The US Food and Drug Administration has authorized a fast-acting nasal spray from Pfizer created to treat migraines, the US pharmaceutical giant said on Friday. Pfizer said it anticipated the cure, sold under the name Zavzpret, to be available in pharmacies in July 2023.
The FDA approval of Zavzpret marks a significant breakthrough for people with migraine who need freedom from pain and prefer alternative options to oral medications.”
Pfizer chief commercial officer Angela Hwang said in a statement.
A Phase 3 study of the drug uncovered that it provided pain relief to some migraine sufferers in as short as 15 minutes. As a nasal spray with rapid drug absorption, Zavzpret offers an alternative treatment option for people who need pain relief or cannot take oral medications due to nausea or vomiting, Pfizer quoted Kathleen Mullin, associate medical director at the New England Institute for Neurology and Headache, as saying.
The cure for a disease normally tackled with orally taken medicines was double-blind tested on a sample of 1,405 people, with half taking a single spray dose and the remainder acquiring a placebo.
The spray was found to relieve pain especially when considered two hours after the beginning of a migraine, which as well as causing often painful headaches can contain nausea and sensitivity to light or noise.
Pfizer acquired Zavzpret, also known as Zavegepant, last year for some $10 billion from Biohaven, along with other migraine treatments from the company. According to the American Migraine Foundation, some 39 million Americans experience migraine headaches.
