Data demonstrates that intravenous ketamine is a rapid and robust treatment for depression. These results can inform clinical best practices and provide real-world evidence to advocate for better insurance coverage.January 11, 2022 09:00 AM Eastern Standard Time
SAN FRANCISCO–(BUSINESS WIRE)–Osmind, a healthcare technology company and Public Benefit Corporation (PBC) dedicated to empowering clinicians and researchers to bring innovative mental health treatments to those who need it most, today announced the publication of a pivotal peer-reviewed article on real-world ketamine intravenous therapy (KIT). The study, conducted with leading physician-scientists at Stanford University School of Medicine, was published in the Journal of Affective Disorders. It is the largest published analysis of KIT outcomes in community care settings to date.
“The RWE provided by this study represents a significant improvement over existing case series and anecdotal evidence regarding KIT for depression”Tweet this
In a subset of 537 patients receiving KIT across 178 clinics, there was a 54% response rate and 30% remission rate. Approximately 40% of patients with suicidal ideation at baseline no longer experienced this symptom after induction, and over 70% of patients experienced an overall improvement in suicidal ideation. Antidepressant response to KIT was durable such that 80% of patients retained response at 4 weeks and 60% at 8 weeks, even without maintenance infusions. This is the first of several studies planned for the Osmind Real-world Ketamine Analyses (ORKA) initiative. Follow-up studies will include demographics and clinical history across larger numbers of KIT patients over longer periods of time.
“Ketamine therapy for depression is rapidly changing the face of mental health care in the US,” said the study’s senior author Boris Heifets, MD, PhD, who is Assistant Professor of Anesthesiology, Perioperative and Pain Medicine, and, by courtesy, of Psychiatry, at Stanford University. “The need for relief has far outstripped the academic community’s ability to generate high quality prospective data on the ever-expanding variety of real-world therapeutic practices involving ketamine. The innovation is now happening in the field — our study is the largest of its kind to capture a snapshot of what real-world ketamine clinics are doing, and how their patients fare. I’m thrilled to have teamed up with Osmind to take a first look at such a large set of real-world outcomes, and I’m looking forward to digging deeper into what works, and for whom.”
Large real-world evidence (RWE) studies provide crucial evidence on efficacy and safety that can be used to advocate for better insurance coverage of, and therefore patient access to, breakthrough treatments like KIT. “The RWE provided by this study represents a significant improvement over existing case series and anecdotal evidence regarding KIT for depression,” said study author and VP of Medical Affairs at Osmind, L. Alison McInnes, MD, MS. “The response rate after 2-3 weeks of KIT outpaces standard antidepressant medications, which can take 6-8 weeks, and has comparable efficacy to Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation which is covered by insurance.”
Osmind leads the field in efforts to obtain insurance coverage for breakthrough treatments like ketamine and was selected by the nonprofit Ketamine Taskforce for Access to Safe Care and Insurance Coverage to be its technology partner. “This [study] coincides with what we have been observing in the real world from applied usage, and provides RWE that ketamine infusion therapy is life-changing and should be accessible for all patients through insurance coverage,” said Kimberly Juroviesky, President of the Ketamine Taskforce and respected patient advocate.
A key pillar of Osmind’s mission is to foster the development of new, effective treatments for moderate to severe mental health conditions, and to help ensure robust access to care for patients of all backgrounds. One manifestation of this mission is its research program, which works with leading scientists to conduct clinical trials and analyze anonymized, aggregated real-world information to advance new diagnostics, therapeutics, and precision medicine approaches.
“RWE data collection is taking off in the ketamine space, and it’s clear Osmind are field leaders here,” said Robin Carhart-Harris, PhD, Ralph Metzner Distinguished Professor of Neurology and Psychiatry and Founding Director of the Neuroscape Psychedelics Division at UCSF, and Osmind Scientific Advisor. “I look forward to seeing RWE initiatives being utilised when MDMA and psilocybin therapy become available for patients. It will be essential for assessing their relative merits versus already existing treatment options, including KIT.”
The company also plans to make its research open access where possible in order to democratize critical knowledge and enable clinicians to make more informed, real-time decisions for their patients.
“The pandemic has accelerated the need for real-world research and new, effective treatments that address the global burden of mental health disease,” said Steve Jurvetson, the co-founder of Future Ventures and prominent philanthropist supporting psychedelic science such as the Psychedelic Science Funders Collaborative. “Osmind’s first real-world ketamine study underscores the commitment this team has made as a Public Benefit Corporation to operating on principles of social justice and inclusivity, and ensuring robust access to care for patients of all backgrounds.”
About Osmind
Osmind is a healthcare technology company and Public Benefit Corporation that is building the operating system for neuropsychiatry. Our mission is to empower clinicians and researchers to bring innovative mental health treatments to patients who need it most. Osmind EHR is the #1 software for innovative mental health practices and since June 2020, is utilized in hundreds of practices across 40 states. Osmind works with scientists to analyze anonymized, aggregated real-world information to improve clinical care and enable the discovery, development, and commercialization of next-generation therapeutics, diagnostics, and precision treatment approaches. For more information, visit osmind.org and join the conversation on Twitter, Instagram, and LinkedIn.
Contacts
Osmind Inc.
Priya Gangolly
Head of Strategy
press@osmind.org
Source: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20220111005597/en/Osmind-Announces-Publication-of-the-Largest-Real-World-Analysis-of-Ketamine-Infusion-Therapy-for-Depression