FDA Approves Spravato Nasal Spray as Standalone Depression Treatment

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration has approved Johnson & Johnson's Spravato (esketamine) nasal spray as the first standalone treatment for adults with major depressive disorder (MDD) who have not responded to at least two oral antidepressants. This significant advancement allows patients to experience potential symptom relief within 24 hours, contrasting with traditional antidepressants that may take weeks to show effects. Approximately one-third of the 21 million adults in the U.S. living with MDD struggle with treatment-resistant depression, which greatly impacts their quality of life. The approval marks a paradigm shift in how treatment-resistant depression is approached, giving patients and doctors more options for personalized care. In its first nine months of 2024, Spravato generated $780 million in sales and has been administered to over 140,000 patients worldwide. Experts emphasize that this approval offers patients the freedom to choose their treatment approach, particularly beneficial for those experiencing side effects from conventional antidepressants.