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ClinicalTrials.gov 109 recruiting now official registry

Major Depressive Disorder clinical trials

Every US clinical trial registered for Major Depressive Disorder — phase mix, recruiting status, and the sponsors running them, straight from the NIH ClinicalTrials.gov registry.

283 US clinical trials · 109 currently recruiting

The research picture

Major Depressive Disorder has 283 registered US clinical trials, 109 of them open to new participants right now — about 39% of the total.

109
recruiting participants now
39%
of trials open to enrollment
74
in Phase 3–4 (later-stage)
19
top sponsor: Massachusetts General Hospital

Counts reflect the public ClinicalTrials.gov registry as last mirrored by PlainTrial. Status and phase are reported by each study's sponsor. This is reference information, not medical advice.

Active & Recent Trials

RECRUITING 50,000 participants

RIVER At Home Ketamine Protocols

RIVER Foundation

NCT06070766

RECRUITING Phase 2 2,530 participants

Study of Neuro-Cognitive Correlates of Pediatric Anxiety Disorders

National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH)

NCT00018057

RECRUITING Phase 3 1,000 participants

Study to Assess the Safety and Effectiveness of NMRA-335140-501

Neumora Therapeutics

NCT06029439

RECRUITING 1,000 participants

University of Iowa Interventional Psychiatry Service Patient Registry

Mark Niciu

NCT04480918

RECRUITING NA 620 participants

Defining Neurobiological Links Between Substance Use and Mental Illness

National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA)

NCT05538910

RECRUITING NA 600 participants

Transcranial Direct Current Stimulation (tDCS) Neuromodulation of Executive Function Across Neuropsychiatric Populations

Massachusetts General Hospital

NCT04296604

RECRUITING Phase 3 600 participants

Long-Term Study to Assess the Safety and Tolerability of NBI-1065845 as an Adjunctive Treatment in Participants With Major Depressive Disorder (MDD)

Neurocrine Biosciences

NCT06966401

RECRUITING Phase 3 550 participants

A Study to Evaluate the Maintenance Effect of NBI-1065845 as an Adjunctive Treatment in Participants With Major Depressive Disorder (MDD)

Neurocrine Biosciences

NCT07196501

RECRUITING Phase 3 470 participants

Study of Lumateperone as Adjunctive Therapy in the Treatment of Patients With Major Depressive Disorder

Intra-Cellular Therapies

NCT05850689

RECRUITING Phase 2 456 participants

A Study of the Efficacy and Safety of SP-624 in the Treatment of Adults With Major Depressive Disorder

Sirtsei Pharmaceuticals

NCT06254612

RECRUITING 450 participants

MicroRNA Correlates of Childhood Maltreatment and Suicidality

University of Alabama at Birmingham

NCT04923685

RECRUITING Phase 3 450 participants

A Randomized Study of Azetukalner Versus Placebo in Major Depressive Disorder

Xenon Pharmaceuticals

NCT06775379

RECRUITING Phase 3 450 participants

A Randomized Study of Azetukalner Versus Placebo in Major Depressive Disorder (X-NOVA3)

Xenon Pharmaceuticals

NCT07076407

RECRUITING Phase 4 350 participants

A Study to Evaluate the Efficacy of AXS-05 Compared to Bupropion in Preventing the Relapse of Depressive Symptoms

Axsome Therapeutics

NCT06223880

RECRUITING Phase 3 348 participants

Biomarker-guided rTMS for Treatment Resistant Depression

Weill Medical College of Cornell University

NCT04041479

RECRUITING Phase 3 332 participants

Study to Assess the Effects of Oral NMRA-335140 Versus Placebo in Participants With Major Depressive Disorder

Neumora Therapeutics

NCT06058013

RECRUITING Phase 3 332 participants

Study to Assess the Effects of Oral NMRA-335140 in Participants With Major Depressive Disorder

