COMPOSITIONS COMPRISING 5-METHOXY-N,N-DIMETHYLTRYPTAMINE (5-MEO-DMT) FOR USE IN TREATING MENTAL DISORDERS

1 . 5-Methoxy-N,N-dimethyltryptamine (5-MeO-DMT) or a pharmaceutically acceptable salt thereof for use in treating a patient who is diagnosed with major depressive disorder by a licensed professional in accordance with accepted medical practice, wherein the 5-MeO-DMT is administered via the intravenous, intramuscular or subcutaneous route.

2 . 5-MeO-DMT or a pharmaceutically acceptable salt thereof for use as in claim 1 , wherein the disorder is diagnosed in accordance with the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders-Fifth Edition (DSM-5) published by the American Psychiatric Association.

3 . 5-MeO-DMT or a pharmaceutically acceptable salt thereof for use as in claim 1 , wherein the patient suffers from moderate or severe major depressive disorder as indicated by a Montgomery-Asberg Depression Rating Scale (MADRS) score of 20 or more or by a 17-item Hamilton Depression Rating Scale (HAM-D) score of 17 or more.

4 . 5-MeO-DMT or a pharmaceutically acceptable salt thereof for use as in claim 3 , wherein the patient suffers from severe major depressive disorder as indicated by a MADRS score of 35 or more or by a HAM-D score of 25 or more.

5 . 5-MeO-DMT or a pharmaceutically acceptable salt thereof for use as in claim 1 , wherein the patient is diagnosed with a treatment-resistant form of major depressive disorder.

6 . 5-MeO-DMT or a pharmaceutically acceptable salt thereof for use as in claim 1 , wherein the patient suffers in addition from suicidal ideation.

7 . 5-MeO-DMT or a pharmaceutically acceptable salt thereof for use as in claim 6 , wherein the patient suffers from suicidal ideation with intent to act.

8 . 5-MeO-DMT or a pharmaceutically acceptable salt thereof for use as in claim 1 , wherein the patient is at imminent risk for suicide.

9 . 5-MeO-DMT or a pharmaceutically acceptable salt thereof for use as in claim 1 , wherein the 5-MeO-DMT or salt thereof is administered at a dose or in a dosage regimen that causes the patient to experience a peak psychedelic experience.

10 . 5-MeO-DMT or a pharmaceutically acceptable salt thereof for use as in claim 1 , wherein a dosage of about 1 mg to about 10 mg 5-MeO-DMT is administered, or wherein equimolar amounts of the pharmaceutically acceptable salt are administered instead of 5-MeO-DMT.

11 . 5-MeO-DMT or a pharmaceutically acceptable salt thereof for use as in claim 1 , wherein a dosage of about 2 mg; or of about 5 mg; or of about 8 mg is administered, or wherein equimolar amounts of the pharmaceutically acceptable salt are administered instead of 5-MeO-DMT.

12 . 5-MeO-DMT or a pharmaceutically acceptable salt thereof for use as in claim 1 , wherein the 5-MeO-DMT or salt thereof is administered in a first dosage amount for a first administration; and the 5-MeO-DMT or salt thereof is administered in zero to six subsequent administrations, wherein each subsequent administration uses a dosage amount higher than the previous administration unless the patient experiences a peak psychedelic experience.

13 . 5-MeO-DMT or a pharmaceutically acceptable salt thereof for use as in claim 1 , wherein the 5-MeO-DMT is administered in a dosage from about 1 mg to about 3 mg for a first administration, and then increased, unless the patient has already experienced a peak psychedelic experience, to a dosage from about 4 mg to about 6 mg for a second administration, and then increased, unless the patient has already experienced a peak psychedelic experience, to a dosage from about 7 mg to about 9 mg for a third administration, or wherein equimolar amounts of the pharmaceutically acceptable salt are administered instead of 5-MeO-DMT.

14 . 5-MeO-DMT or a pharmaceutically acceptable salt thereof for use as in claim 13 , wherein the first dosage of 5-MeO-DMT is about 2 mg, the second dosage of 5-MeO-DMT is about 5 mg, and the third dosage of 5-MeO-DMT is about 8 mg; or wherein equimolar amounts of the pharmaceutically acceptable salt are administered instead of 5-MeO-DMT.

15 . 5-MeO-DMT or a pharmaceutically acceptable salt thereof for use as in claim 12 , wherein the interval between two administrations is not less than 1 hour and not more than 24 hours, such as about 2 to 4 hours.

16 . 5-MeO-DMT or a pharmaceutically acceptable salt thereof for use as in claim 9 , wherein the occurrence of a peak psychedelic experience is identified through achievement of at least 60% of the maximum possible score in each of the four subscales (mystical, positive mood, transcendence of time and space, and ineffability) of the 30-item revised Mystical Experience Questionnaire (MEQ30) or is identified through achievement of at least 60% of the maximum possible score of the Oceanic Boundlessness (OBN) dimension of the Altered States of Consciousness (ASC) questionnaire or is identified through achievement of a Peak Psychedelic Experience Questionnaire (PPEQ) Total Score of at least 75.

17 . 5-MeO-DMT or a pharmaceutically acceptable salt thereof for use as in claim 16 , wherein the occurrence of a peak psychedelic experience is identified through achievement of a Peak Psychedelic Experience Questionnaire (PPEQ) Total Score of at least 75.

