New MindMed Retrospective Study Presented at Psych Congress 2025 Reveals High Rates of Suicidal Ideation (SI) in Adults with Generalized Anxiety Disorder (GAD)

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Nearly 50% of individuals with severe GAD reported experiencing SI almost daily

Findings highlight the link between anxiety severity and SI, underscoring the need for routine screening

NEW YORK--(BUSINESS WIRE)-- Researchers from Mind Medicine (MindMed) Inc. (NASDAQ: MNMD), (the "Company" or "MindMed"), a late-stage clinical biopharmaceutical company developing novel product candidates to treat brain health disorders, today presented results from a cross-sectional retrospective study of more than 75,000 respondents from the 2022 National Health and Wellness Survey at the Psych Congress 2025.

The analysis found that nearly half (48%) of respondents with severe GAD symptoms reported experiencing SI almost every day. The study also revealed that 65% of those reporting GAD symptoms also reported major depressive disorder (MDD) symptoms. Among those with GAD, 78% with moderate symptoms and 91% of those with severe symptoms reported SI within the past two weeks. Rates remained high among those reporting both GAD and MDD symptoms, in whom 75% with moderate and 85% with severe GAD reported SI.

Suicide is one of the leading causes of death among U.S. adults, especially those aged 44 years or younger.1 SI involves thinking about or planning to commit suicide. SI is a growing public health issue, particularly among individuals with mental health conditions.2,3

“While SI has been extensively studied in people with MDD, far less is known about its impact on those with GAD with or without comorbid MDD,” said Erin Ferries, Ph.D., lead author and Head of Healthcare Economics Outcomes Research (HEOR) at MindMed. “These findings highlight the urgent need to address the gaps in routine suicide risk screening, particularly among people living with GAD and MDD, as SI appears to be more prevalent in these individuals than previously understood. During Suicide Prevention Month, we are reminded that stronger identification and timely, targeted interventions are essential to reaching those most at risk—and may help save lives.”

The analysis also showed that nearly one in three U.S. adults (28.4%) reported experiencing SI. Rates were highest among men (33%), young adults aged 18 to 34 years (47.5%), Hispanic individuals (47.6%), and students (42.9%). Additionally, nearly a quarter (23%) of the total sample reported moderate or severe GAD symptoms.

About the Study

The NHWS is an annual, nationally representative, online-based survey in which all data are self-reported. Recruitment is designed to represent the general US adult (age >18) population in terms of age, race/ethnicity, and gender distributions. Data were reported by NHWS respondents on 1) demographics, 2) GAD and MDD experience and diagnosis, 3) GAD treatment use, 4) 7-item GAD Questionnaire (GAD-7), and 5) 9-item Patient Health Questionnaire (PHQ-9).

The results were weighted to project to the U.S. general adult population. Overall, 75,261 U.S. adults who completed the 2022 NHWS were included in the study analyses, which projected to approximately 253.15 million adults. The GAD-only cohort included 10,450 adults, which projected to 31.87 million, with the GAD and MDD cohort including 18,060 adults, which projected to 60.04 million.

This analysis was funded by MindMed.

Details of Additional MindMed Poster Presentations at Psych Congress 2025

Title: MM120 (LSD) Phase 1 and Phase 2: A Detailed Safety Analysis
Presenter: Sarah Karas, Psy.D., Director of Clinical Development, MindMed

Title: Number Needed to Treat (NNT) and Number Needed to Harm (NNH) Analysis of MM120 in Generalized Anxiety Disorder: A Phase 2b Trial Evaluation
Presenter: Derek Louie, Pharm.D., M.S., Associate Director of Healthcare Economics Outcomes Research (HEOR), MindMed

Title: Multimorbidity Burden among Adults with Generalized Anxiety Disorder
Presenter: Erin Ferries, Ph.D., Head of Healthcare Economics Outcomes Research (HEOR), MindMed

Title: Generalized Anxiety Disorder Epidemiology: Findings from Claims Analysis and a Systematic Literature Review
Presenter: Derek Louie, Pharm.D., M.S., Associate Director of Healthcare Economics Outcomes Research (HEOR), MindMed
This poster has been chosen as a finalist and will be displayed at the Psych Congress Poster Reception and Award Ceremony on Saturday, September 20th.

