The Conversation (0)
- New survey findings reveal the extent of unmet need for people living with treatment-resistant depression (TRD) and its impact on families, relationships and the ability to participate fully in everyday life
COMPASS Pathways Plc (Nasdaq: CMPS), a biotechnology company dedicated to unlocking urgently needed new treatment options in mental health care, in partnership with the Depression and Bipolar Support Alliance (DBSA), today released a new report summarizing findings from a national survey of people living with TRD (n=261) and caregivers (n=73) on the self-reported realities of living with a condition that can profoundly affect daily life, revealing the burden of prolonged depressive episodes without meaningful relief.
The survey findings demonstrate the impact of TRD across various aspects of everyday life, with many patients reporting years spent cycling through treatments without significant improvement while the condition takes a toll on their hope, identity, relationships and ability to fully engage in life. 1 They also underscore the impact on caregivers and families, including substantial personal, emotional and financial sacrifices.
�These results give voice to the realities faced by people living with TRD and the caregivers who support them experiences that too often go unseen or misunderstood," commented Suzanne Baber, LCSW, Chief Executive Officer, Depression and Bipolar Support Alliance. "Further, they reinforce the urgent need to improve access to support and to encourage clinicians to evaluate other treatment options earlier in their patients' care. By bringing these lived experiences into the open, we can build a greater understanding of TRD and advocate for meaningful change that helps people feel seen, heard and supported by the broader healthcare community."
Emerging themes and key findings include:
- Surviving, not living: 95% of surveyed patients described themselves as either functioning but struggling, surviving day-to-day or barely getting by
- Over 70% of patients say the condition has left them feeling hopeless about their future
- Cycling through unsuccessful treatments: Most patients (almost 75%) feel that they have tried all available treatment options and are emotionally exhausted from trying treatments that have not worked
- Over 60% of patients wish they could have tried different treatment approaches sooner once it was clear the current treatment wasn't working
- Feeling like the problem: More than half of patients said one of the hardest parts of living with TRD is feeling as though they are the problem, rather than the medication
- Nearly 9 out of 10 say they've felt judged or misunderstood because their depression hasn't gotten better
- Nearly half report often or always blaming themselves because they aren't improving with treatment
- The moments TRD takes away: More than half said TRD has robbed them of years of their lives, including missed milestones, career opportunities and strained relationships
- Surveyed patients reported a negative impact on friendships (69%) and marriages or partnerships (50%)
- More than half of patients reported reducing work hours due to TRD and more than one-third have resigned from a job
- The ripple effect on loved ones: Approximately 70% of caregivers say TRD impacts the whole family's social, physical and/or mental health, with more than half reporting that caregiving has taken a major toll on their own mental health
- Emotional exhaustion affects roughly half of caregivers within three years of their loved one's TRD diagnosis, compared with nearly all (95%) caregivers after three or more years, the vast majority of whom feel emotionally exhausted most or all of the time
A visual summary of key findings is available in the survey infographic , with detailed insights and methodology in the full survey report .
"These findings underscore the immense toll treatment-resistant depression can take on nearly every aspect of a person's life, from their sense of hope and identity to their relationships, careers and ability to participate in the moments that matter," said Steve Levine, MD, Chief Patient Officer, Compass Pathways. "They also make clear that the impact extends far beyond the individual, with caregivers and families carrying a significant emotional, physical and financial burden of their own. These voices reinforce our commitment to listening to and learning from the TRD community as we work to deliver a new treatment option with the potential to help people move beyond simply getting through each day and toward being present in their own lives."
About treatment-resistant depression (TRD)
TRD is a form of depression , distinct from major depressive disorder (MDD), that is defined as an inadequate response to two or more courses of antidepressants of adequate dose and duration. An estimated 4 million people in the U.S. live with TRD, of whom fewer than 5% are currently on a TRD-indicated treatment. 2,3,4 TRD has a significantly greater impact on individuals compared to MDD, leading to residual symptoms, poorer quality of life, increased comorbidities, higher mortality, and an increased risk of suicide. 5 Research suggests this may be attributed to the role of altered brain network functioning in TRD, with biological changes becoming more entrenched with recurrent or prolonged depressive episodes. 5 , 6 , 7 , 8 , 9
Many people living with TRD experience years of cycling through treatments that aren't providing meaningful relief, with an impact extending across work, school, relationships and daily life. 1 A national survey of people with TRD and their caregivers revealed the cumulative burden of the treatment cycle, with 95% of surveyed patients describing themselves as either functioning but struggling, surviving day-to-day or barely getting by. Furthermore, the impact extends well beyond the individual, with approximately 70% of caregivers reporting that TRD negatively affects the whole family's social, physical and/or mental health, reinforcing the urgent need for new treatment approaches that can meaningfully improve the lives of those affected by TRD.
