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RecruitingNCT05584826Updated May 4, 2026

MDMA-assisted Therapy for Adjustment Disorder (AD) in Dyads of Patients With Cancer and a Concerned Significant Other

A Phase 2 interventional study of MDMA in Cancer and Adjustment Disorders, sponsored by Sunstone Medical. Recruiting at 1 site in United States. Open to participants aged 18 Years and older. Per ClinicalTrials.gov, last updated 2026-05-04.

Sponsored by Sunstone Medical · Phase 2, Interventional, and Treatment

From the registry’s dates

  • Started Oct 2022; still recruiting 4 years 1 month later.
Phase
Phase 2
Study type
Interventional
Enrollment
20
Allocation
Not applicable
Ages
18 Years and older
Sex
All
01

Study summary

The goal of this clinical trial is to assess feasibility, tolerability and preliminary effectiveness of MDMA-assisted therapy for adjustment disorder (AD) in 10 dyads of patients with cancer and a concerned significant other (CSO) (20 participants total).

Participants will undergo an 8-week treatment period which will include two doses of MDMA, two Preparatory Sessions and four Integrative Sessions of non-drug therapy.

Read the detailed description

This open-label single site concurrent mixed-method phase 2 pilot trial will assess the feasibility, tolerability and preliminary effectiveness of MDMA-assisted therapy for adjustment disorder (AD) in 10 dyads of patients with cancer and a concerned significant other (CSO) (20 participants total). The intervention will include two doses of MDMA, administered during the Treatment Period with manualized therapy. This 8-week Treatment Period includes two Preparatory Sessions and four Integrative Sessions of non-drug therapy.

02

Conditions studied

  • Cancer
  • Adjustment Disorders
03

In context

Neoplasms

10,818 studies on the registry are indexed under Neoplasms; 2,324 are open to participants now.

This study's planned enrollment of 20 is below the median of 60 across 7,703 interventional studies indexed under Neoplasms.

Browse Neoplasms studies →

Lead sponsor

Sunstone Medical is the lead sponsor of 4 studies on the registry; 3 are open to participants now.

Counted across the registry records on this site, refreshed daily.

04

Who can participate

Ages eligible
18 Years and older
Sexes eligible
All
Accepts healthy volunteers
No

Go through the criteria one by one — yes, no or not sure — and take the list to your doctor or the study team. Kept in this browser only.

Inclusion criteria

  1. Are at least 18 years old
  2. Are considered important to their well-being by patient participants (e.g., spouse or close family member)
  3. Meet criteria for current AD (no criteria for another mental disorder and does not correspond to an exacerbation of a preexisting mental disorder. Does not represent a normal bereavement)
  4. Satisfies diagnostic criteria for AD using the ADNM-2020 (score ≥ 47.5 on the scale)
  5. Are able to swallow pills.
  6. Are willing to be driven home after the experimental sessions, either by a driver arranged by the participant or by the site personnel or taxi and agree not to drive after each Experimental Session until the therapists deem it safe to do so
  7. If able to become pregnant (i.e. assigned female at birth, fertile, following menarche and until becoming unless permanently sterile), must have a highly sensitive negative pregnancy test at study entry and prior to each Experimental Session, and must agree to use adequate through 10 days after the last Experimental Session. Adequate birth control methods include intrauterine device (IUD), injected, implanted, intravaginal, or transdermal hormonal methods, abstinence, oral hormones plus a barrier contraception, vasectomized sole partner, or double barrier contraception. Two forms of contraception are required with any barrier method or oral hormones (i.e. condom plus diaphragm, condom or diaphragm plus spermicide, oral hormonal contraceptives plus spermicide or condom).
  8. Must agree to inform the Clinical Investigators within 48 hours of any medical conditions and procedures
  9. Are proficient in speaking and reading English
  10. Agree to have all clinic visit sessions recorded to audio and video
  11. Agree to the following lifestyle modifications (described in more detail in Section 4.3 Lifestyle Modifications): comply with requirements for fasting and refraining from certain medications prior to Experimental Sessions, not enroll in any other interventional clinical trials during the duration of the study, be driven home after each Experimental Session, and commit to medication dosing, therapy, and study procedures.
  12. May have well-controlled hypertension that has been successfully treated with anti-hypertensive medicines, if they pass additional screening to rule out underlying cardiovascular disease.
  13. May have asymptomatic virus (HCV) that has previously undergone evaluation and treatment as needed.
  14. May have alcohol or substance use disorder if participant is not in withdrawal or requiring detox. Participants must have a plan, agreed upon by investigator, therapy team, and study physician, to reduce use of alcohol or other substances and to manage symptoms without self-medicating. Enrollment will require that, in the judgment of the investigator, therapy team, and study physician, the plan for decreasing substance use is realistic and has a good chance of succeeding in order to prevent substance use from impacting the safety or efficacy of the treatment.
  15. May have a history of or current Diabetes Mellitus (Type 2) if additional screening measures rule out underlying cardiovascular disease, if the condition is judged to be stable on effective management, and with approval by the study physician.
  16. May have hypothyroidism if taking adequate and stable thyroid replacement medication.
  17. May have a history of, or current, glaucoma if approval for study participation is received from an ophthalmologist.

