In brief
- Definium Therapeutics (formerly MindMed) announces positive phase 3 results for DT120, its pharmaceutical-grade, orally disintegrating LSD tablet, for major depressive disorder.
- A single 100-microgram dose reduced MADRS scores by 8.1 points more than the placebo at six weeks, with a 24% remission rate compared to 3%.
- These are preliminary data released by the company; they have not yet undergone peer review or scientific publication.
LSD has just passed a phase 3 trial for major depression for the first time. The US-based Definium Therapeutics—the company rebranded from MindMed in January of this year—has presented top-line results from the Emerge study, in which a single 100-microgram dose of its DT120 formulation improved depressive symptoms compared to a placebo, with effects that remained significant twelve weeks later.
An old molecule with a new development
DT120 is lysergide—the pharmacological name for LSD—presented as an orally disintegrating tablet with standardized dosing. It is the same compound the company previously developed as MM120, which already holds Breakthrough Therapy designation from the US Food and Drug Administration for generalized anxiety disorder. The product’s name change accompanies that of the company, which stopped operating as MindMed in January 2026. Emerge now adds a second therapeutic target: major depression, one of the most common psychiatric diagnoses in the world.
Emerge trial figures
Emerge was a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial with 149 participants: 75 received DT120 and 74 received a placebo. At six weeks, the mean reduction on the MADRS scale—the standard instrument for measuring depression severity—was 13.3 points with DT120 versus 5.2 with the placebo: a difference of 8.1 points (p<0.0001). At twelve weeks, the adjusted difference remained at 7.3 points. 35% of those who received the drug responded to treatment, compared to 7% in the placebo group, and 24% achieved remission, compared to 3%. The company states that 99% of adverse effects were mild or moderate, concentrated on the day of dosing, and that there was no increase in suicidal ideation or behavior.
One detail warrants caution: the press release cites a 14.2-point placebo-adjusted reduction in the first week, a figure that does not align well with the absolute values reported for week 6. We will have to wait for the full publication to understand exactly what that data point represents.
What this implies
Phase 3 is the final major hurdle before potential approval, and the company says it is already preparing documentation for submission to the FDA. It is worth remembering, however, that these are top-line data released by the company itself—which has an obvious interest in how they are interpreted—without peer review or a scientific article to allow for detailed examination. It is also not a minor detail that the trial was conducted with professional support during the session and in a prepared environment: none of this automatically translates to a different context.
What it does confirm is a trend that research has been documenting with increasing robustness, which we already saw in the largest brain mapping of psychedelics published to date: with known dosing, preparation, and support, these compounds alleviate severe depressive symptoms with a speed that is difficult to match. That such standardized dosing is only reached today via the pharmaceutical route says more about the legal framework than the substance itself. More context in our psychedelic science and therapy section.
Source
- Definium Therapeutics. Definium Therapeutics Announces Positive Topline Results from Phase 3 Emerge Study of DT120 Orally Disintegrating Tablet (ODT) in Major Depressive Disorder. Official press release, June 22, 2026.
Educational content written from a harm reduction perspective and with respect for individual freedom. It is not a substitute for advice from a healthcare professional and is not intended to encourage or condemn any drug use.