Neumora Therapeutics

NCT06058039

RECRUITING Phase 2 321 participants

Study of ALTO-300 in MDD

Alto Neuroscience

NCT05922878

RECRUITING NA 300 participants

Taking Action for College Students

Temple University

NCT06700902

RECRUITING Phase 2 252 participants

Regulation of Affect and Physiology in Depression

University of Southern California

NCT06345859

RECRUITING NA 250 participants

Sensory Synchronized Imaging and Neuromodulation

VA Office of Research and Development

NCT06548113

RECRUITING NA 240 participants

Neural-Derived Plasma Exosomal MicroRNAs As Promising Novel Biomarkers for Suicidality and Treatment Outcome in Adolescents

University of Alabama at Birmingham

NCT05437588

RECRUITING Phase 2 230 participants

Study of ABX-002 for the Adjunctive Treatment of Major Depressive Disorder (AMPLIFY)

Autobahn Therapeutics

NCT06633016

RECRUITING 228 participants

Beyond Monoamines: The Role of the Nociceptin/Orphanin FQ Receptor in Major Depression

Mclean Hospital

NCT05630963

RECRUITING 220 participants

Clinical Validation of Samsung Smartwatch

Massachusetts General Hospital

NCT05767593

RECRUITING Phase 3 220 participants

"A Study of a Deuterated Psilocin Analog (CYB003) in Humans With Major Depressive Disorder"

Cybin IRL Limited

NCT06564818

RECRUITING Phase 2 201 participants

Combination of Novel Therapies for CKD Comorbid Depression

Stony Brook University

NCT04422652

RECRUITING NA 200 participants

Amygdala Neurofeedback for Depression - Large Scale Clinical Trial

Kymberly Young

NCT05703256

RECRUITING Phase 3 200 participants

Study to Assess the Efficacy and Safety of NBI-1065845 as an Adjunctive Treatment in Participants With Major Depressive Disorder (MDD)

Neurocrine Biosciences

NCT06786624

RECRUITING NA 200 participants

RESISTance Exercise for Depression Trial

University of Wisconsin, Madison

NCT06110897

RECRUITING Phase 3 200 participants

NBI-1065845-MDD3025: Study to Assess the Efficacy and Safety of NBI-1065845 as an Adjunctive Treatment in Participants With Major Depressive Disorder (MDD)

Neurocrine Biosciences

NCT06911112

RECRUITING Phase 3 200 participants

NBI-1065845-MDD3026: Study to Assess the Efficacy and Safety of NBI-1065845 as an Adjunctive Treatment in Participants With Major Depressive Disorder (MDD)

Neurocrine Biosciences

NCT06963021

RECRUITING NA 200 participants

IPT for Major Depression Following Perinatal Loss: Healing After Loss (HeAL)

Michigan State University

NCT04629599

RECRUITING 200 participants

Identifying Cerebral Hemodynamic Patterns in Mood Disorders and Mild Cognitive Impairment: A Functional Near-Infrared Spectroscopy (fNIRS) Study

Mayo Clinic

NCT06897670

RECRUITING Phase 2 195 participants

A Study to Assess Change in Disease Activity and Adverse Events of Oral Icalcaprant in Adult Participants With Major Depressive Disorder

AbbVie

NCT07276997

RECRUITING NA 183 participants

Mechanisms of Rumination Change in Adolescent Depression

Ohio State University

NCT03859297

RECRUITING Phase 1 180 participants

Neural Response to Inflammatory Challenge in Major Depressive Disorder

Laureate Institute for Brain Research

NCT04751331

RECRUITING Phase 2 180 participants

Search for Novel Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation (TMS) Targets for Mental Illness

Brigham and Women's Hospital

NCT06376734

RECRUITING Phase 2 172 participants

Antidepressant Effects of Nitrous Oxide

University of Chicago

NCT05357040

RECRUITING Phase 2 164 participants

A Phase 2 Study of Zelquistinel or Placebo for the Reduction of Symptoms of Major Depressive Disorder

Syndeio Biosciences

NCT07115329

RECRUITING Phase 2 164 participants

Zelquistinel or Placebo for the Reduction of Symptoms of Major Depressive Disorder

Syndeio Biosciences

NCT06547489

RECRUITING Phase 1 150 participants

Neuropharmacologic Imaging and Biomarker Assessments of Response to Acute and Repeated-Dosed Ketamine Infusions in Major Depressive Disorder

National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH)