Exclusion criteria

Exclusion Criteria:

  1. Concurrent or recent (less than four weeks) cytotoxic chemotherapy or radiation therapy, that impairs general level of physical functioning (index participant)
  2. Weigh less than 48 kg
  3. Condition impairing oral intake or digestive absorption
  4. Are not able to give adequate
  5. Significant suicide risk as defined by suicidal ideation with intend and a plan as endorsed on items 5 on the C-SSRS within the past 6 months or at V0 (see Appendix A)
  6. Have any current problem which, in the opinion of the investigator or study physician, might interfere with participation
  7. Would present a serious risk to others as established through clinical interview and contact with treating psychiatrist.
  8. Have a history of, or a current primary psychotic disorder, major depressive disorder with psychotic features, bipolar affective disorder type 1 or history of or current dissociative identity disorder
  9. Require ongoing concomitant therapy with a psychiatric medication with exceptions described in Section 8.0: Concomitant Medications.
  10. Have received Electroconvulsive Therapy (ECT) within 12 weeks of enrollment.
  11. Have used Ecstasy (material represented as containing MDMA) more than 10 times within the last 10 years or at least once within 6 months of the first Experimental Session;
  12. Have a history of ventricular arrhythmia at any time, other than occasional premature ventricular contractions (PVCs) in the absence of ischemic heart disease.
  13. Have Wolff-Parkinson-White syndrome or any other accessory pathway that has not been successfully eliminated by ablation.
  14. Have a history of arrhythmia, other than premature atrial contractions (PACs) or occasional PVCs in the absence of ischemic heart disease, within 12 months of screening.

    Participants with a history of atrial fibrillation, atrial tachycardia, atrial flutter or paroxysmal supraventricular tachycardia or any other arrhythmia associated with a bypass tract may be enrolled only if they have been successfully treated with ablation and have not had recurrent arrhythmia for at least one year off all antiarrhythmic drugs, and confirmed by a cardiologist.

