Compass Pathways has partnered with mental health organizations on the first-ever awareness day for treatment-resistant depression (TRD).
The biotech, which is developing a drug candidate based on the active ingredient in magic mushrooms, is working on the awareness day with the National Alliance on Mental Illness, Mental Health America and the Depression and Bipolar Support Alliance (DBSA). The mental health organizations are sharing information and resources about TRD.
Compass quoted data showing that TRD affects an estimated 4 million people in the U.S., of whom fewer than 5% are on a treatment indicated for the form of depression. Johnson & Johnson’s Spravato became the first monotherapy approved for adults with TRD in the U.S. in January 2025.
J&J has worked to raise awareness of depression, including by launching its “Generation Fine” campaign in May. However, physicians continue to see gaps in awareness of TRD, as Sagar Parikh, M.D., vice chair of DBSA’s scientific advisory board, explained in a statement.
“When depression continues despite multiple treatment attempts, many people do not realize they may be experiencing TRD,” Parikh said. “TRD Awareness Day can help both patients and clinicians better understand that this is a distinct condition, separate from major depressive disorder, and recognize when it may be time to ask different questions about care strategies.”
Aiming to launch its TRD drug in the first half of 2027, Compass is preparing for commercialization. Last month, the biotech launched “Change the Tune in TRD,” an education campaign focused on U.S. healthcare providers. Compass is running the campaign to provide evidence-based education on the longer, more persistent episodes associated with TRD.
Alongside the awareness day unveiling, the company shared details of its efforts to understand the lives of people with TRD. A Compass survey found nearly 95% of TRD patients describe themselves as either functioning but struggling, surviving day to day or barely getting by.
The impacts extend beyond patients with TRD. Almost two in three caregivers say TRD impacts the whole family’s social, physical or mental health. More than half of people say that caregiving has taken a major toll on their mental health. Compass plans to share the full survey report in the future.