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Posttraumatic Stress DisorderPhase 2NCT00090064

MDMA-Assisted Psychotherapy in People With Posttraumatic Stress Disorder

A Phase 2 study testing Midomafetamine HCl and Therapy in people with Posttraumatic Stress Disorder, run by Resilient Pharmaceuticals at 1 site in United States.

Completed

Finished. The study has ended and is not enrolling. Results may be posted on the official record.

Official record
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Trial summary

The goal of this clinical trial is to compare MDMA-assisted therapy to placebo with therapy in people with chronic, treatment-resistant posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD). The main question it aims to answer is: Is there a reduction in PTSD symptoms among people given MDMA-assisted therapy compared to placebo with… Read more about this study

Who is it for?
Ages 18 to 70 years
Conditions the study is for
Posttraumatic Stress Disorder
What is being tested?
Midomafetamine HCl and Therapy
Could I receive a placebo?
Yes, some participants may receive a placebo
How many people
23 participants
Where
1 siteUnited States
Study dates
12 Mar 2004to 21 Jun 2010
Phase
Phase 2
Are there results?
Yes, posted in the registrySummary in the doctors' view

Key requirements

Who can take part, as listed by the sponsor. Only the study team can confirm whether you are eligible, so take this list to your doctor.

  • Ages 18 to 70 years
  • All sexes
  • No healthy volunteers
  • Adult, Older adult

Who may be able to join

  • Have current PTSD (within the past 6 months) in response to crime victimization, including childhood sexual or physical abuse, or meet criteria for PTSD in response to combat;
  • Have a CAPS score showing moderate to severe PTSD symptoms;
  • They must either:
  • Have had at least one unsuccessful attempt at treatment for PTSD with a SSRI and psychotherapy;
  • Be a veteran with PTSD symptoms that have endured for no less than one year but no more than five years
  • Be at least 18 years old;
Show all 12Show fewer
  • Must be generally healthy;
  • Willing to remain overnight at the study site;
  • Agree to have transportation home the morning after experimental sessions;
  • Are willing to be contacted via telephone for all necessary telephone contacts;
  • Must have a negative pregnancy test if able to bear children and agree to use an effective form of birth control;
  • Are proficient in reading English;

Who cannot join

  • Are pregnant or nursing, or are able to bear children and are not practicing an effective means of birth control;
  • Weigh less than 50 kg or more than 105 kg;
  • Are unable to give adequate informed consent;
  • Prior use of "Ecstasy" (illicit drug preparations purported to contain MDMA) more than 5 times or at any time within the previous 6 months;
  • Have a history of certain excluded medical disorders.

Trial locations and contacts

1 site in 1 country.

United States1 site
  • Offices of Michael Mithoefer MD

    Mt. Pleasant, South Carolina, 29464

Other trials in United States

About this study

Official title: Phase II Clinical Trial Testing the Safety and Efficacy of 3,4-Methylenedioxymethamphetamine (MDMA)-Assisted Psychotherapy in Subjects With Chronic Posttraumatic Stress Disorder

The goal of this clinical trial is to compare MDMA-assisted therapy to placebo with therapy in people with chronic, treatment-resistant posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD). The main question it aims to answer is: Is there a reduction in PTSD symptoms among people given MDMA-assisted therapy compared to placebo with therapy?

Participants will receive either MDMA-assisted therapy or placebo with therapy during two blinded experimental sessions spaced three to five weeks apart. During experimental sessions, participants receive an initial dose of 125 mg of MDMA HCl, or placebo, followed by a dose of 62.5 mg of MDMA HCl, or placebo. During this treatment period, participants will also undergo non-drug preparatory psychotherapy sessions and non-drug integrative sessions.

The study will test whether MDMA-assisted therapy can be safely given to participants. Researchers will compare PTSD symptoms in the MDMA-assisted therapy group to the placebo with therapy group to see if there is a reduction in symptoms after the treatment period.

Read the detailed description

This randomized, double-blind placebo-controlled pilot study assessed the safety and effectiveness of MDMA-assisted therapy among people with chronic, treatment-resistant PTSD, including veterans. Participants were assigned to receive either MDMA-assisted therapy or placebo with therapy during two blinded experimental sessions spaced three to five weeks apart during Stage 1 of the study. During these experimental sessions, participants received an initial dose of 125 mg of MDMA HCl followed by a supplemental dose of 62.5 mg of MDMA HCl, or they received initial and supplemental doses of inactive placebo. Psychotherapists and independent raters were blinded to participants' treatment conditions. This treatment period also consisted of non-drug preparatory therapy sessions and non-drug integration therapy sessions.

