Individuals suffering from treatment-resistant depression have found hope in the anaesthetic drug ketamine, despite its side effects and high cost of access. A clinical trial led by the University of Otago could potentially change this.
Collaborating with New Zealand’s Douglas Pharmaceuticals, researchers have explored the use of an extended-release tablet form of ketamine.
Published in the journal Nature Medicine, the study involved 168 adults who had not responded to traditional antidepressant treatments. Over a period of 12 weeks, participants were given various oral doses of ketamine or a placebo.
Professor Paul Glue, the Hazel Buckland Chair in Psychological Medicine at Otago, mentions that the highest dose of ketamine at 180mg demonstrated significant improvements in depressive symptoms compared to those who received a placebo.
“Ketamine is commonly administered through injections or nasal sprays, which can lead to feelings of disorientation, sedation, and elevated blood pressure,” explains Glue.
“This research highlights that the extended-release ketamine tablets are both safe and effective, with participants reporting minimal side effects and good overall tolerability.”
Douglas Pharmaceuticals is now in the process of seeking interested partners to advance to registrational clinical trials and eventually introduce the tablets to the market.
“We’ve observed that there is a substantial population, both locally in New Zealand and globally, suffering from treatment-resistant depression, with limited or no access to ketamine,” notes Glue.
“As the majority of doses from this tablet formulation can be self-administered at home, it presents a potentially more cost-effective and convenient option for these patients compared to regular clinic visits for ketamine injections or nasal sprays.”
Ketamine has been legally utilized by healthcare professionals in New Zealand for sedation and pain relief since the 1970s but has been deemed illegal for recreational use since the 1980s.
Professor Glue emphasizes that having ketamine available in tablet form reduces the risk of misuse due to the intricacies of the manufacturing process that make them challenging to tamper with.
