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Drug

Psilocybin

In clinical development
ClassSerotonin 2a (5-HT2a) receptor agonistActively researchedLate-stage developmentCooling momentum

Also known as Psilocibina, Psilocybine, Psilocybinum.

RxNorm8912ChEMBLCHEMBL194378UNII2RV7212BP0
84
Research papers
103
Active clinical trials
5-hydroxytryptamine receptor 2A
Primary target
Latest activity
beta

Recent clinical, regulatory, research and industry developments relating to this drug.

An Exploratory Study of Feasibility, Efficacy, and Mechanisms of Mindfulness-Assisted Psychedelic Therapy

Clinical trial2026-08-01Primary completion · ClinicalTrials.gov

Direct Comparison of Altered States of Consciousness Induced by LSD, Psilocybin, and DMT in a Randomized, Placebo-controlled, Cross-over Trial in Healthy Participants (LPD-Study)

Clinical trial2026-08-01Primary completion · ClinicalTrials.gov

Psilocybin for Enhanced Analgesia in Chronic nEuropathic PAIN

Clinical trial2026-08-01Primary completion · ClinicalTrials.gov

Role of the Serotonin 2A Receptor in Psilocybin-induced Altered States of Consciousness (PDR-Study)

Clinical trial2026-08-01Primary completion · ClinicalTrials.gov

Psilocybin and Affective Function in Chronic Lower Back Pain Depression

Clinical trial2026-07-30Primary completion · ClinicalTrials.gov

TRIP - TReatment to Improve Depression and/or Anxiety Using Psilocybin-Assisted Psychotherapy in Patients With Advanced Cancer on Maintenance Therapy

Clinical trial2026-07-29Results expected Q4 2026 · ClinicalTrials.gov

Investigating the Mechanisms of the Effects of Psilocybin on Visual Perception and Visual Representations in the Brain

Clinical trial2026-07-10Results expected Q4 2028 · ClinicalTrials.gov

PSilocybin Microdose for psYCHological and Existential Distress in PALliative Care (PSYCHED-PAL): A Multi-site Phase 3 Double-blind, Placebo-controlled, Parallel-arm Clinical Trial

Clinical trial2026-07-10Results expected Q3 2027 · ClinicalTrials.gov

Psychological Therapy Quantity and Depressive Symptom Reduction in Psychedelic-Assisted Therapy: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis.

Research2026-01-02JAMA network open

A dose of therapy with psilocybin - A meta-analysis of the relationship between the amount of therapy hours and treatment outcomes in psychedelic-assisted therapy.

Research2025-08-05General hospital psychiatry

Psychedelic-Assisted Therapies for Psychosocial Symptoms in Cancer: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis.

Research2025-06-30Current oncology (Toronto, Ont.)

Psychedelic-assisted therapy: An overview for the internist.

Research2025-03-03Cleveland Clinic journal of medicine

Profile

Identifiers & mechanism

Canonical identifiers, marketed brand names and mechanism, resolved across RxNorm, ChEMBL and ATC.

Canonical name
Psilocybin
Aliases & brands
PsilocibinaPsilocybinePsilocybinum
RxNorm CUI
8912
ChEMBL ID
CHEMBL194378
UNII
2RV7212BP0
Primary mechanism
Serotonin 2a (5-HT2a) receptor agonist

Pharmacology & targets

1 target

Known molecular targets and mechanisms supported by curated pharmacology databases.

5-hydroxytryptamine receptor 2A
HTR2A · P28223
AGONISTSerotonin 2a (5-HT2a) receptor agonist

Clinical trials

178 trials

The current development programme across all trial phases — status mix, phase distribution and the late-stage studies shaping the evidence base.

Development programme
CLINICALTRIALS.GOV · LIVE REGISTRY
178
registered trials across all phases
LATEST COMPLETION 2026
103
Active studies
86
Recruiting
17
Late-stage (III+)
55
Completed
20
Discontinued
PHASE DISTRIBUTIONn = 178
Early Phase 112Phase 153Phase 1 / 213Phase 283Phase 39Phase N / A8

Late-stage studies

Phase III+ trials still open or recently active — where late-stage evidence is being generated.

A Multi-site Randomized Controlled Trial of Psilocybin for Treatment-Resistant Depression (TRD) in Veterans

Not yet recruitingPH IIIVA Office of Research and Developmentn=2402031

Efficacy in Relapse Prevention: Psilocybin in Alcohol Use Disorder With Depressive Symptoms

RecruitingPH IIICentre Hospitalier Universitaire de Nīmesn=1722030

PSilocybin Microdose for psYCHological and Existential Distress in PALliative Care (PSYCHED-PAL): A Multi-site Phase 3 Double-blind, Placebo-controlled, Parallel-arm Clinical Trial

RecruitingPH IIIBruyère Health Research Institute.n=1202027

Induction Protocol for Psilocybin-Assisted Therapy in Treatment-Resistant Depression (TRD): A Pilot Study

Active, not recruitingPH IIIUniversity of North Carolina, Chapel Hilln=202027

A Phase 3, Randomized, Double-Blind, Multicenter Study to Evaluate the Efficacy, Safety, and Tolerability of Psilocybin in Adults With Major Depressive Disorder (MDD)

Active, not recruitingPH IIIUsona Instituten=2382027

Recent completions

Trials that read out recently, adding to the completed evidence base.