  15. Have evidence or history of significant (controlled or uncontrolled) hematological, endocrine, cerebrovascular, cardiovascular, coronary, pulmonary, renal, gastrointestinal, immunocompromising, or neurological disease, including seizure disorder, or any other medical disorder judged by the investigator to significantly increase the risk of MDMA administration (participants with hypothyroidism who are on adequate and stable thyroid replacement will not be excluded). Note: if participants present with a history of glaucoma, enrollment would be allowed only with the approval of their ophthalmologist
  16. Have uncontrolled hypertension using the standard criteria of the American Heart Association (values of 140/90 milligrams of Mercury [mmHg] or higher assessed on three separate occasions)
  17. Have a heart rate > 100 bpm on three separate occasions
  18. Have a marked Baseline prolongation of /QTc interval (For purposes of eligibility, this is defined as repeated demonstration of a QT interval corrected using Fridericia's formula [QTcF] >450 milliseconds [ms] and >460 ms in females. For transgender or non-binary participants, QTc interval will be evaluated based on sex assigned at birth, unless the participant has been on hormonal treatment for five or more years.
  19. Have a history of additional risk factors for Torsade de pointes (e.g., heart failure, hypokalemia, family history of Long QT Syndrome)
  20. Require use of concomitant medications that prolong the QT/QTc interval during Experimental Sessions. Refer to Section 12.0 Concomitant Medications.
  21. Have symptomatic liver disease
  22. Have history of hyponatremia or hyperthermia
  23. Are pregnant, nursing, or able to become pregnant and are not practicing an effective means of .
  24. Have to any ingredient of the IMP ( Medicinal Product).
Terms in these criteria, in plain language(8)

Underlined terms in the criteria open these too. Explained by clinicaltrials.gg, not part of the registry record. The study team decides who can take part.

DSM diagnostic criteria

The American Psychiatric Association’s manual of mental health diagnoses. DSM-5 (2013, revised as DSM-5-TR in 2022) replaced DSM-IV, and some studies still name the older edition. “Meets DSM criteria for …” means diagnosed by that edition’s diagnostic criteria, usually by a clinician in an interview.

Postmenopausal

Periods have stopped for good: usually no period for 12 months in a row without another medical reason, sometimes confirmed by a blood test (FSH).

Contraception

Ways of preventing pregnancy. “Highly effective” methods fail less than 1% of the time a year when used correctly — for example an IUD or an implant.

Criteria usually say which methods count and how long to keep using them after the last dose, sometimes for male participants too. Some studies accept a partner’s vasectomy if it was confirmed successful and that person is the participant’s only sexual partner.

Hepatitis C tests

Hepatitis C is a virus that infects the liver. An HCV antibody test can stay positive after an infection has cleared (and is occasionally positive without one); an HCV RNA test shows whether the virus is there now.

After treatment, hepatitis C counts as cured when HCV RNA is still undetectable 12 weeks or more after the treatment ended. Studies often accept people cured this way.

Investigational drug or device

A drug or device being studied in a clinical trial.

It may be new, or already approved and being studied for another use, dose or form. Criteria often leave out people who took part in another study of one within a recent period, commonly 30 days or five half-lives.

Informed consent

Before you join, the study team explains what taking part involves — its purpose, what happens, the risks and possible benefits — and answers your questions, so you can decide freely. Consent is usually recorded on a form (the informed consent form, ICF) signed by you or, where the law allows, by someone legally authorised to decide for you.

You can keep asking questions during the study, you are told of new information that matters, and you can choose to leave at any time.

QT and QTc

On an ECG, the QT interval is the time the heart’s lower chambers take to activate electrically and recover in each beat. QTc is that time adjusted for heart rate (QTcF by Fridericia’s formula, QTcB by Bazett’s). Some medicines lengthen it, and a long QTc can raise the risk of a dangerous heart rhythm.

The study may name a correction formula and a limit in milliseconds, often around 450–480.

Hypersensitivity

An allergy, or another reaction of the immune system, to a substance. “Hypersensitivity to the study drug” means a known allergic reaction to it — not every side effect a medicine can have.

05

Study design

Phase
Phase 2
Primary purpose
Treatment
Allocation
Not applicable
Intervention model
Single group
Masking
None (open label)
Enrollment
20 participants (estimated)

Study arms

  • Experimental
    MDMA-Assisted Therapy

    Participants will receive two doses of MDMA, administered during the Treatment Period with manualized therapy. This 8-week Treatment Period includes two Preparatory Sessions and four Integrative Sessions of non-drug therapy.

