Gerhard Grunder

Gerhard Gründer, psychiatrist and psychotherapist, is a professor at the Medical Faculty Mannheim of the University of Heidelberg. He heads the Department of Molecular Neuroimaging at the Central Institute of Mental Health in Mannheim. He is also the co-founder and medical director of the OVID Clinic Berlin. His research focuses on the neurobiology of mental disorders as well as molecular and clinical psychopharmacology. He uses functional imaging techniques, in particular positron emission tomography (PET). Central questions in his scientific work are those concerning the mechanisms of action of psychotropic drugs and the measurement and evaluation of their benefits. His most recent interest is the clinical evaluation of psychedelics in severe mental disorders, and he led the largest academically initiated clinical trial with a psychedelic drug (in treatment-resistant depression) ever conducted, the EPIsoDE study.

Psilocybin for treatment-resistant depression: From clinical trials to compassionate use

Major depression remains one of the leading causes of disability worldwide, and current treatments often fail to provide sustained remission. The EPIsoDE trial, a bicentric randomized controlled study, investigated psilocybin-assisted therapy in treatment-resistant depression. While acute results have already shown promise, we here present for the first time the long-term follow-up data over 12 months, shedding light on the durability and safety of this novel approach.

In addition, we will introduce a newly launched compassionate use program that provides access to psilocybin therapy for patients with severe, otherwise refractory depression. This program not only offers a treatment option for individuals with urgent unmet needs but also allows for the collection of real-world evidence to complement trial data. Together, these initiatives represent a crucial step toward integrating innovative psychedelic therapies into European mental health care.