Drug

Psilocybin

Late-stage clinical development

Under investigation for Treatment-Resistant Depressive Disorder & Mental Disorders.

ClassSerotonin 2a (5-HT2a) receptor agonist

Also known as Psilocibina, Psilocybine, Psilocybinum.

RxNorm8912 ChEMBLCHEMBL194378UNII2RV7212BP0

Research papers

101

Active clinical trials

5-hydroxytryptamine receptor 2A

Primary target

Latest activity

beta

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

STAT+: Psilocybin’s lasting benefits prove elusive in mice

Industry2026-11-02STAT News

A multi-institutional investigation of psilocybin’s effects on mouse behavior

Industry2026-11-02Nature Neuroscience

Psilocybin Tied to Lower Inflammation in Parkinson's Trial

Clinical trial2026-10-21Trial news · MedPage Today — Neurology

Activating Neuroplasticity to ENHANCE the Perception Box Expanding Effects of Psilocybin

Clinical trial2026-10-20Results expected Q4 2027 · ClinicalTrials.gov

<![CDATA[Can Durable Response to Psilocybin Reshape Treatment-Resistant Depression Care?]]>

Industry2026-10-16Psychiatric Times

Psilocybin-Assisted Massed Cognitive Processing Therapy for Chronic Posttraumatic Stress Disorder: An Open-label Trial

Clinical trial2026-10-06Status changed to Active, not recruiting · ClinicalTrials.gov

Feasibility Phase 2 Study of Psilocybin-Assisted Therapy for Opioid-Refractory Pain in Patients With Advanced Cancer

Clinical trial2026-10-01Primary completion · ClinicalTrials.gov

PSilocybin for psYCHological and Existential Distress in PALliative Care (PSYCHED-PAL): A Multi-site, Open-label, Single Arm Phase I/II Proof-of-concept, Dose-finding, and Feasibility Clinical Trial

Clinical trial2026-10-01Primary completion · 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

181 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

181

registered trials across all phases

LATEST COMPLETION 2026

101

Active studies

Recruiting

Late-stage (III+)

Completed

Discontinued

PHASE DISTRIBUTIONn = 181

Early Phase 112Phase 155Phase 1 / 213Phase 284Phase 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

The Effects of Psilocybin on Self-Focus and Self-Related Processing in Major Depressive Disorder

RecruitingPH IIISharmin Ghaznavin=202028

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

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

A Phase III, Multicentre, Randomised, Double-blind, Placebo-controlled Study to Investigate the Efficacy, Safety, and Tolerability of COMP360 in Participants With Treatment-resistant Depression

CompletedPH IIICOMPASS Pathwaysn=2582026

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

Research activity

84 papers

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

Publications over time

2012–2026

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

Related diseases

9 conditions

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

Active research areas

Depressive Disorder, Treatment-Resistant9 Mental Disorders7 Anxiety Disorders4 Neoplasms4 Stress Disorders, Post-Traumatic3 Substance-Related Disorders3 Alcoholism2 Depressive Disorder2 Mood Disorders2

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