Compass Pathways plc (Nasdaq: CMPS) has published a post-hoc analysis in the Journal of Psychopharmacology examining the nature of monitoring and support provided during treatment administration sessions in an open-label Phase 2 study of its investigational COMP360 synthetic psilocybin treatment in patients with post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD).

The analysis found that 78% of administration sessions were spent in silence. Interactions between participants and support providers were described as minimal and non-directive, with patients linking support primarily to physical presence, reassurance, and validation. The study concluded that these interactions are distinct from conventional psychotherapy or trauma-focused psychological treatments.

Support providers in Compass trials are trained using a manualized approach, with strategies including breath and body awareness, short verbal cues, and physical proximity.

"It is incorrect to describe the treatment we are developing as psilocybin-assisted psychotherapy," said Dr. Guy Goodwin, Chief Medical Officer of Compass Pathways. "These findings reinforce that the rapid and durable symptom improvement observed in the open-label Phase 2 PTSD trial was attributable to the psilocybin drug experience."

COMP360 holds Breakthrough Therapy designation from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration for treatment-resistant depression, and has also received Innovative Licensing and Access Pathway designation in the UK for the same indication. The company is based in London with offices in New York.