Depression is a complex biological illness.

We need treatments to match.

The latest worldwide survey of global health underscores the devastating impact of depression. Depression was ranked as the 3rd highest cause of disability across all illnesses, resulting in approximately 43 million years lost to disability (YLD). In only a single year, 264 million people suffer from depression, and 800,000 lives are lost to suicide. Narrowing in on the United States, almost 7% of adults experience an episode of depression each year, costing an estimated $210.5 billion due to the combination of treatment costs and productivity loss. Consistent with this enormous disease burden, the NIH has spent over $22 billion on depression research over the last 20 years – more than for any other mental illness, including addiction, schizophrenia, or autism. But despite this massive investment, only 1 in 3 patients substantially responds to currently available medication or psychotherapy treatments.