    Drug: MDMA

Interventions

  • DrugMDMA

    On 2 separate treatment visits, participants will receive dosing of 100 mg MDMA HCl (\~84 mg MDMA) + 40 mg MDMA HCl (\~34 mg MDMA) supplement unless tolerability issues arise from the first dose or the participant declines

    Also known as: 3,4-methylenedioxymethamphetamine (MDMA)

06

What researchers measure

Primary outcomes

  1. To assess the effectiveness of the intervention on Adjustment Disorder and relationship functioning in patients with cancer and a CSO.

    The study will assess participants scores on The Adjustment Disorder New Module - 20 items (ADNM-20) from baseline to the primary time point (Visit 10, week 8 ± 2 days).

    Time frame: 8 weeks ± 2 days

  2. To assess the effectiveness of the intervention on Adjustment Disorder and relationship functioning in patients with cancer and a CSO.

    The study will assess participants scores on the Couples Satisfaction Index (CSI-16) scores from baseline to the primary time point (Visit 10, week 8 ± 2 days).

    Time frame: 8 weeks ± 2 days

Secondary outcomes

  1. To assess the effect on psychological distress, Mental Adjustment to Cancer (MAC), relationship functioning and health-related quality of life in both patients and their concerned significant other (scale 1)

    Cancer patient: Edmonton Symptom Assessment System (ESAS)

    Time frame: 24 weeks

  2. To assess the effect on psychological distress, Mental Adjustment to Cancer (MAC), relationship functioning and health-related quality of life in both patients and their concerned significant other (scale 2)

    Cancer Patient: Pain Interference Scale (PIS)

    Time frame: 24 weeks

  3. To assess the effect on psychological distress, Mental Adjustment to Cancer (MAC), relationship functioning and health-related quality of life in both patients and their concerned significant other (scale 3)

    Cancer patient: Fatigue Assessment Scale (FAS)

    Time frame: 24 weeks

  4. To assess the effect on psychological distress, Mental Adjustment to Cancer (MAC), relationship functioning and health-related quality of life in both patients and their concerned significant other (scale 4)

    Cancer patient: MAC scale

    Time frame: 24 weeks

  5. To assess the effect on psychological distress, Mental Adjustment to Cancer (MAC), relationship functioning and health-related quality of life in both patients and their concerned significant other (scale 5)

    Cancer patient and concerned significant other: Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale (HADS A and D)

    Time frame: 24 weeks

  6. To assess the effect on psychological distress, Mental Adjustment to Cancer (MAC), relationship functioning and health-related quality of life in both patients and their concerned significant other (scale 6)

    Cancer patient: Posttraumatic stress disorder CheckList-5 - Specific stressor (PCL-S)

    Time frame: 24 weeks

  7. To assess the effect on psychological distress, Mental Adjustment to Cancer (MAC), relationship functioning and health-related quality of life in both patients and their concerned significant other (scale 7)

    Cancer patient and concerned significant other: Mystical Experience Questionnaire (MEQ)

    Time frame: 24 weeks

  8. To assess the effect on psychological distress, Mental Adjustment to Cancer (MAC), relationship functioning and health-related quality of life in both patients and their concerned significant other (scale 8)

    Cancer patient and concerned significant other: Challenging Experience Questionnaire (CEQ)

    Time frame: 24 weeks

  9. To assess the effect on psychological distress, Mental Adjustment to Cancer (MAC), relationship functioning and health-related quality of life in both patients and their concerned significant other (scale 9)

    Cancer patient: Functional Assessment of Chronic Illness Therapy-Spiritual Well-Being 12 (FACIT-sp)

    Time frame: 24 weeks

  10. To assess the effect on psychological distress, Mental Adjustment to Cancer (MAC), relationship functioning and health-related quality of life in both patients and their concerned significant other (scale 10)

    Cancer patient: Demoralization scale II (DS-II)

    Time frame: 24 weeks

  11. To assess the effect on psychological distress, Mental Adjustment to Cancer (MAC), relationship functioning and health-related quality of life in both patients and their concerned significant other (scale 11)

    Cancer patient: Life Attitude Profile - revised, Death acceptance subscale (LAP-R; SAHD)