NCT03065335

RECRUITING 150 participants

Reward Processing and Depressive Subtypes: Identifying Neural Biotypes

San Francisco Veterans Affairs Medical Center

NCT06080646

RECRUITING NA 148 participants

Stress Dynamics and Familial Risk for Depression in Female Adolescents

Mclean Hospital

NCT06816329

RECRUITING NA 146 participants

Exercise Training for Managing Major Depressive Disorder in Multiple Sclerosis

University of Illinois at Chicago

NCT05051618

RECRUITING NA 145 participants

Optimizing Brain Excitability in Depression

Stanford University

NCT07242105

RECRUITING NA 144 participants

Evaluating tDCS Brain-stimulation in Depression Using MRI

University of California, Los Angeles

NCT05598034

RECRUITING Early Phase 1 140 participants

Glutamatergic Adaptation to Stress as a Mechanism for Anhedonia and Treatment Response With Ketamine

Emory University

NCT05327699

RECRUITING NA 135 participants

Positive Processes and Transition to Health (PATH)

Case Western Reserve University

NCT06093906

RECRUITING NA 130 participants

Imaging SV2A in Mood Disorders

Yale University

NCT02734602

RECRUITING NA 128 participants

Brain Changes During Social Reward Psychotherapy for Mid- and Late-Life Suicidality

Weill Medical College of Cornell University

NCT05925322

RECRUITING Phase 2 120 participants

Neuroactive Steroid to Treat Depressed Mood: A Trial for People With HIV

Massachusetts General Hospital

NCT05570812

RECRUITING Phase 2 120 participants

Imaging Depression in Parkinson's Disease

Yale University

NCT06402955

RECRUITING Phase 4 120 participants

Neural Circuit Effects of Ketamine in Depression

Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai

NCT06213324

RECRUITING NA 120 participants

Transcranial Near Infrared Radiation and Cerebral Blood Flow in Depression - R33

NYU Langone Health

NCT05573074

RECRUITING Phase 2 106 participants

5-HTP and Creatine for Depression R33 Phase

University of Utah

NCT05895747

RECRUITING Phase 2 100 participants

Psilocybin rTMS for Treatment Resistant Depression

University of Texas at Austin

NCT06132178

RECRUITING NA 100 participants

Exercise-priming of CBT for Depression: the CBT+ Trial

University of Wisconsin, Madison

NCT07221929

RECRUITING Phase 2 100 participants

JAK Signaling in Depression

Emory University

NCT07003997

RECRUITING Phase 4 100 participants

Long-Term Maintenance With Ketamine and Esketamine for Reduction of Suicide in High-Risk Patients With Depression

Massachusetts General Hospital

NCT05450432

RECRUITING NA 90 participants

Near Infrared Spectroscopy (NIRS) for Assessment of Depression

University of California, San Francis

NCT04061148

RECRUITING NA 84 participants

Targeting Network Dysfunction in Apathy of Late-life Depression Using Digital Therapeutics

AdventHealth

NCT05877885

RECRUITING NA 80 participants

Neural Correlates of Stress and Perceived Control in Adolescent Depression

Mclean Hospital

NCT04788524

RECRUITING NA 80 participants

Mindful Self-compassion for Anxiety and Depression: Impact of Delivery Method

Georgetown University

NCT07028216

RECRUITING NA 80 participants

Targeting Specific Brain Networks to Treat Specific Symptoms in Depression

Massachusetts General Hospital

NCT05523817

RECRUITING NA 80 participants

Network Neurofeedback Using 7-Tesla MRI to Reduce Rumination Levels in Depression

Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai

NCT05933148

RECRUITING NA 80 participants

Sequential Bilateral Accelerated Theta Burst Stimulation in Adolescents With Suicidal Ideation

Mayo Clinic

NCT04502758

RECRUITING NA 75 participants

Maintenance rTMS for Depression (Maitr-De)

University of California, San Diego

NCT06938841

RECRUITING Phase 4 75 participants

Ovarian Hormone Withdrawal, Anhedonia, and Reward Sensitivity in Women With Premenstrual Exacerbations of Depression

