Relmada Therapeutics, Inc. announced top-line results of the human abuse potential (HAP) study with REL-1017, a novel NMDA receptor (NMDAR) channel blocker and the company's lead candidate in Phase 3 development for the treatment major depressive disorder (MDD). Top-line results showed that all three doses of REL-1017 (25 mg, 75 mg, and 150 mg, the therapeutic, supratherapeutic and maximum tolerated doses, respectively) tested in recreational drug users, demonstrated a substantial (30 points) and statistically significant difference vs. the active control drug, intravenous ketamine 0.5 mg/kg over 40 minutes, and were statistically equivalent to placebo.

The study's primary endpoint was a measure of “likability” with the subjects rating the maximum effect (or Emax) for Drug Liking “at this moment”, using a 1-100 bipolar rating scale (known as a visual analog scale or VAS), with 100 as the higher likability, 50 as neutral (placebo-like), and 0 the higher dislike. Consistent results are seen for the secondary endpoints. Results of the primary endpoint are summarized in the table below.