A nasal spray, approved by the United States (US) Food and Drug Administration (FDA), is now officially the first and standalone therapy available for treatment-resistant depression in America.
A report by ScienceAlert on Saturday (January 24) said that the FDA had first approved Johnson & Johnson's spray Spravato (esketamine) for some cases of depression.
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However, at the time (in 2019), the spray was only allowed to be prescribed alongside an oral anti-depressant.
Spravato can be used on its own now
After a review of no less than 31 clinical trials from the last six years, the ScienceAlert report said Spravato can now be used on its own.
Johnson & Johnson reported that Spravato treated over 100,000 patients in 77 countries worldwide, including roughly 80,000 in the US alone. The active ingredient in Spravato is called esketamine, and it is conventionally used as an anaesthetic.
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Both esketamine and ketamine, its parent compound, show benefits for treating some forms of depression. Esketamine, however, is two to four times more potent than its parent, which means patients can take a lower dose.
Who is eligible to use the nasal spray?
Those eligible for Spravato include adults with depression who have tried at least two anti-depressants without adequate improvement in symptoms.
People with major depressive disorder who have acute thoughts of self-harm or suicide are also eligible to use the spray.
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Last year, Johnson & Johnson announced that its phase 4 trial of Spravato as a standalone therapy had shown no new safety concerns.
After using the nasal spray, people have often experienced sleepiness, dizziness, breathing problems, or feelings of disconnection. These experiences tend to peak at 40 minutes and then fade after about two hours.
People (using the spray) might also experience impaired judgment, thinking, reaction speed, and motor skills.
(With inputs from agencies)