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Updated May 2026 · ClinicalTrials.gov

RECRUITINGPhase 2INTERVENTIONAL

Psilocybin rTMS for Treatment Resistant Depression

Assessing the Safety, Tolerability, and Efficacy of Psilocybin Therapy Followed by Accelerated Intermittent Theta Burst (aiTBS) Repetitive Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation (rTMS) for Treatment-Resistant Major Depressive Disorder

Psilocybin rTMS for Treatment Resistant Depression (NCT06132178) is a Phase 2 interventional studying Treatment Resistant Depression and MDD, sponsored by University of Texas at Austin. RECRUITING as of the most recent ClinicalTrials.gov update. Talk to your doctor before contacting the trial site.

Important: This information is not medical advice. Talk to your doctor about whether a clinical trial is right for you.

About This Trial

The purpose of this study is to determine the safety and feasibility of sequencing psilocybin therapy with a short-duration, aiTBS protocol (Stanford Accelerated Intelligent Neuromodulation Therapy, or SAINT) in individuals with treatment-resistant major depressive disorder.

What Stage of Research Is This?

Phase 2 trials evaluate whether a treatment actually works against Treatment Resistant Depression and continue monitoring side effects. Phase 2 enrolls larger groups (typically 100–300 patients) and produces the first real efficacy signal. A successful Phase 2 readout is what unlocks the much larger Phase 3 confirmatory trials needed for FDA approval.

This trial is currently recruiting participants. The sponsor has registered the study with ClinicalTrials.gov as actively enrolling, which means new applicants who meet the eligibility criteria can be considered for screening. Trial status can change between updates — confirm current recruiting status with the study contact before traveling for a screening visit.

Target enrollment of 100 participants puts this in the typical range for a Phase 2-style efficacy study or a moderate Phase 3 trial in a focused Treatment Resistant Depression subpopulation. At this scale, the study has enough statistical power to detect a clear treatment effect but is not the largest cohort in the field.

Who May Be Eligible (Plain English)

Who May Qualify: 1. Adults, ages 22-65. 2. English language comprehension suitable to understand experimenter instructions and to communicate to study personnel/staff reasonably easily. 3. Current major depressive episode (without psychotic features), either as part of recurrent major depressive disorder (MDD) or single episode MDD with current episode present for at least the past 3 months (as determined by the Structured Clinical Interview for DSM-5; SCID-5). 4. Montgomery Asberg Depression Rating Scale (MADRS) score of 20 or greater at baseline assessment (at least moderate severity). 5. 1\. Treatment-resistant MDD, defined as either: a) failure to respond to an adequate dose and duration of two or more pharmacological treatments, with at least one failed medication trial occurring in the current major depressive episode; or b) failure to respond to an adequate dose and duration of 2 or more pharmacological treatments of different pharmacological classes in one or more past major depressive episodes. Adequate treatment dose and duration will be determined through the Massachusetts General Hospital Antidepressant Treatment Response Questionnaire (MGH-ATRQ). Augmentation, where an add-on medication is used, will be counted as a second treatment, provided it is approved as an adjunctive treatment of MDD in the country where prescribed. 6. Willingness and ability to attend daily, full-day visits to the research site for a period of \~2 weeks and to participate in all study procedures (clinical assessments, treatments, and neurobiological assessments). ...See full criteria on ClinicalTrials.gov Always talk to your doctor about whether this trial is right for you.

These are translations of the protocol\'s inclusion and exclusion criteria, simplified for patients and caregivers. The original clinical text appears below. Eligibility is ultimately confirmed by the trial site\'s screening process — this summary is a starting point for a conversation with your doctor, not a final determination.

