of death (7 items summed with total scores ranging from 7 to 49), death avoidance (5 items summed with total scores ranging from 5 to 35), neutral acceptance (5 items summed with total scores ranging from 5 to 35), approach acceptance (10 items summed with total scores ranging from 10 to 70), and escape acceptance (5 items summed with total scores ranging from 5 to 35). For each dimension, a mean scale score can be computed by dividing the total scale score by the number of items forming each scale.	Baseline (3 months from enrollment) to Primary Endpoint (one month post-2nd experimental session)
Change in Self-Compassion Scale (SCS) From Baseline to Primary Endpoint	The Self-Compassion Scale (SCS) is a 26-item self-reported questionnaire that assesses how respondents relate to themselves and treat themselves during difficult or painful experiences. Items are scored along a 5-point Likert-type scale ranging from 1 "almost never" to 5 "almost always." The SCS has six component (subscale) scores: self-kindness, self-judgment, common humanity, isolation, mindfulness, and over-identification. Subscale scores are calculated by computing the mean of subscale item responses. A total self-compassion score is calculated by the sum of the subscale scores and range from 24 to 120 with higher scores indicating greater self compassion. Higher scores have been found to correlate with positive mental health outcomes, as well as decreased depression and anxiety.	Baseline (3 months from enrollment) to Primary Endpoint (one month post-2nd experimental session)

Collaborators and Investigators

• Sponsor: Lykos Therapeutics
• Investigators: Principal Investigator: Philip Wolfson, MD, Private Practice

Publications and helpful links

General Publications

• Wolfson PE, Andries J, Feduccia AA, Jerome L, Wang JB, Williams E, Carlin SC, Sola E, Hamilton S, Yazar-Klosinski B, Emerson A, Mithoefer MC, Doblin R. MDMA-assisted psychotherapy for treatment of anxiety and other psychological distress related to life-threatening illnesses: a randomized pilot study. Sci Rep. 2020 Nov 24;10(1):20442. doi: 10.1038/s41598-020-75706-1.

Study record dates

Study Major Dates

• Study Start (Actual): May 14, 2015
• Primary Completion (Actual): April 25, 2017
• Study Completion (Actual): May 17, 2018

Study Registration Dates

• First Submitted: April 13, 2015
• First Submitted That Met QC Criteria: April 22, 2015
• First Posted (Estimated): April 28, 2015

Study Record Updates

• Last Update Posted (Estimated): June 5, 2025
• Last Update Submitted That Met QC Criteria: May 23, 2025
• Last Verified: May 1, 2025

More Information

Terms related to this study

• Keywords: Anxiety; MDMA; Therapy; Life-threatening illness; midomafetamine
• Additional Relevant MeSH Terms: Mental Disorders; Anxiety Disorders; Physiological Effects of Drugs; Molecular Mechanisms of Pharmacological Action; Neurotransmitter Agents; Membrane Transport Modulators; Psychotropic Drugs; Adrenergic Agents; Neurotransmitter Uptake Inhibitors; Adrenergic Uptake Inhibitors; Serotonin Agents; Hallucinogens; N-Methyl-3,4-methylenedioxyamphetamine
• Other Study ID Numbers: MDA-1

Plan for Individual participant data (IPD)

• Plan to Share Individual Participant Data (IPD)?: YES
• IPD Plan Description: We will share outcome data appearing in any published reports upon request.
• IPD Sharing Time Frame: Data and study-related documents will be available when all participants have completed the study, and when data has been quality checked and locked.
• IPD Sharing Access Criteria: Interested persons should correspond with the central contact for the multisite study.
• IPD Sharing Supporting Information Type: STUDY_PROTOCOL; SAP; ICF

Drug and device information, study documents

• Studies a U.S. FDA-regulated device product: No