Medical Information Only. Consult your healthcare provider before considering clinical trial enrollment.

ClinicalTrials.gov 109 recruiting now official registry

Major Depressive Disorder clinical trials

109 of 283 indexed Major Depressive Disorder trials are currently recruiting.

283 US clinical trials · 109 currently recruiting

Major Depressive Disorder is the subject of 283 registered US clinical trials on ClinicalTrials.gov, 109 of them currently open to new participants. 74 are in Phase 3-4 (later-stage) and 81 in Phase 1-2 (earlier-stage). The most active sponsor is Massachusetts General Hospital, running 19 of these trials.

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
Phase 124Phase 257Phase 345Phase 429

Active & Recent Trials

283 total, page 4 of 6

COMPLETED Phase 3 724 participants

Safety and Efficacy of Levomilnacipran ER (F2695 SR) in Major Depressive Disorder

Forest Laboratories

NCT00969709

COMPLETED Phase 3 680 participants

Efficacy and Safety of SR58611A in Patients With Major Depressive Disorder (SIRIUS)

Sanofi

NCT00385307

COMPLETED Phase 4 665 participants

Combining Medications to Enhance Depression Outcomes

National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH)

NCT00590863

COMPLETED Phase 4 580 participants

Fixed Dose Comparison of Escitalopram to an Active Comparator in Severely Depressed Patients

Forest Laboratories

NCT00384436

COMPLETED Phase 2 574 participants

TC-5214 as add-on the Treatment of Major Depressive Disorder

Targacept

NCT00692445

COMPLETED 554 participants

Deplin® P.L.U.S. Program (Progress Through Learning Understanding & Support)

Pamlab

NCT01369030

COMPLETED Phase 3 540 participants

Comparison of Escitalopram Combination in Adult Patients With Major Depressive Disorder

Forest Laboratories

NCT00109044

COMPLETED Phase 3 529 participants

Safety and Efficacy of Vilazodone in Adolescent Patients With Major Depressive Disorder

Forest Laboratories

NCT01878292

COMPLETED Phase 4 518 participants

Safety, Efficacy, and Tolerability of Vilazodone in Major Depressive Disorder

Forest Laboratories

NCT01473394

COMPLETED Phase 3 501 participants

Efficacy, Safety, and Tolerability of Levomilnacipran ER in Pediatric Patients (7-17 Years) With Major Depressive Disorder

Allergan

NCT03569475

COMPLETED NA 500 participants

Can Genetics Predict Treatment Response to a Computerized Self-help Program for Depression?

University of Texas at Austin

NCT01818453

COMPLETED Phase 2 488 participants

A 6 Week Study to Determine the Effectiveness of R228060 in Adult Subjects With Major Depressive Disorder

Johnson & Johnson Pharmaceutical Research & Development, L.L.C.

NCT00073203

COMPLETED Phase 3 485 participants

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

Intra-Cellular Therapies

NCT04985942

COMPLETED Phase 3 481 participants

Randomized, Double-Blind, Placebo Controlled Study of Vilazodone's Efficacy, Safety, and Biomarkers of Response in Major Depressive Disorder (MDD)

Forest Laboratories

NCT00683592

COMPLETED Phase 3 476 participants

Efficacy and Safety of SR58611A in Patients With Major Depressive Disorder

Sanofi

NCT00252330

COMPLETED Phase 2 469 participants

A Study for Participants With Major Depression

Eli Lilly and Company

NCT00420004

COMPLETED Phase 3 468 participants

Efficacy and Safety of SR58611A in Patients With Major Depressive Disorder

Sanofi

NCT00252356

COMPLETED Phase 2 458 participants

Ziprasidone Augmentation of SSRIs for Patients With Major Depressive Disorder (MDD) That do Not Sufficiently Respond to Treatment With SSRIs

Massachusetts General Hospital

NCT00633399

COMPLETED Phase 3 363 participants

A Study Of DVS SR In Treatment Of Children And Adolescent Outpatients With MDD

Pfizer

NCT01371734

COMPLETED Phase 3 349 participants

A Study of Aripiprazole in Patients With Major Depressive Disorder

Otsuka Pharmaceutical Development & Commercialization

NCT00105196

COMPLETED 338 participants

Feasibility and ML Training Investigation of the Senseye DT for Diagnosis of Adults with PTSD

Senseye

NCT05717439

COMPLETED 307 participants

NeuroStar TMS Therapy System: Utilization and Outcomes

Neuronetics

NCT01114477

COMPLETED NA 305 participants

Genecept Assay™ vs. Treatment-as-Usual to Evaluate Efficacy of Assay-Guided Treatment in Adults With MDD