University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill

NCT06610305

RECRUITING NA 72 participants

Causal Role of Delta-beta Coupling for Goal-directed Behavior in Anhedonic Depression

Florida State University

NCT06132581

RECRUITING NA 70 participants

Targeting Large-scale Networks in Depression With Real-time Functional Magnetic Resonance Imaging (fMRI) Neurofeedback

University of Michigan

NCT06050070

RECRUITING Phase 1 70 participants

Mechanism of Action Underlying Ketamine's Antidepressant Effects: The AMPA Throughput Theory in Patients With Treatment-Resistant Major Depression

National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH)

NCT03973268

RECRUITING Phase 2 70 participants

Ketamine-Assisted Psychotherapy (KAP) Compared to Ketamine Alone for the Treatment of Depression

Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai

NCT06559826

RECRUITING Phase 2 70 participants

Mindfulness Engaged Neurostimulation for Depression

University of California, San Diego

NCT06399406

RECRUITING Phase 2 60 participants

Psilocybin With Pimavanserin Compared to Psilocybin Alone for the Treatment of Major Depressive Disorder

Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai

NCT06592833

RECRUITING Phase 4 60 participants

Aβ Dynamics in LLMD

NYU Langone Health

NCT05004987

RECRUITING Phase 2 56 participants

Two Doses of Psilocybin for the Treatment of MDD in Adults With Cancer

Sunstone Medical

NCT05947383

RECRUITING NA 54 participants

Pain and Major Depressive Disorder

University of California, Los Angeles

NCT04556890

RECRUITING NA 54 participants

Closed-loop Optimized rTMS for Depression

Stanford University

NCT04142320

RECRUITING NA 52 participants

Getting Out of the House: Using Behavioral Activation to Increase Community Participation

Temple University

NCT06336616

RECRUITING Phase 4 50 participants

A Study to Evaluate the Effectiveness of Valbenazine in Adult Participants With Tardive Dyskinesia (TD) Who Remain Symptomatic While Receiving or After Stopping a Vesicular Monoamine Transporter 2 (VMAT2) Inhibitor

Neurocrine Biosciences

NCT07105111

RECRUITING Phase 4 50 participants

Establishing Multimodal Brain Biomarkers for Treatment Selection in Depression

University of Texas at Austin

NCT05892744

RECRUITING NA 50 participants

Accelerated TMS for MDD

Neuronetics

NCT07147218

RECRUITING NA 49 participants

Investigating the Neural Mechanisms of Repetitive Brain Stimulation With Invasive and Noninvasive Electrophysiology in Humans

Stanford University

NCT05996900

RECRUITING Early Phase 1 48 participants

Mood Effects of Serotonin Agonists: Depression

University of Chicago

NCT07017478

RECRUITING NA 45 participants

Using Electrophysiology to Index Non-invasive Brain Stimulation Effects on Reward System Functioning in Depression

San Francisco Veterans Affairs Medical Center

NCT05194098

RECRUITING NA 40 participants

Accelerated Intermittent Theta Burst in Treatment-Naive Adolescents

University of Texas at Austin

NCT06523439

RECRUITING NA 40 participants

Using TMS to Understand Neural Processes of Social Motivation

Auburn University

NCT06274112

RECRUITING NA 40 participants

Feasibility of Home-Based Intermittent 60Hz Light Therapy for Major Depressive Disorder (MDD)

NYU Langone Health

NCT07111390

RECRUITING NA 40 participants

Mindful Self-Compassion for Anxiety Disorders and Depression

Georgetown University

NCT05671419

RECRUITING NA 40 participants

Decoding and Modulating Affective Brain States

University of Pennsylvania

NCT05437705

RECRUITING Phase 1 36 participants

A Study to Explore the Effect of SP-624 on Brain Network Analytics in Healthy Adults and Adults With Major Depression

Sirtsei Pharmaceuticals

NCT06570369

RECRUITING Phase 2 30 participants

The Impact of AMPA Receptor Blockade on Ketamine's Anti-Suicidal Effects

Yale University

NCT05786066

RECRUITING Phase 2 30 participants

Low Amplitude Pulse Seizure Therapy Versus Standard Ultra-Brief Right Unilateral Electroconvulsive Therapy

