Effects of Psilocybin in Post-Treatment Lyme Disease

Study Purpose

This study will examine the effects of psilocybin on Lyme disease symptom burden and quality of life in people with Post-Treatment Lyme Disease (PTLD).

Recruitment Criteria

Accepts Healthy Volunteers

Healthy volunteers are participants who do not have a disease or condition, or related conditions or symptoms

No
Study Type

An interventional clinical study is where participants are assigned to receive one or more interventions (or no intervention) so that researchers can evaluate the effects of the interventions on biomedical or health-related outcomes.


An observational clinical study is where participants identified as belonging to study groups are assessed for biomedical or health outcomes.


Searching Both is inclusive of interventional and observational studies.

Interventional
Eligible Ages 18 Years and Over
Gender All
More Inclusion & Exclusion Criteria

Inclusion Criteria:

  • - ≥ 18 years of age.
  • - Capable of providing written informed consent for participation into the study.
  • - Willingness to allow the study team to review past medical records.
  • - At least one current PTLD-defining symptom (widespread pain, fatigue, or neurocognitive dysfunction) following completion of standard, recommended antibiotic therapy for treatment of Lyme disease, and that appeared in the first two years following first evidence of Lyme disease.
  • - Medical record documentation of meeting the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) case definition for clear diagnosis and treatment of early or late Lyme disease while living in a Lyme-endemic area.
In other words, a history of physician-documented single or disseminated erythema migrans rash, late Lyme arthritis, or late Lyme neuropathy, OR Medical record documentation of meeting the CDC case definition for probable early or late Lyme disease. In other words, a history of abrupt onset of flu-like symptoms with or without a misdiagnosed rash, and concurrent positive serology while living in a Lyme-endemic area.
  • - Received treatment with a recommended course of antibiotics.
  • - Be medically stable as determined by screening for medical problems via a personal interview, a medical questionnaire, a physical examination, an electrocardiogram (ECG), and routine medical blood and urinalysis laboratory tests.
  • - Concurrent pharmacotherapy with SSRIs, SNRIs, and/or bupropion is allowed if the type and frequency of the therapy has been stable for at least two months prior to screening.
Allowable bupropion doses for participants will be ≤300mg/day.

Exclusion Criteria:

  • - Meeting Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, Fifth Edition (DSM-5) criteria for moderate or severe substance use disorder (excluding tobacco) within the past 5 years.
  • - Currently taking antipsychotics, MAO inhibitors, or antidepressant medications other than SSRIs, SNRIs, or bupropion.
Allowable bupropion doses for participants will be ≤300mg/day.
  • - Currently taking lithium or other primary centrally-acting serotonergic medications, whether over-the-counter or prescription (e.g., efavirenz, 5-hydroxytryptophan, St. John's wort).
  • - Cardiovascular conditions: angina, a clinically significant ECG abnormality (e.g. atrial fibrillation or QTc >450msec), transient ischaemic attack (TIA) in the last 6 months, stroke, artificial heart valves, or uncontrolled hypertension with resting blood pressure systolic >139 or diastolic >89, or heart rate >90 bpm.
  • - Renal disease (creatinine clearance < 40 ml/min using the Cockcroft-Gault equation).
  • - Current or past history of meeting DSM-5 criteria for Schizophrenia, Psychotic Disorder (unless substance-induced or due to a medical condition), or Bipolar I or II Disorder.
  • - Family (i.e., 1st degree relative) history of Schizophrenia, Psychotic Disorder (unless substance-induced or due to a medical condition), or Bipolar I Disorder.
  • - Past-year hallucinogen use.
  • - Received the Lyme vaccine when it was available (1998-2002).
  • - Development of unexplained chronic pain, chronic fatigue syndrome, fibromyalgia, autoimmune disease, or unexplained neurologic symptoms before first evidence of Lyme disease.
  • - Cancer or malignancy in the past 2 years.
  • - Epilepsy with history of seizures.
  • - Insulin-dependent diabetes; if taking oral hypoglycemic agent, then no history of hypoglycemia.
  • - Current dementia or related disorders including but not limited to, Alzheimer's Disease, vascular dementia, Lewy body dementia, and frontotemporal disorders.
  • - Current or past major immunosuppressive illness or medications.
  • - Currently pregnant or nursing.
  • - Currently of childbearing potential and not using effective methods of contraception.
  • - Not fluent in English.
  • - High risk for suicidal ideation or behavior (i.e., individuals who report suicidal ideation with intent or behavior on the Columbia-Suicide Severity Rating Scale [C-SSRS] at screening, or individuals with a suicide attempt within the past 3 years).

Trial Details

Trial ID:

This trial id was obtained from ClinicalTrials.gov, a service of the U.S. National Institutes of Health, providing information on publicly and privately supported clinical studies of human participants with locations in all 50 States and in 196 countries.

NCT05305105
Phase

Phase 1: Studies that emphasize safety and how the drug is metabolized and excreted in humans.

Phase 2: Studies that gather preliminary data on effectiveness (whether the drug works in people who have a certain disease or condition) and additional safety data.

Phase 3: Studies that gather more information about safety and effectiveness by studying different populations and different dosages and by using the drug in combination with other drugs.

Phase 4: Studies occurring after FDA has approved a drug for marketing, efficacy, or optimal use.

Phase 1
Lead Sponsor

The sponsor is the organization or person who oversees the clinical study and is responsible for analyzing the study data.

Johns Hopkins University
Principal Investigator

The person who is responsible for the scientific and technical direction of the entire clinical study.

Albert Garcia-Romeu, PhD
Principal Investigator Affiliation Johns Hopkins University
Agency Class

Category of organization(s) involved as sponsor (and collaborator) supporting the trial.

Other
Overall Status Enrolling by invitation
Countries United States
Conditions

The disease, disorder, syndrome, illness, or injury that is being studied.

Post-Treatment Lyme Disease, Chronic Lyme Disease, Lyme Disease, Chronic
Study Website: View Trial Website
Additional Details

This pilot study will evaluate the therapeutic potential of psilocybin in people with well-documented current Post-Treatment Lyme Disease (PTLD). Study measures will assess the impact of psilocybin-assisted treatment on overall symptom burden and quality of life in 20 people with PTLD. This is an open-label proof-of-concept trial in which participants will complete an 8-week course of study treatment including two psilocybin sessions (15mg in week 4 and 15 or 25mg in week 6) with psychological support, and follow-up assessments 1, 3, and 6 months after the final psilocybin session.

Arms & Interventions

Arms

Experimental: Psilocybin

Participants will complete an 8-week course of study treatment including two doses of psilocybin with psychological support administered approximately 2 weeks apart.

Interventions

Drug: - Psilocybin

Dosing at the first session will be 15mg. For the second session participants will either remain at the initial dose, or increase to 25mg.

Contact a Trial Team

If you are interested in learning more about this trial, find the trial site nearest to your location and contact the site coordinator via email or phone. We also strongly recommend that you consult with your healthcare provider about the trials that may interest you and refer to our terms of service below.

Behavioral Pharmacology Research Unit, Baltimore, Maryland

Status

Address

Behavioral Pharmacology Research Unit

Baltimore, Maryland, 21224