NCT04077437

A Multi-Site Phase 3 Study of MDMA-Assisted Psychotherapy for PTSD (MAPP2)

A Randomized, Double-Blind, Placebo-Controlled, Multi-Site Phase 3 Study of the Efficacy and Safety of Manualized MDMA-Assisted Psychotherapy for the Treatment of Posttraumatic Stress Disorder of Moderate or Greater Severity

• Status: Completed
• Phase: Phase 3
• Study type: Interventional
• Enrollment: 121 (actual)
• Sponsor: Lykos Therapeutics · Industry
• Sex: All
• Age: 18 Years
• Healthy volunteers: Not accepted

Summary

The goal of this clinical trial is to learn if MDMA-assisted therapy is safe and effective in people with at least moderate PTSD. The main question it aims to answer is: Do three sessions of MDMA-assisted therapy reduce PTSD symptoms? Researchers will compare three sessions of MDMA-assisted therapy with an initial dose of 80 to 120 mg to three sessions of placebo with therapy. Participants will undergo three preparatory sessions without any study drug, followed by three MDMA-assisted therapy or placebo with therapy sessions. Each medication session will be followed by three integrative therapy sessions without study drug.

Detailed description

This multi-site, double-blind, placebo-controlled, randomized Phase 3 study will assess the efficacy and safety of MDMA-assisted psychotherapy versus psychotherapy with placebo control in participants diagnosed with at least moderate PTSD. The study will be conducted in N ≈ 100 participants. Participants will be randomized into one of two groups (MDMA or placebo) in a 1:1 ratio. An initial dose of MDMA or placebo, followed by a supplemental half-dose unless contraindicated, will be administered during the Treatment Period with manualized psychotherapy in three monthly Experimental Sessions. This \~12-week Treatment Period is preceded by three Preparatory Sessions. Initial doses per Experimental Session include 80 mg or 120 mg of midomafetamine HCl or placebo followed 1.5 to 2 hours later by a supplemental half-dose (40 or 60 mg). Total amounts of midomafetamine HCl to be administered per Experimental Session range from 80 mg to 180 mg. Each Experimental Session will be followed by three Integrative Sessions of non-drug psychotherapy to help the participants process and understand their experiences during the Experimental Sessions. The primary objective of this study is to evaluate the efficacy of MDMA-assisted psychotherapy for PTSD compared to identical psychotherapy with inactive placebo, as measured by change in Clinician-Administered PTSD Scale for DSM-5 (CAPS-5) Total Severity Score from Visit 3 (Baseline) to Visit 19 (18 weeks post Baseline) (Blake et al., 1995). The key secondary objective of this study is to evaluate the efficacy of MDMA-assisted psychotherapy for PTSD compared to identical psychotherapy with inactive placebo in clinician-rated functional impairment, as measured by the change in Sheehan Disability Scale (adapted SDS) item scores from Visit 3 (Baseline) to Visit 19 (18 weeks post Baseline) (Leon et al., 1997).

Conditions

• Posttraumatic Stress Disorder

Interventions

Type	Name	Description
BEHAVIORAL	Therapy	Standardized non-directive therapy performed by therapist team.
DRUG	Midomafetamine	Administration of 80 to 120 mg midomafetamine HCl, followed by a supplemental half-dose 1.5 to 2 hrs after the initial dose of 40 or 60 mg, respectively, during three sessions of MDMA-assisted psychotherapy.
DRUG	Placebo	Administration of placebo with therapy during three experimental sessions

Timeline

• Start date: 2020-09-02
• Primary completion: 2022-10-30
• Completion: 2022-11-02
• First posted: 2019-09-04
• Last updated: 2025-06-06
• Results posted: 2023-10-11

Locations

14 sites across 2 countries: United States, Israel

Regulatory

• FDA-regulated drug study