Midstage Study Finds LSD Can Reduce Anxiety Symptoms for Months, Drugmaker Says

WASHINGTON — A midstage study by biotechnology company MindMed found that doses of lysergic acid diethylamide, commonly known as LSD, reduced symptoms of anxiety in patients with moderate-to-severe generalized anxiety disorder, with effects lasting as long as three months, the company said Thursday.

The company reported that multiple dose levels were tested and that participants showed measurable improvements on standard anxiety scales. MindMed said it plans follow-up studies to confirm the results and, if confirmed, to pursue an application for approval from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration.

LSD has been classified as an illegal drug in the United States for more than half a century, but interest in its therapeutic potential is resurging. Researchers in the 1950s published numerous papers exploring LSD’s effects, though many of those early studies do not meet modern clinical standards. Frederick Barrett, director of Johns Hopkins University’s Center for Psychedelic and Consciousness Research, who was not involved in the MindMed study, called the new paper “a clear step in the direction of reviving that old research, applying our modern standards and determining what are the real costs and benefits of these compounds.”

The MindMed findings add to a broader rebound in scientific and public interest in psychedelic compounds for mental health treatment. In recent years, investigators and investors have increasingly supported trials of substances such as psilocybin, MDMA and LSD to treat conditions including depression, post-traumatic stress disorder and anxiety. Conferences, books, documentaries and publications in medical journals have helped bring the topic back into mainstream discussion.

MindMed said the midstage trial was designed to evaluate safety and efficacy and to inform dosing for future studies. The company did not release detailed numerical results in its announcement, and the study’s peer-reviewed publication details were not included in the company statement. Independent researchers and regulators generally require larger, controlled trials before determining whether a treatment is safe and effective enough for approval.

Experts not involved in the study said the results are encouraging but caution that midstage data are an early step in a long process. Larger randomized controlled trials are typically necessary to replicate findings, clarify optimal dosing and assess safety across broader patient populations. Regulators will also examine manufacturing standards, consistent dosing, and long-term effects.

The regulatory pathway for psychedelic therapies has been evolving. While LSD remains a controlled substance under U.S. law, the FDA has previously granted breakthrough therapy designations to psychedelic-related treatments, facilitating expedited review for promising therapies under development. MindMed’s stated plan to conduct follow-up studies aligns with the typical progression toward a full regulatory submission, but the company did not provide a timeline for future trials or for filing with the FDA.

Clinicians who follow psychedelic research emphasize the importance of rigorous oversight, standardized protocols and integration of psychotherapy with pharmacological treatment when studying these substances. Safety monitoring, particularly for psychological adverse effects and interactions with other medications, is a key component of such trials.

MindMed’s announcement follows a pattern of renewed industry investment and academic inquiry into compounds once relegated to recreational use and legal prohibition. As additional trials proceed and more data become available, scientists and regulators will be better positioned to assess whether LSD can join other evidence-based treatments for anxiety and related disorders.