Acute Effects of MDMA Co-administration on the Response to Psilocybin in Healthy Subjects

CompletedPH IUniversity Hospital, Basel, Switzerlandn=242026

Effects of Psilocybin With Psychological Support on Anhedonia in Treatment-resistant Depression: a Randomized Controlled Pilot Trial

CompletedPH IIUniversity of Colorado, Denvern=202026

Does Psilocybin Require Psychedelic Effects to Treat Depression? A 4-Week, Double-Blind, Proof-of-Concept Randomized Controlled Trial

CompletedPH IICentre for Addiction and Mental Healthn=412026

Pilot Study of Psilocybin-Assisted Therapy for Demoralization in Patients Receiving Hospice Care - PATH Study

CompletedPH IIYvan Beaussant, MD, MScin=152025

An Open Label Study of Single-Dose Psilocybin for Major Depressive Disorder With Co-occurring Borderline Personality Disorder

CompletedPH IIUniversity of Chicagon=92025

A Phase 1 Study of a Second Psilocybin Group Retreat for Partial Responders With Anxiety Associated With Metastatic Cancer

CompletedPH IUniversity of Washingtonn=152025

Research activity

84 papers

Key research shaping understanding of this drug, combining the latest publications with the most influential evidence.

Publications over time
20122026
Most influential

Psilocybin produces substantial and sustained decreases in depression and anxiety in patients with life-threatening cancer: A randomized double-blind trial.

Journal of psychopharmacology (Oxford, England) · 2016 · 1,290 cites

Psilocybin with psychological support for treatment-resistant depression: an open-label feasibility study.

The lancet. Psychiatry · 2016 · 988 cites

Effects of Psilocybin-Assisted Therapy on Major Depressive Disorder: A Randomized Clinical Trial.

JAMA psychiatry · 2021 · 860 cites

Single-Dose Psilocybin for a Treatment-Resistant Episode of Major Depression.

The New England journal of medicine · 2022 · 771 cites

Psilocybin with psychological support for treatment-resistant depression: six-month follow-up.

Psychopharmacology · 2018 · 593 cites

Percentage of Heavy Drinking Days Following Psilocybin-Assisted Psychotherapy vs Placebo in the Treatment of Adult Patients With Alcohol Use Disorder: A Randomized Clinical Trial.

JAMA psychiatry · 2022 · 437 cites
Recent papers

The Australia story: Current status and future challenges for the clinical applications of psychedelics.

British journal of pharmacology · 2026 · 9 cites

Masking Influences: A Systematic Review of Placebo Control and Masking in Psychedelic Studies.

Journal of psychoactive drugs · 2026 · 4 cites

Psychological Therapy Quantity and Depressive Symptom Reduction in Psychedelic-Assisted Therapy: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis.

JAMA network open · 2026 · 1 cites

Reconsidering evidence for psychedelic-induced psychosis: an overview of reviews, a systematic review, and meta-analysis of human studies.

Molecular psychiatry · 2025 · 19 cites

From relaxed beliefs under psychedelics (REBUS) to revised beliefs after psychedelics (REBAS).

Scientific reports · 2025 · 15 cites

Efficacy and Safety of Four Psychedelic-Assisted Therapies for Adults with Symptoms of Depression, Anxiety, and Posttraumatic Stress Disorder: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis.

Journal of psychoactive drugs · 2025 · 13 cites
Major research themes8
Hallucinogens56Psilocybin22Major Depressive Disorder13N-Methyl-3,4-methylenedioxyamphetamine8Psychotherapy6Depression4Lysergic Acid Diethylamide4Mental Disorders3
Journals, researchers & institutions
Top journals
  • Scientific reports10
  • Journal of psychopharmacology (Oxford, England)8
  • JAMA psychiatry5
  • Neuropsychopharmacology : official publication of the American College of Neuropsychopharmacology4
  • Psychopharmacology4
  • Acta psychiatrica Scandinavica3
Leading researchers
  • Nutt DJ10
  • Erritzoe D9
  • Carhart-Harris RL8
  • Feilding A7
  • Griffiths RR7
  • Roseman L7
  • Kaelen M6
  • Barrett FS5
Leading institutions
free-text, unnormalised
  • Centre for Psychedelic Research6
  • Imperial College London6
  • Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine6
  • The Beckley Foundation6
  • University of Basel6
  • Center for Psychedelic and Consciousness Research5

Related diseases

9 conditions

Regulator-approved indications and conditions co-mentioned with this drug across the research literature. Number shows shared papers.

Related drugs

8 matches

Drugs sharing diseases, protein targets and literature with this one. Ranked by graph evidence (shared targets + diseases weighted above co-mentions).

Lysergic Acid Diethylamide

Studied across 13 of the same disease areas as Psilocybin in the shared literature.

29 shared papers13 shared diseases
Ketamine

Studied across 4 of the same disease areas as Psilocybin in the shared literature.

4 shared diseases4 shared papers
N,N-Dimethyltryptamine

Studied across 2 of the same disease areas as Psilocybin in the shared literature.

2 shared diseases3 shared papers
Mescaline

Studied across the same disease area as Psilocybin in the shared literature.

1 shared disease3 shared papers
Diphenhydramine

Studied across the same disease area as Psilocybin in the shared literature.

1 shared disease1 shared paper
Escitalopram

Frequently co-studied with Psilocybin in the research literature.

2 shared papers
Citalopram

Frequently co-studied with Psilocybin in the research literature.

1 shared paper
Niacin

Frequently co-studied with Psilocybin in the research literature.

1 shared paper
References & data sources
  • RxNorm (U.S. National Library of Medicine) — drug identity
  • ChEMBL (EMBL-EBI) & UniProt — pharmacology and targets
  • Europe PMC — research literature
  • ClinicalTrials.gov — clinical trials