Relmada’s Phase III Depression Study Scuppered By ‘Placebo Paradox’

Adjunctive Studies Will Continue

 
• By Andrew McConaghie

An unexpectedly strong response in the placebo arm has derailed a monotherapy study of Relmada’s investigational antidepressant REL-1017, but the company will continue its trials as an adjunctive therapy.

Brain cloud jigsaw
After years of no new therapies, major depressive disorder is seeing advances again. • Source: Shutterstock

Relmada Therapeutics’s hopes of bringing new major depressive disorder drug REL-1017 to market have been knocked after the failure of its Phase III monotherapy study, where the results were undermined by strong improvements seen in the placebo arm.

The news also drove the micro-cap company’s NASDAQ-listed shares off a cliff, its stock losing 80% of its value and...

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