FDA-Approved Nasal Spray For Depression Is First Of Its Kind
The FDA has approved a ketamine-based nasal spray for treatment-resistant depression in the US. The Johnson & Johnson drug, Spravato, can now be prescribed to adult patients with depression who have tried at least two antidepressants without adequate improvement in symptoms, as well as those with major depressive disorder who have acute thoughts of self-harm or suicide. While it's not clear yet why the drug works as an antidepressant, studies show that it can alleviate symptoms of depression as soon as 24 hours after the first spray, with 22.5% of patients achieving remission after four weeks of treatment. Spravato is the first new medication for major depression approved by the FDA in decades.