FDA approves Johnson & Johnson nasal spray Spravato for depression

The Food and Drug Administration on Tuesday approved Johnson & Johnson‘s nasal spray to be used alone in adults with a major depressive disorder that is difficult to treat, as sales of the drug grow. 

The spray, called Spravato, is now the first-ever standalone therapy for treatment-resistant depression, which is when trying at least two standard treatments does little to nothing to improve depression symptoms in a patient. 

Previously, Spravato was cleared in the U.S. to use together with an oral antidepressant for both treatment-resistant depression and for people with major depressive disorder who are experiencing thoughts of suicide or harm. The drug first entered the U.S. market in 2019. 

“We want to recognize that this is a medicine that treats a disease that [when] left untreated, depression is potentially fatal,” Bill…