    Time frame: 24 weeks

  12. To assess the effect on psychological distress, Mental Adjustment to Cancer (MAC), relationship functioning and health-related quality of life in both patients and their concerned significant other (scale 12)

    Cancer patient: Functional Assessment of Cancer Therapy - General (FACT-G)

    Time frame: 24 weeks

  13. To assess the effect on psychological distress, Mental Adjustment to Cancer (MAC), relationship functioning and health-related quality of life in both patients and their concerned significant other (scale 13)

    Cancer patient: Family relationship Index (FRI)

    Time frame: 24 weeks

  14. To assess the effect on psychological distress, Mental Adjustment to Cancer (MAC), relationship functioning and health-related quality of life in both patients and their concerned significant other (scale 14)

    Cancer patient and concerned significant other: Social Isolation Scale (SIS)

    Time frame: 24 weeks

  15. To assess the effect on psychological distress, Mental Adjustment to Cancer (MAC), relationship functioning and health-related quality of life in both patients and their concerned significant other (scale 15)

    Cancer patient and concerned significant other: Everyday/illness-related disclosure (ELID)

    Time frame: 24 weeks

  16. To assess the effect on psychological distress, Mental Adjustment to Cancer (MAC), relationship functioning and health-related quality of life in both patients and their concerned significant other (scale 16)

    Concerned significant other: CareGiver Oncology Quality of Life questionnaire (CarGOQoL)

    Time frame: 24 weeks

07

Study locations

1 of 1 sites recruiting
08

Timeline

Tracking since Sep 25, 2026
ElapsedEstimatedEstimated, not yet reachedSimilar studies: half by the dot; the band is the middle halfHalf of similar studies reached it by the dot; the band is the middle half, from a quarter to three quarters

Started Oct 2022 (actual). Primary completion is estimated for Oct 2026, 48 months after the start.

Of 335 non-industry phase 2 interventional studies under Neoplasms, half reached primary completion within 58 months of starting (the median), counting those still running; a quarter within 36 and three quarters within 99. This study's planned 48 months is below that.

Counting every sponsor, half of 514 studies reached it within 52 months; a quarter within 33 and three quarters within 92.

Neoplasms covers many different conditions, not one, so the studies compared here vary widely. Read these figures as a rough guide.

How these figures are worked out, and which studies are left out of them.

Registered
Oct 10, 2022
First posted
Oct 18, 2022
StartActual
Oct 6, 2022
Primary completionEst.
Oct 2026
CompletionEst.
Nov 2028
Last update
May 4, 2026
What these dates mean
Start.
When the first participant enrolled; while estimated, when the study expects to open to recruitment.
Primary completion.
When the last participant was examined or treated to collect data for the study's main question, its primary outcome. A study that stopped early gives the date its data collection stopped.
Completion.
When the last participant's last visit took place, for every outcome, secondary ones and side effects included: the end of the study. Often later than primary completion, sometimes the same day.
Actual and Est.
Actual means the registry says the date has happened. Est. (estimated) is a date the sponsor plans or expects. It can still move, and the sponsor is expected to change it to actual once it has passed.
No changes since tracking began. The registry record was last updated on May 4, 2026, before this site started recording changes on Sep 25, 2026. Its history is on ClinicalTrials.gov ↗
09

Registry details

Key details

Study ID
NCT05584826
Lead sponsor
Sunstone Medical
Responsible party
Sponsor
First posted
Oct 18, 2022
Start date
Oct 6, 2022
Primary completion
Oct 2026 (estimated)
Completion
Nov 2028 (estimated)
Last update
May 4, 2026

Study contacts

Study Contact
Contact
clinical.specialists@sunstonetherapies.com
301-750-3401
Manish Agrawal, MD
principal investigator · Sunstone Medical, PC

Oversight

FDA-regulated drug
Yes
FDA-regulated device
No
View the source record on ClinicalTrials.gov ↗

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Studies of the drug tested here: N-Methyl-3,4-methylenedioxyamphetamine

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