18 . 5-MeO-DMT or a pharmaceutically acceptable salt thereof for use as in claim 1 , wherein the 5-MeO-DMT or a pharmaceutically acceptable salt thereof is administered via intramuscular injection.

19 . 5-MeO-DMT or a pharmaceutically acceptable salt thereof for use as in claim 1 , wherein a clinical response, as assessed by at least a score of “much improved” in the Clinical Global Impression-Improvement (CGI-I) score or the Patient Global Impression-Improvement (PGI-I) score, occurs not later than about 2 hours after the last administration of 5-MeO-DMT or a pharmaceutically acceptable salt thereof.

20 . 5-MeO-DMT or a pharmaceutically acceptable salt thereof for use as in claim 1 , wherein the clinical response, as assessed by at least a score of “much improved” in the CGI-I score or the PGI-I score, persists until at least 6 days after the last administration of 5-MeO-DMT or a pharmaceutically acceptable salt thereof.

21 . 5-MeO-DMT or a pharmaceutically acceptable salt thereof for use as in claim 1 , wherein the clinical response, as assessed by at least a score of “much improved” in the CGI-I score or the PGI-I score, persists until at least 14 days after the last administration of 5-MeO-DMT or a pharmaceutically acceptable salt thereof.

22 . 5-MeO-DMT or a pharmaceutically acceptable salt thereof for use as in claim 1 , wherein the clinical response, as assessed by at least a score of “much improved” in the CGI-I score or the PGI-I score, persists until at least 28 days after the last administration of 5-MeO-DMT or a pharmaceutically acceptable salt thereof.

23 . 5-MeO-DMT or a pharmaceutically acceptable salt thereof for use as in claim 1 , wherein a clinical response, as assessed by at least 50% improvement of the MADRS or HAM-D score, compared to the respective score prior to treatment, occurs not later than about 2 hours after the last administration of 5-MeO-DMT or a pharmaceutically acceptable salt thereof.

24 . 5-MeO-DMT or a pharmaceutically acceptable salt thereof for use as in claim 1 , wherein a remission of depressive symptoms, as assessed by a MADRS score equal to or less than 10, or a HAM-D score equal to or less than 7, occurs not later than about 2 hours after the last administration of 5-MeO-DMT or a pharmaceutically acceptable salt thereof.

25 . 5-MeO-DMT or a pharmaceutically acceptable salt thereof for use as in claim 1 , wherein the clinical response, as assessed by at least 50% improvement of the MADRS or HAM-D score, compared to the respective score prior to treatment, persists until at least 6 days after the last administration of 5-MeO-DMT or a pharmaceutically acceptable salt thereof.

26 . 5-MeO-DMT or a pharmaceutically acceptable salt thereof for use as in claim 1 , wherein there is a clinical response, as assessed by at least 75% improvement of the MADRS or HAM-D score, compared to the respective score prior to treatment, on day 7 after the last administration of 5-MeO-DMT or a pharmaceutically acceptable salt thereof.

27 . 5-MeO-DMT or a pharmaceutically acceptable salt thereof for use as in claim 1 , wherein the patient is in remission of depressive symptoms, as assessed by a MADRS score equal to or less than 10, or a HAM-D score equal to or less than 7, on day 7 after the last administration of 5-MeO-DMT or a pharmaceutically acceptable salt thereof.

28 . 5-MeO-DMT or a pharmaceutically acceptable salt thereof for use as in claim 1 , wherein the clinical response, as assessed by at least 50% improvement of the MADRS or HAM-D score, compared to the respective score prior to treatment, persists until at least 14 days after the last administration of 5-MeO-DMT or a pharmaceutically acceptable salt thereof.

29 . 5-MeO-DMT or a pharmaceutically acceptable salt thereof for use as in claim 1 , wherein there is a clinical response, as assessed by at least 75% improvement of the MADRS or HAM-D score, compared to the respective score prior to treatment, on day 14 after the last administration of 5-MeO-DMT or a pharmaceutically acceptable salt thereof.

30 . 5-MeO-DMT or a pharmaceutically acceptable salt thereof for use as in claim 1 , wherein the patient is in remission of depressive symptoms, as assessed by a MADRS score equal to or less than 10, or a HAM-D score equal to or less than 7, on day 14 after the last administration of 5-MeO-DMT or a pharmaceutically acceptable salt thereof.

31 . 5-MeO-DMT or a pharmaceutically acceptable salt thereof for use as in claim 1 , wherein the clinical response, as assessed by at least 50% improvement of the MADRS or HAM-D score, compared to the respective score prior to treatment, persists until at least 28 days after the last administration of 5-MeO-DMT or a pharmaceutically acceptable salt thereof.

32 . 5-MeO-DMT or a pharmaceutically acceptable salt thereof for use as in claim 1 , wherein there is a clinical response, as assessed by at least 75% improvement of the MADRS or HAM-D score, compared to the respective score prior to treatment, on day 28 after the last administration of 5-MeO-DMT or a pharmaceutically acceptable salt thereof.

33 . 5-MeO-DMT or a pharmaceutically acceptable salt thereof for use as in claim 1 , wherein the patient is in remission of depressive symptoms, as assessed by a MADRS score equal to or less than 10, or a HAM-D score equal to or less than 7, on day 28 after the last administration of 5-MeO-DMT or a pharmaceutically acceptable salt thereof.