Michigan State University

NCT06529029

RECRUITING NA 30 participants

In-patient SCC TMS

University of California, Los Angeles

NCT05645575

RECRUITING NA 24 participants

Accelerated TMS for Perinatal Depression

Brigham and Women's Hospital

NCT06968390

RECRUITING Phase 1 24 participants

ANTIVIRAL TREATMENT OF CYTOMEGALOVIRUS IN DEPRESSION

Laureate Institute for Brain Research

NCT04724447

RECRUITING Early Phase 1 20 participants

Xenon Inhalation Therapy for Major Depressive Disorder and Bipolar Disorder

Massachusetts General Hospital

NCT03748446

RECRUITING Phase 3 20 participants

The Effects of Psilocybin on Self-Focus and Self-Related Processing in Major Depressive Disorder

Sharmin Ghaznavi

NCT06247839

RECRUITING NA 18 participants

Linking Affective Dynamics in Response to Daily Stress to Peripheral Vascular Function in Working Age Adults

University of Delaware

NCT06860724

Phase Distribution

PhaseTrial count
Phase 1 24
Phase 2 57
Phase 3 45
Phase 4 29

Source: ClinicalTrials.gov, National Library of Medicine. Data is informational only.

Reading the Major Depressive Disorder Trial Landscape

ClinicalTrials.gov lists 283 US studies indexed under Major Depressive Disorder, and 109 of those are currently open to recruitment — roughly 39% of the total volume on the registry. That ratio is a useful proxy for activity level: a high share of recruiting studies often signals that research interest is current and that new enrollment opportunities are appearing, while a low share typically means the field is dominated by completed or follow-up work where most participant spots have already been filled. These counts reflect the public registry only and include studies at every stage of design, so they should be read as an index of research attention rather than as a measure of treatment availability.

The phase distribution for Major Depressive Disorder shows 74 late-stage studies (Phase 3 and Phase 4 combined) alongside 81 earlier-phase entries (Phase 1 through Phase 2). Phase 1 and Phase 2 studies focus on early safety signals, dosing, and preliminary effect, while Phase 3 studies are typically the larger efficacy and safety trials submitted toward regulatory review, and Phase 4 studies follow approved interventions in real-world use. A condition weighted toward later phases often reflects a mature research pipeline with several interventions already close to or past approval, whereas a heavier early-phase tilt suggests the field is still exploring new mechanisms and candidate approaches.

Top sponsor activity for Major Depressive Disorder is led by Massachusetts General Hospital with 19 indexed trials, alongside 9 other organizations in the top contributor list. The list on this page surfaces up to 100 of the most relevant recent and active entries, ordered with recruiting studies first so practical options are visible. All figures are derived from the public ClinicalTrials.gov dataset maintained by the National Library of Medicine and are reproduced here for reference. Inclusion of a trial, sponsor, or intervention on this page is neither an endorsement nor a recommendation — eligibility, protocol changes, and site-level status can shift frequently, so always verify current details on ClinicalTrials.gov and consult a qualified healthcare provider before acting on anything you see here.

Frequently Asked Questions

How many clinical trials are there for Major Depressive Disorder?

PlainTrial tracks 283 US clinical trials for Major Depressive Disorder, of which 109 are currently recruiting participants. Data sourced from ClinicalTrials.gov.

How do I find a recruiting trial for Major Depressive Disorder?

Use the trial list above filtered by "Recruiting" status, or visit our trial finder at /recruiting to search by condition and state. Always discuss trial participation with your healthcare provider before enrolling.

Is this data current?

Data is sourced from ClinicalTrials.gov and reflects our most recent data pull. Trial status may have changed since then. Always verify current information at ClinicalTrials.gov before making decisions about participation.

Related

Disclaimer: This information is provided for informational purposes only and does not constitute professional advice. Data is sourced from ClinicalTrials.gov (National Library of Medicine). Consult a qualified professional before making decisions based on this data.

Source: ClinicalTrials.gov (NIH/NLM) ClinicalTrials.gov AACT registry · 2026 Trial counts and statuses sourced from ClinicalTrials.gov. Sponsor counts include both industry and federal/academic sponsors.

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