Clinical Trials Indicate Efficacy of Generic Ketamine for Severe Depression

Clinical Trials Indicate Efficacy of Generic Ketamine for Severe Depression

A recent double-blind trial highlighted the potential of a cost-efficient version of ketamine in addressing severe depression. Over one-fifth of participants reported complete symptom relief following bi-weekly injections for a month.

The study, published in the British Journal of Psychiatry, was a collaboration led by the University of New South Wales and the affiliated Black Dog Institute. It involved six academic clinical mood disorder units in Australia and one in New Zealand. Financial backing for the research was provided by the Australian National Health and Medical Research Council (NHMRC).

Notably, the results were significant, especially for those with treatment-resistant depression, which refers to individuals who have not responded favorably to standard therapeutic approaches, including talk therapy, conventional antidepressants, or electroconvulsive therapy. Lead researcher Professor Colleen Loo remarked, “In this study, 20 percent of participants who were administered ketamine reported no longer experiencing clinical depression, in contrast to a mere 2 percent from the placebo group.”

Trial Methodology

For this study, 179 individuals diagnosed with treatment-resistant depression were enrolled. Participants were either given a generic version of ketamine, commonly used for anesthesia and sedation, or a placebo. They underwent two injections a week at a clinic and were observed for about two hours post-injection, primarily to let acute dissociative and sedative effects dissipate.

The trial was structured such that neither the participants nor the research team knew who received the actual drug or the placebo, eliminating potential psychological biases. It’s worth noting that the chosen placebo, midazolam, induces sedation, making it more challenging for participants to discern which treatment they received.

Distinctive features of this trial included the inclusion of participants who had previously undergone electroconvulsive therapy and the administration of the drug subcutaneously rather than intravenously. This research is the largest of its kind to compare generic ketamine with a placebo for the treatment of severe depression.

Economic Advantages of Generic Ketamine

The economic appeal of using generic ketamine is evident when comparing it to the patented S-ketamine nasal spray available in Australia. While S-ketamine is priced around $800 per dose, generic ketamine can cost as little as $5, contingent upon the supplier and purchase quantities. However, patients also incur charges for medical oversight to ensure safety during administration. At Black Dog Institute clinics, this sums up to $350 per session.

Loo stated that while the benefits of both S-ketamine and generic ketamine treatments can diminish over a few days to weeks, the latter proves to be more cost-effective. The hope is to garner support from Medicare for this treatment, given its potential to swiftly and powerfully address severe depression.

Future research endeavors will delve deeper into extended trials of generic ketamine and fine-tune safety protocols.

Reference: “Efficacy and safety of a 4-week course of repeated subcutaneous ketamine injections for treatment-resistant depression (KADS study): randomised double-blind active-controlled trial” by Colleen Loo et al., 14 July 2023, The British Journal of Psychiatry.

Funding: Australian National Health and Medical Research Council.

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• British Journal of Psychiatry
• University of New South Wales Research
• Black Dog Institute Studies
• Understanding Treatment-Resistant Depression
• Ketamine in Psychiatry
• Australian National Health and Medical Research Council