(Dreamstime)

By Lynn C. Allison From Newsmax

The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) recently approved an LSD formulation for breakthrough status to treat generalized anxiety disorder. MindMed is developing the drug, called MM120, that led to a whopping 48% remission in patients with generalized anxiety disorder at 12 weeks.

According to CNN, MM120 also significantly improved clinical signs of generalized anxiety disorder for 65% of patients within three months. Anxiety disorder is the most common mental disorder in the U.S., affecting more than 40 million people over the age of 18, according to the Anxiety and Depression Association of America. People who suffer from generalized anxiety disorder are troubled by excessive, ongoing thoughts that interfere with daily functioning.

The standard of care for this disorder has traditionally consisted of cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) along with medications, which can take time to work and require dosage adjustments. The MM120 study was accomplished without the use of psychotherapy during the session.

“While prior research has documented the benefits of combining LSD with psychotherapy to alleviate anxiety associated with life-threatening conditions, this groundbreaking study is the first to show that a single dose of LSD can effectively treat generalized anxiety disorder without the adjunct of psychotherapy,” said Dr. Gabriella Gobbi, professor of psychiatry at McGill University in Montreal, who was not involved in the study.

The formulation of LSD used in the study did not appear to induce “bad trips,” like the illegal street version of the drug, said Dr. Daniel Karlin, assistant professor of psychiatry at Tufts University School of Medicine in Boston and chief medical officer for MindMed.

“The clinical improvement for many patients was more than double what we see with today’s standard of care,” he said. “This occurred at all levels of anxiety, from moderate all the way up to severe.”  The team of researchers has so far determined that 100 micrograms of MM120 is the correct dose for patients to achieve effective results without too many adverse side effects, according to Karlin. The drug will proceed to phase III trials as part of the FDA’s standard approval process.

Adverse effects noted in the study were mild to moderate and included feelings of euphoria, illusions and hallucinations, anxiety, abnormal thinking, headaches, dizziness, nausea, and excessive sweating.

© 2024 NewsmaxHealth. All rights reserved.

For more on this story go to: NEWSMAX