About Compass Pathways
We believe mental health patients deserve the possibility of a better future. COMPASS Pathways Plc (Nasdaq: CMPS) is a biotechnology company dedicated to unlocking urgently needed new treatment options in mental health care. Our initial focus is developing COMP360 psilocybin, a proprietary, investigational, synthetic psilocybin treatment under evaluation for treatment-resistant depression (TRD) and post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). COMP360 is a potentially first-in-class treatment and has Breakthrough Therapy designation from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA), as well as Innovative Licensing and Access Pathway (ILAP) designation in the UK for TRD. We are leading the world's largest classic psychedelic clinical program in TRD, and building upon that robust foundation, we are executing a late-stage trial evaluating COMP360 for PTSD, another condition with high unmet need. Our goal is to advance treatments that move the field of psychiatry towards treatment options that offer rapid onset and sustained durability with infrequent dosing.
Compass is headquartered in London, UK, with a U.S. office in New Jersey.
We are driven by our purpose of unlocking pathways to be – opening futures filled with possibility. Together, we are on an ambitious journey toward enabling people living with mental health conditions to find clarity through self-discovery, because every journey needs a Compass.
Forward-looking statements
This press release contains forward-looking statements within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995, as amended. In some cases, forward-looking statements can be identified by terminology such as "may", "might", "will", "could", "would", "should", "expect", "intend", "plan", "objective", "anticipate", "believe", "contemplate", "estimate", "predict", "potential", "continue" and "ongoing," or the negative of these terms or other comparable terminology, although not all forward-looking statements contain these words. Forward-looking statements include express or implied statements relating to, among other things, statements regarding our business strategy and goals. The forward-looking statements in this press release are neither promises nor guarantees, and you should not place undue reliance on these forward-looking statements because they involve known and unknown risks, uncertainties, and other factors, many of which are beyond Compass's control and which could cause actual results, levels of activity, performance or achievements to differ materially from those expressed or implied by these forward-looking statements.
These risks, uncertainties, and other factors include, among others: uncertainties associated with risks related to clinical development which is a lengthy and expensive process with uncertain outcomes, and therefore our clinical trials may be delayed or terminated and may be more costly than expected; our need for substantial additional funding to achieve our business goals and if we are unable to obtain this funding when needed and on acceptable terms, we could be forced to delay, limit or terminate our clinical trials; our efforts to obtain marketing approval from the applicable regulatory authorities in any jurisdiction for our investigational COMP360 psilocybin treatment may be unsuccessful; our efforts to commercialize and obtain coverage and reimbursement for our investigational COMP360 psilocybin treatment, if approved, may be unsuccessful; and those risks and uncertainties described under the heading "Risk Factors" in Compass's most recent annual report on Form 10-K or quarterly report on Form 10-Q and in other reports we have filed with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission ("SEC"), which are available on the SEC's website at www.sec.gov . Except as required by law, Compass disclaims any intention or responsibility for updating or revising any forward-looking statements contained in this press release in the event of new information, future developments or otherwise. These forward-looking statements are based on Compass's current expectations and speak only as of the date hereof.
- Compass Pathways. Survey of Patients and Caregivers Living with Treatment-Resistant Depression. Data on file. 2026.
- Wing V, et al. Poster S97 Contemporary Estimate of the National Prevalence of Treatment-Resistant Depression in the United States. Presented at ADAA 2026.
- IQVIA.
- Data on file.
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Enquiries
Media: Dana Sultan-Rothman, media@compasspathways.com
Investors: Stephen Schultz, stephen.schultz@compasspathways.com , +1 401 290 7324
