The Oxford Health Clinical Research Facility (OH CRF) have launched the Impact-1 study evaluating the safety, tolerability, and efficacy of the psychoactive oral medication known as methylone, a new and potentially effective treatment option for patients with Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD).
PTSD is a serious debilitating disorder that occurs in people who have experienced or witnessed a traumatic event such as a natural disaster, a serious accident, or who have been threatened with death, sexual violence or serious injury. Symptoms of PTSD can include intrusive thoughts and memories, difficulties with cognition and can cause people to become avoidant and withdrawn as well as feeling in a constant state of fear and panic, or hypersensitive to their surroundings.
PTSD affects between 1.3-3.6% of people each year in the UK.
Currently approved medications (sertraline and paroxetine) for treatment of PTSD have modest efficacy with less than 30% of patients treated with these medications achieving remission.
The Impact 1 study monitors participants who meet the specific criteria in receiving a weekly dose of oral methylone over a 4-week period. The study lasts for approximately 4 months with up to 14 clinic visits during that time where doctors closely monitor participants symptoms, health, and overall experiences.
Methylone, also known as TSND-201 has been developed as a rapid-acting and durable treatment for PTSD, and other mental health illnesses including major depressive disorder (MDD).
Principal Investigator Dr Smita Pandit, Consultant Psychiatrist, at Oxford Health NHS Foundation Trust said,
“This is a novel study looking at the potential of a psychoactive medication for treatment of PTSD. We are very excited to a part of this project”.
You can visit the study website for further information on participation criteria.
Recruitment to the study will run at OH CRF until 31Dec 2024.
If you live within a 50-mile radius of Oxford and would like to know more about the Impact-1 study, please email: mentalhealthresearch@oxfordhealth.nhs.uk
