Advancing evidence-based mental health

Osmind Real-World Outcomes Research

Osmind, in concert with the global research community, has facilitated some of the most extensive real-world studies on ketamine infusion therapy (KIT) to treat depression, anxiety, and suicidality. These studies aspire to assess long-term patient outcomes and provide an in-depth understanding of the efficacy and safety of KIT in real-world settings.

Our inaugural study, McInnes et al. 2022, was published in the Journal of Affective Disorders. Pioneered by Dr. Alison McInnes, Osmind's VP of Scientific Affairs, McInnes et al. 2022 yielded promising results: Ketamine emerged as an effective and lasting treatment for depression, with a robust effect size of 1.5 and over 70% of patients demonstrating improvement in suicidal ideation at baseline.

Building on, Hietamies et al. 2023 conducted an independent replication of the first study in a larger sample size, this time including anxiety outcomes data. This study involved faculty researchers from Heifets Lab at Stanford University, with significant contributions from Dr. Alison McInnes, VP of Scientific Affairs at Osmind. The study assessed how dosage, comorbid anxiety, and maintenance treatment impact depression outcomes.

The study replicated the findings from McInnes et al. 2022 on reduction in depression symptoms and suicidal ideation; More than half of the patients experienced a 50% reduction in depression and anxiety symptoms. Furthermore, of the 80% of patients who reported suicidal ideation before treatment, an impressive 70% experienced improvement, with half experiencing no suicidal ideation at all after treatment.

We also identified a group of late responders (20%) who experienced a response by infusions 10-12 , rather than after the usual six-infusion induction protocol, corroborating the findings of Oliver et al. 2022.

Combined, these studies demonstrate that response to ketamine is stable over time, and its antidepressant and anti-anxiety effects do not significantly diminish with repeated treatments.

The power of real-world studies is their ability to strengthen the case for KIT's efficacy. Clinical trials usually examine a specific set of controlled parameters, whereas real-world scenarios involve diverse treatment regimens and patient characteristics—which better reflects the complex nature of treatment-resistant depression.

By collaborating with dedicated clinicians and researchers, Osmind is leading the way in understanding and advancing innovative treatment options. Studies of this magnitude are essential to overcoming barriers to care, including availability through therapeutic development, psychiatrist adoption, and affordability through insurance coverage.