{"id":5109,"date":"2025-08-13T11:23:24","date_gmt":"2025-08-13T09:23:24","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/avextra.com\/?p=5109"},"modified":"2025-08-13T11:24:00","modified_gmt":"2025-08-13T09:24:00","slug":"first-patient-included-marks-major-milestone-in-eu-funded-clinical-trial","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/avextra.com\/it\/2025\/08\/first-patient-included-marks-major-milestone-in-eu-funded-clinical-trial\/","title":{"rendered":"First Patient Included Marks Major Milestone in EU-Funded Clinical Trial"},"content":{"rendered":"

Bensheim, Germany, August 11, 2025<\/strong><\/strong> \u2013<\/strong>\u00a0PsyPal has reached a major milestone with the inclusion of its first patient in the multi-site clinical trial investigating psilocybin therapy for psychological and existential distress in people with progressive, life-limiting illnesses. The first patient has been included at University Medical Center Groningen (UMCG), Netherlands, one of four specialised clinical centres participating in this unprecedented, EU-funded initiative.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cThis is a historic step,\u201d says Prof. Dr. Robert Schoevers, head of psychiatry at the University Medical Center Groningen (UMCG) and principal investigator of PsyPal. \u201cAfter many months of preparation, we are thrilled to begin working directly with patients.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Funded by the European Union and coordinated by UMCG in the Netherlands, PsyPal is the first European Union-funded multi-site clinical trial on psilocybin therapy. Specifically, the trial will explore whether psilocybin, administered in a supportive psychotherapeutic context, can help reduce depression, anxiety, and improve quality of life in individuals living with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), multiple sclerosis (MS), amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), or advanced and atypical parkinsonian disorders (APD). \u201cToo many people in need of palliative care endure overwhelming psychological and existential distress that conventional treatments often fail to address,\u201d says Stephan Tap (UMCG), clinical trial manager. Ulf Bremberg (Osmond Labs), project manager, adds:\u00a0 \u201cBy combining psychotherapy with a novel compound like psilocybin, we hope to offer support that extends beyond symptom relief, into the deeply human realms of connection, meaning, and peace.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Each clinical site focuses on one of the four targeted conditions:<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n