During Stage 2 of the study, the blind was broken and participants assigned to receive MDMA-assisted therapy in Stage 1 underwent a third open-label experimental session of MDMA-assisted therapy. Participants assigned placebo with therapy during Stage 1 who chose to enroll in Stage 2 underwent three open-label sessions of MDMA-assisted therapy. Outcome measures were administered two months after the second experimental session in Stage 1 and four to six weeks after the second MDMA-assisted therapy session in Stage 2. A final data-collection session took place at two months after the third experimental session.

The primary objective of the study was to measure change in PTSD symptoms via CAPS-IV across the study in participants receiving MDMA-assisted therapy versus placebo with therapy.

Being tested
Midomafetamine HCl, Lactose placebo pill, Therapy
Keywords
MDMA, Methylenedioxymethamphetamine, PTSD, psychotherapy, midomafetamine
Medical subject headings
Stress Disorders, Post-Traumatic

What participants receive

What participants receive. In a randomised study each person is assigned to one group by chance.

  • Midomafetamine HClDrug

    Also called MDMA HCl, 3,4-methylenedioxymethamphetamine, MDMA, Midomafetamine

    125 mg of midomafetamine HCl followed by a supplemental half-dose of 62.5 mg of midomafetamine HCl

  • Lactose placebo pillDrug

    Also called Placebo

    125 mg followed by a supplemental half-dose of 62.5 mg

  • TherapyBehavioural

    Non-directive therapy provided by a team of two co-therapists

Study groups in NCT00090064
Study groupRoleWhat they receive
MDMA-assisted therapy (125 mg)ExperimentalParticipants will receive an initial dose of 125 mg midomafetamine HCl orally followed 2 to 2.5 hours later by a second dose of 62.5 mg midomafetamine HCl during two 8-hour long blinded therapy sessions.
Receives: Drug: Midomafetamine HCl; Behavioral: Therapy
Placebo with therapyPlacebo comparatorParticipants will receive an initial dose of 125 mg placebo orally followed 2 to 2.5 hours later by a second dose of 62.5 mg placebo during two 8-hour long blinded therapy sessions.
Receives: Drug: Lactose placebo pill; Behavioral: Therapy

What is being measured

The primary outcome is the main question the study is designed to answer.

  1. Change in Clinician-Administered PTSD Scale (CAPS-IV) From Baseline to 2-month Follow-up

    The Clinician-Administered PTSD Scale for DSM-IV (CAPS-IV) is a clinician administered and scored assessment of PTSD symptoms via structured interview based upon PTSD diagnosis in DSM-IV. The total severity score is a sum of symptom frequency and intensity scores for the subscales B (re-experiencing), C (avoidance) and D (hypervigilance) and ranges from 0 to 136, with higher scores indicating greater severity of PTSD symptoms.

    Measured: Baseline to 2 months post second experimental session

Secondary outcomes (1)
  1. Change in Impact of Events Scale Revised (IES-R) From Baseline to 2-month Follow-up

    The Impact of Events Scale Revised (IES-R) is a 22-item self-report measure (for DSM-IV) designed to measure the extent to which a given stressful life event produces subjective distress. Each item corresponds directly to 14 of the 17 DSM-IV symptoms of PTSD and is rated on a 5-point scale ranging from 0 ("not at all") to 4 ("extremely") for the extent to which the item was true for the participant during the past seven days. The IES-R yields a total score ranging from 0 to 88 with higher scores indicated greater distress.

    Measured: Baseline to 2 months post second experimental session

Timeline

From the start of the study to its completion; the mark is today. Estimated dates are the sponsor’s plan.

  1. First posted25 Aug 2004 (estimated)
  2. Study start12 Mar 2004
  3. Primary completion2 May 2008
  4. Study completion21 Jun 2010

Resources

More details

For doctors and researchers: how the study is designed, who runs it, and its registry IDs.

Study design
Study type
Interventional
Phase
Phase 2
Primary purpose
Treatment
Allocation
Randomised
Intervention model
Parallel groups
Masking
Triple blind
Who is masked
Participant, Investigator, Outcomes assessor
Enrolment
23 participants (actual)
IDs, dates and publications
ClinicalTrials.gov ID
NCT00090064
Sponsor's protocol ID
MP1
Status last verified
May 2025
First submitted
24 Aug 2004
Last updated
6 Jun 2025

Publications

  • Mithoefer MC, Wagner MT, Mithoefer AT, Jerome L, Doblin R. The safety and efficacy of +/-3,4-methylenedioxymethamphetamine-assisted psychotherapy in subjects with chronic, treatment-resistant posttraumatic stress disorder: the first randomized controlled pilot study. J Psychopharmacol. 2011 Apr;25(4):439-52. doi: 10.1177/0269881110378371. Epub 2010 Jul 19.