Genomind

NCT02634177

COMPLETED Phase 2 301 participants

Phase 2b Study of ALTO-100 in MDD

Alto Neuroscience

NCT05712187

COMPLETED 300 participants

A Study of Pregnant and Postpartum Women With and Without Mood Disorders

Johns Hopkins University

NCT03615794

COMPLETED NA 294 participants

Comparing Group Therapies for Veterans With Depression and PTSD

VA Office of Research and Development

NCT03979040

COMPLETED Phase 2 245 participants

ALTO-100 in MDD and/or PTSD

Alto Neuroscience

NCT05117632

COMPLETED NA 237 participants

A Comparison of Cognitive and Dynamic Therapy for Depression in Community Settings

University of Pennsylvania

NCT01207271

COMPLETED Phase 3 232 participants

A Study to Assess the Efficacy and Safety of REL-1017 as Monotherapy for Major Depressive Disorder (MDD)

Relmada Therapeutics

NCT05081167

COMPLETED Phase 3 227 participants

A Study to Assess the Efficacy and Safety of REL-1017 as Adjunctive Treatment for Major Depressive Disorder (MDD)

Relmada Therapeutics

NCT04688164

COMPLETED Phase 3 212 participants

Study of Adolescence and Depression

Kaiser Permanente

NCT00523081

COMPLETED Phase 3 202 participants

Synchronized Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation (sTMS) in Major Depressive Disorder

Wave Neuroscience

NCT01370733

COMPLETED NA 180 participants

Examination of Glutamate and mGluR5 in Psychiatric Disorders

Yale University

NCT02727972

COMPLETED NA 174 participants

Empower: tDCS for Major Depressive Disorder at Home

Flow Neuroscience AB

NCT05202119

COMPLETED NA 174 participants

Comparing Mobile Health (mHealth) and Clinic-Based Self-Management Interventions for Serious Mental Illness

Dartmouth-Hitchcock Medical Center

NCT02421965

COMPLETED Phase 2 170 participants

Incorporating Patient Treatment Choice to Improve Treatment Retention in Depressed Hispanics

New York State Psychiatric Institute

NCT00742573

COMPLETED 163 participants

Brain Regulation of Emotions in People With Depression and Anhedonia

National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH)

NCT00059579

COMPLETED Phase 3 160 participants

African American Depression Intervention Trial (AADI)

University of Wisconsin, Madison

NCT01342536

COMPLETED Phase 2 152 participants

AZD6765 Severe Major Depressive Disorder (MDD) IV

AstraZeneca

NCT00781742

COMPLETED 150 participants

Depression and Dopamine Transporter Function Study Using C-11 Altropane

Mclean Hospital

NCT01701141

COMPLETED NA 148 participants

Effects of Early Abuse on Adult Intimate Relationships

University of Texas at Austin

NCT01803802

COMPLETED Phase 2 148 participants

ALTO-300 in Depression (ALTO-300-004)

Alto Neuroscience

NCT05157945

COMPLETED Phase 2 142 participants

A Study to Evaluate ALKS 5461 in Subjects With Major Depressive Disorder (MDD)

Alkermes

NCT01500200

COMPLETED Phase 2 136 participants

Study of the Efficacy and Safety of LY2940094 in Participants With Major Depressive Disorder (MDD)

BlackThorn Therapeutics

NCT01724112

COMPLETED Phase 4 133 participants

SMART Trial to Predict Anhedonia Response to Antidepressant Treatment

Mclean Hospital

NCT05537584

COMPLETED NA 123 participants

Contingency Management of Alcohol Abuse in the Severely Mentally ILL

University of Washington

NCT01567943

COMPLETED Phase 4 123 participants

Goal Achievement After a Change to Vortioxetine in Adults With Major Depressive Disorder

Takeda

NCT02972632

COMPLETED Phase 3 120 participants

Dose Escalation, Double-Blind Treatment With Duloxetine Hydrochloride Once Daily Dosing for Evaluation of Safety in Major Depression

Eli Lilly and Company

NCT00042575

COMPLETED Phase 2 120 participants

A 12-Week, Placebo Controlled Trial of Ziprasidone as Monotherapy for Major Depressive Disorder

Massachusetts General Hospital

NCT00555997

COMPLETED Phase 2 115 participants

A Study of Intermittent Doses of CERC-301 in MDD

Avalo Therapeutics

NCT02459236

← Previous Page 4 of 6 Next →

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

283 indexed Major Depressive Disorder studies · 109 recruiting (39%).

Phase mix: 74 late (III/IV) vs 81 early (I/II).

Top sponsor: Massachusetts General Hospital (19 trials), 9 others listed. 50 shown below, recruiting first.

How to read this condition's trial landscape

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.

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.

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.

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.

Verify with NIH →

Every figure on PlainTrial is rendered directly from the ClinicalTrials.gov registry, no number is typed in by an editor. This page aggregates every registered trial for this condition, live from the dataset. See our editorial standards & corrections policy, the methodology behind these numbers, or report a data error.