Title: Reduced Depressive Symptoms After a Single Treatment With MM120 (LSD) in Patients With Generalized Anxiety Disorder and Comorbid Depressive Symptoms (ENCORE)
Presenter: Jessica Malberg, Ph.D., Executive Director, Medical Affairs, MindMed

About Generalized Anxiety Disorder (GAD)

GAD is one of the most common psychiatric disorders, affecting approximately 26 million U.S. adults.4 People with GAD experience constant, overwhelming worry that is hard to control. Common symptoms include fatigue, muscle tension, trouble concentrating, and difficulty sleeping.5 GAD often occurs alongside other health problems like chronic physical symptoms, depression, other anxiety disorders, and trauma-related conditions. Together, these issues can seriously impact a person’s daily life, including substantial functional, economic, and quality-of-life burdens and are associated with increased healthcare utilization and costs.6-8

While several GAD pharmacotherapies are approved, many patients do not experience sustained relief, and approximately 50% inadequately respond to first-line treatments.9 Despite the significant personal and societal burden of GAD, there has been little innovation in the treatment of GAD in the past several decades, with the last new drug approval occurring in 2007.10

About Major Depressive Disorder (MDD)

Major Depressive Disorder (MDD) is the second-most common mental health disorder in the U.S., with over 21 million adults experiencing a major depressive episode (MDE) each year.11,12 This disorder, a leading cause of disability worldwide,13 brings persistent feelings of worthlessness, fatigue, and recurrent thoughts of death14 while increasing long-term mortality risk by 40%.15 MDD also carries a $326 billion annual economic burden in the U.S., driven by healthcare costs and lost productivity.16 Yet, fewer than half of those affected receive adequate pharmacotherapy, and only about one-third achieve remission with first-line treatments.17,18

About MindMed

MindMed is a late-stage clinical biopharmaceutical company developing novel product candidates to treat brain health disorders. Our mission is to be the global leader in the development and delivery of treatments that unlock new opportunities to improve patient outcomes. We are developing a pipeline of innovative product candidates, with and without acute perceptual effects, targeting neurotransmitter pathways that play key roles in brain health. MindMed trades on NASDAQ under the symbol MNMD.

References:

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  2. Omary A. National prevalence rates of suicidal ideation and suicide attempts among adults with and without depression. J Nerv Ment Dis. 2021;209(5):378-385.
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  8. Newman, M. G., Llera, S. J., Erickson, T. M., Przeworski, A., & Castonguay, L. G. (2013). Worry and generalized anxiety disorder: A review and theoretical synthesis of evidence on nature, etiology, mechanisms, and treatment. Annual Review of Clinical Psychology, 9, 275–297. https://doi.org/10.1146/annurev-clinpsy-050212-185544
  9. Ansara, E. D. (2020). Management of treatment-resistant generalized anxiety disorder. Mental Health Clinician, 10(6), 326–334. https://doi.org/10.9740/mhc.2020.11.326
  10. U.S. Food and Drug Administration. (2007, August 9). FDA approves Cymbalta for treatment of generalized anxiety disorder [Press release]. https://investor.lilly.com/static-files/499f0aa3-281f-49f4-9655-049aae179593
  11. National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH). Major depression: prevalence of major depressive episode among adults. Updated 2024. Accessed September 11, 2025. https://www.nimh.nih.gov/health/statistics/prevalence/major-depression-among-adults.shtml
  12. Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration. Key substance use and mental health indicators in the United States: Results from the 2023 National Survey on Drug Use and Health. Published July 30, 2024. Accessed September 11, 2025. https://www.samhsa.gov/data/report/2023-nsduh-annual-national-report
  13. World Health Organization. Depressive disorder (depression). WHO; 2023. Accessed September 11, 2025. https://www.who.int/news-room/fact-sheets/detail/depression
  14. American Psychiatric Association. Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders. 5th ed. American Psychiatric Association; 2013.
  15. Krittanawong, C., et al. (2023). Association of depression and cardiovascular disease. The American Journal of Medicine, 136(9), 881–895. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.amjmed.2023.04.036
  16. Greenberg PE, Chitnis A, Louie D, et al. The economic burden of adults with major depressive disorder in the United States (2019). Adv Ther. 2023;40(10):4460-4479. https://doi.org/10.1007/s12325-023-02622-x
  17. Hasin DS, Sarvet AL, Meyers JL, et al. Epidemiology of adult DSM-5 major depressive disorder and its specifiers in the United States. JAMA Psychiatry. 2018;75(4):336–346. https://doi.org/10.1001/jamapsychiatry.2017.4602
  18. Rush AJ, Trivedi MH, Wisniewski SR, et al. Acute and longer-term outcomes in depressed outpatients requiring one or several treatment steps: a STAR*D report. Am J Psychiatry. 2006;163(11):1905–1917. https://doi.org/10.1176/ajp.2006.163.11.1905

 

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Source: Mind Medicine (MindMed) Inc.

Released September 19, 2025