Original Eligibility Criteria

View original clinical language
Inclusion Criteria: 1. Adults, ages 22-65. 2. English language comprehension suitable to understand experimenter instructions and to communicate to study personnel/staff reasonably easily. 3. Current major depressive episode (without psychotic features), either as part of recurrent major depressive disorder (MDD) or single episode MDD with current episode present for at least the past 3 months (as determined by the Structured Clinical Interview for DSM-5; SCID-5). 4. Montgomery Asberg Depression Rating Scale (MADRS) score of 20 or greater at baseline assessment (at least moderate severity). 5. 1\. Treatment-resistant MDD, defined as either: a) failure to respond to an adequate dose and duration of two or more pharmacological treatments, with at least one failed medication trial occurring in the current major depressive episode; or b) failure to respond to an adequate dose and duration of 2 or more pharmacological treatments of different pharmacological classes in one or more past major depressive episodes. Adequate treatment dose and duration will be determined through the Massachusetts General Hospital Antidepressant Treatment Response Questionnaire (MGH-ATRQ). Augmentation, where an add-on medication is used, will be counted as a second treatment, provided it is approved as an adjunctive treatment of MDD in the country where prescribed. 6. Willingness and ability to attend daily, full-day visits to the research site for a period of \~2 weeks and to participate in all study procedures (clinical assessments, treatments, and neurobiological assessments). 7. If currently taking an antidepressant medication (an SSRI, SNRI, or atypical antidepressant), antipsychotic, and/or other augmenting medication (e.g., lithium), willingness to discontinue medication(s) over a 2-8 week period with the assistance of study staff and maintain at least a 2-5 week period (5-week period for fluoxetine) off of medications prior to the baseline visit AND willingness to remain off medications for a period of 1 month following the end of the treatment course (approximately 6-8 weeks after the baseline visit). Exclusion Criteria: 1. Prior history or current diagnosis of a psychotic disorder (including MDD with psychotic features), bipolar disorder, or personality disorder (based on medical history, clinician judgement, SCID-5 and/or SCID for Personality Disorders). 2. Current diagnosis of posttraumatic stress disorder, acute stress disorder, obsessive-compulsive disorder, anorexia nervosa, bulimia nervosa, or alcohol or substance-use disorder. 3. Having met criteria for an alcohol or substance-use disorder within the past year. 4. Use of electroconvulsive therapy, deep brain stimulation, or vagus nerve stimulation during the current major depressive episode. 5. Any prior rTMS treatment (10Hz, 5Hz, 1Hz, or conventional intermittent theta burst). 6. Current participation in an evidence-based psychotherapy for major depression (e.g., cognitive behavioral therapy, behavioral activation). Ongoing supportive psychotherapy is allowable if maintained at the same frequency throughout the duration of the short-term follow-up clinical endpoint (1 month after treatment cessation) of the study and if no recent change in therapy type or frequency for 1 month prior to enrollment. 7. Exhibiting significant suicide risk within the past 12 months, at screening, or at baseline, as evidenced by: a) suicidal ideation with some intent to act but no specific plan (item #4 from the Columbia Suicide Severity Rating Scale57; C-SSRS); b) suicidal ideation with intent to act and a specific plan (item #5 from the C-SSRS); c) suicide attempt or non-suicidal self-injury requiring medical attention in the past 12 months; or d) self-report of significant suicidal ideation with intent or significant non-suicidal self-injury during screening or baseline clinical interview. 8. Major depressive episode that is secondary to a medication or a general medical condition, as judged by investigators. 9. Any other factors, such as major medical conditions, unstable housing or threatening life circumstances, erratic behavior, etc. that are judged by the investigators to be a significant barrier to participation in the study protocol and/or to establishing therapeutic rapport necessary for safe administration of psilocybin. 10. Prior past-year ingestion of a serotonergic psychedelic, e.g., psilocybin, LSD, mescaline, dimethyltryptamine, etc. or more than 5 lifetime ingestions of a serotonergic psychedelic on separate occasions. 11. Participant unwillingness to not ingest or use additional serotonergic psychedelics outside the context of study procedures for the duration of the study follow-up period (12 months). 12. Ferrous metal, metallic implants, or implanted medical devices that would preclude administration of rTMS and/or participation in MRI procedures, including but not limited to: cochlear implants, implanted brain stimulators, aneurysm clips. 13. Past history of seizures or epilepsy (rTMS risk). 14. Neurological disorder, including epilepsy, stroke, or history of brain surgery. 15. Past penetrating brain injury or any head injury resulting in a loss of consciousness for 30 minutes or more or post-concussive symptoms for more than seven days following a head injury. 16. Head injury in the past two months, regardless of severity. 17. Currently pregnant and/or nursing or about to become pregnant. A positive urine pregnancy test at screening and/or baseline will lead to participant exclusion from the study. 18. Engagement in sexual intercourse which could result in pregnancy without use of a highly effective contraceptive method throughout participation in the study and for at least three months after COMP360 (psilocybin) administration. 19. Severe claustrophobia (prohibiting MRI acquisition). 20. Uncontrolled hypertension (resting blood pressure \> 140/90 mm hg). 21. Uncontrolled thyroid disease as indicated by unstable thyroid hormone dosage \< 3 months prior to screening, or abnormal and clinically significant thyroxine (FT4) levels (a free FT4 measurement will be conducted for all participants with an out-of-range thyroid-stimulating hormone \[TSH\] value irrespective of thyroid history). 22. Lifetime history of cardiomyopathy, stroke, heart disease, heart attack, tachycardia, elongated QT-interval corrected by Friderichia (\> 450ms for men and \> 470ms for women); clinically significant cardiac arrhythmia within 1 year of study entry; and/or abnormal electrocardiogram on study entry. 23. Type I diabetes mellitus or uncontrolled Type II diabetes mellitus (defined by hemoglobin A1c \> 8% at screening) or a history of diabetic ketoacidosis, hyperglycemic coma, or severe hypoglycemia with loss of consciousness (\< 3 months prior to signing of consent form). 24. Positive urine drug screening for drugs of abuse at screening and/or baseline will trigger a review with participant and assessment for eligibility based on pattern of use and willingness to abstain in conjunction with medical monitor and investigative team. 25. Clinically-significant results from physical examination, blood test, urine test, vital signs, or ECG at screening and/or baseline. 26. Current enrollment in another interventional study or participation within such a study within 6 months of screening. 27. Self-reported hypersensitivity to psilocybin or another serotonergic psychedelic.