    PubMed 20643699
  • Mithoefer MC, Wagner MT, Mithoefer AT, Jerome L, Martin SF, Yazar-Klosinski B, Michel Y, Brewerton TD, Doblin R. Durability of improvement in post-traumatic stress disorder symptoms and absence of harmful effects or drug dependency after 3,4-methylenedioxymethamphetamine-assisted psychotherapy: a prospective long-term follow-up study. J Psychopharmacol. 2013 Jan;27(1):28-39. doi: 10.1177/0269881112456611. Epub 2012 Nov 20.

    PubMed 23172889
  • Zeifman RJ, Kettner H, Ross S, Weiss B, Mithoefer MC, Mithoefer AT, Wagner AC. Preliminary evidence for the importance of therapeutic alliance in MDMA-assisted psychotherapy for posttraumatic stress disorder. Eur J Psychotraumatol. 2024;15(1):2297536. doi: 10.1080/20008066.2023.2297536. Epub 2024 Jan 4.

    PubMed 38174611
  • Jerome L, Feduccia AA, Wang JB, Hamilton S, Yazar-Klosinski B, Emerson A, Mithoefer MC, Doblin R. Long-term follow-up outcomes of MDMA-assisted psychotherapy for treatment of PTSD: a longitudinal pooled analysis of six phase 2 trials. Psychopharmacology (Berl). 2020 Aug;237(8):2485-2497. doi: 10.1007/s00213-020-05548-2. Epub 2020 Jun 4.

    PubMed 32500209
  • Feduccia AA, Jerome L, Yazar-Klosinski B, Emerson A, Mithoefer MC, Doblin R. Breakthrough for Trauma Treatment: Safety and Efficacy of MDMA-Assisted Psychotherapy Compared to Paroxetine and Sertraline. Front Psychiatry. 2019 Sep 12;10:650. doi: 10.3389/fpsyt.2019.00650. eCollection 2019.

    PubMed 31572236
  • Mithoefer MC, Feduccia AA, Jerome L, Mithoefer A, Wagner M, Walsh Z, Hamilton S, Yazar-Klosinski B, Emerson A, Doblin R. MDMA-assisted psychotherapy for treatment of PTSD: study design and rationale for phase 3 trials based on pooled analysis of six phase 2 randomized controlled trials. Psychopharmacology (Berl). 2019 Sep;236(9):2735-2745. doi: 10.1007/s00213-019-05249-5. Epub 2019 May 7.

    PubMed 31065731

Questions about this trial

What is this clinical trial studying?

A Phase 2 study testing Midomafetamine HCl and Therapy in people with Posttraumatic Stress Disorder, run by Resilient Pharmaceuticals at 1 site in United States.

The full registered description is in the About this study section and the official record.

Who may be eligible to take part?

The sponsor lists 12 inclusion and 5 exclusion criteria. Eligibility is decided by the study team after screening, so read the full criteria and contact a listed site.

Is this clinical trial currently recruiting?

The record says: finished, as of the sponsor's last update on 6 Jun 2025. Status can change between updates, so confirm with the study contact before making plans.

Where is the study taking place?

The record lists 1 site in United States. Whether a site is taking part right now should be confirmed with that site. See every site.

What are the possible benefits and risks?

They depend on the study and the treatment, and no study can promise a benefit. Some participants in this study may receive a placebo. The study team explains the known risks during informed consent, before anyone joins; the record itself does not list them.

What does this phase mean?

Phase 2 studies give the treatment to a larger group to see whether it has the intended effect and to keep checking safety.

Not every study follows the same path, and some studies (observational studies, device studies) have no phase.

Are results available for this study?

Yes. Results are posted in the registry (first posted 25 Oct 2021). A summary is in the For doctors view, and the full results are on ClinicalTrials.gov.

How can a doctor refer a patient or contact the research team?

The record lists no contact. The official record names the sponsor, who can be asked directly. AzTrials does not enrol participants or take referrals.

What does the primary outcome measure?

Change in Clinician-Administered PTSD Scale (CAPS-IV) From Baseline to 2-month Follow-up (time frame: Baseline to 2 months post second experimental session). It is what the study was designed to measure, not a finding.

Where can I read the original study information?

On the ClinicalTrials.gov record for NCT00090064, which also lists 6 linked publications.

Does a listing mean the treatment is approved or proven to work?

No. A listing means the study is registered. It does not show that the treatment is safe, works, or is approved by a regulator.

How often is this information updated?

AzTrials copies changed records from ClinicalTrials.gov every night and reloads the whole registry every week. The sponsor last updated this record on 6 Jun 2025.

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