Spravato, a nasal spray produced by Belgium's Janssens pharmaceutical company, has been approved in the United States for use as a standalone treatment for depression.
The spray, which contains esketamine, a compound related to the anaesthetic and drug ketamine, was first released in 2019. Since then, it was only available in conjunction with an oral antidepressant.
The U.S. FDA has now approved it for single use in adults with severe and treatment-resistant depression.
This makes it the first standalone therapy for stubborn depression, according to U.S. media reports.
Spravato is on track to become a blockbuster drug, with a projected turnover of $780 million in the first nine months of 2024.
Patients can still use Spravato alongside pills but now have the option to use it alone, especially if they experience side effects from the pills.
“The number of patients benefiting from the nasal spray could increase,” says Bill Martin, head of neuroscience at Johnson & Johnson.