Treatments Being Tested

DRUG

Psilocybin

A psychedelic drug found in certain mushrooms. It will be in a capsule of 25mg psilocybin (COMP360).

DEVICE

Accelerated intermittent theta burst (aiTBS) rTMS treatment

A form of non-invasive brain stimulation that delivers a series of quick magnetic pulses to the scalp and a portion of the brain. It will be targeted to a functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) functional connectivity-guided personalized left dorsolateral prefrontal cortex target using neuronavigation and delivered over 10 sessions daily for 5 consecutive days at 90% of coil-to-target depth-corrected resting motor threshold.

DRUG

Low-dose psilocybin

A psychedelic drug found in certain mushrooms. It will be in a low-dose form of the experimental dose as a 1mg capsule of psilocybin (COMP360).

DEVICE

Sham Accelerated intermittent theta burst (aiTBS) rTMS treatment

The sham version is meant to look and feel like the active SAINT rTMS, but the main difference is that the brain is not being stimulated like the active condition.

Locations (1)

Trial sites listed on ClinicalTrials.gov for this study. Site activation status can vary — confirm with the specific site before traveling for a screening visit.

Health Discovery Building (HDB), 1601 Trinity St., Bldg B., Z0600
Austin, Texas, United States

How to Talk to Your Doctor About This Trial

Bring the printable summary of this trial — including the NCT ID (NCT06132178), the sponsor (University of Texas at Austin), and the key eligibility criteria — to your next appointment. Your doctor can review the inclusion and exclusion criteria against your medical history, lab values, and current treatments to assess whether you are likely to qualify. They can also help you weigh whether trial participation makes sense alongside your existing care plan.

Useful questions to walk through together: What does the trial protocol require beyond standard care? How long is the active treatment phase, and how long is follow-up? Are there study visits at sites I can reach? Who pays for the trial-specific procedures, and who pays for standard-of-care portions? See our 25 questions to ask about clinical trials guide for a more complete checklist.

Authoritative Sources

The official record for this trial lives on ClinicalTrials.gov — the federal registry maintained by the National Library of Medicine at NIH. For background on how this trial fits into the FDA approval pathway, see the FDA drug approval process. For oncology-specific guidance for patients considering trials, the National Cancer Institute publishes patient-oriented overviews. International trial registries are aggregated by the WHO ICTRP.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the NCT06132178 clinical trial studying?

The purpose of this study is to determine the safety and feasibility of sequencing psilocybin therapy with a short-duration, aiTBS protocol (Stanford Accelerated Intelligent Neuromodulation Therapy, or SAINT) in individuals with treatment-resistant major depressive disorder. The full protocol is registered on ClinicalTrials.gov and includes the primary outcome measures, eligibility criteria, and study endpoints.

Who can participate in NCT06132178?

Eligibility for this trial depends on the specific inclusion and exclusion criteria set by the sponsor. The plain-English summary above translates the most important criteria into accessible language; the official clinical text is preserved in the collapsible section underneath. Whether you fit any specific trial is a medical decision your doctor needs to confirm — bring the trial information to your treating physician for a full review against your medical history.

How do I contact the trial site for NCT06132178?

Contact information registered with ClinicalTrials.gov is shown in the sidebar of this page. Before reaching out, confirm with your treating physician that this trial is appropriate for your situation. The trial site will then walk you through the screening process to determine final eligibility.

Is participating in a clinical trial safe?

Clinical trials in the United States are regulated by the FDA and overseen by Institutional Review Boards (IRBs) that review the protocol for safety. Risk varies by trial — Phase 1 studies test new treatments in humans for the first time, while Phase 3 trials use treatments that have already passed earlier safety screening. The informed consent document for any specific trial details the known risks and what to expect. Discuss those risks with your physician before deciding whether to participate.

Where can I verify the data on this page?

Every detail on this page comes directly from the ClinicalTrials.gov API. Click "View on ClinicalTrials.gov" in the sidebar to see the official, unmodified record. The federal record is always authoritative; this page is a structured presentation with a plain-English eligibility translation. For background on how clinical trials are regulated, see the FDA drug approval process documentation.

How This Page Is Built

Every field on this page is pulled directly from the ClinicalTrials.gov API v2 — no estimates, no proxies. The plain-English eligibility translation is generated from the original protocol text and reviewed for fidelity to the underlying clinical criteria. The original clinical text remains visible in the collapsible section above so users and clinicians can verify the translation. Read the full methodology for the data pipeline and known limitations.

Source: ClinicalTrials.gov API v2 record for NCT06132178. Maintained by the National Library of Medicine at NIH. Public domain. Cite as: "TrialFinderData. NCT06132178. Data: ClinicalTrials.gov."

Medical disclaimer: This page is informational, not medical advice. Talk to your doctor about whether a clinical trial is right for you.

Last updated 2026-05-08 · Data from ClinicalTrials.gov.