The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approved this Thursday the first nasal spray, developed by the pharmaceutical company Pfizer, to relieve migraine symptoms in adults.
The drug, called Zavzpret but to be marketed under the name zavegepant, is the first spray created to repel receptors for the peptide (a type of molecule) related to the gene that causes migraines, a type of intense headache that can lead to dizziness, nausea, vomiting, vertigo or sensitivity to light, among other symptoms.
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Phase three clinical trials have shown that it works better than placebo, Pfizer explained in a news release.
The results of the clinical study, carried out on 1,405 people between October 2020 and August 2021 and published in February in The Lancet Neurology, indicated that pain and other symptoms were relieved between 15 and 30 minutes after application and its effect lasted up to 48 hours in many patients.
"The approval marks a significant advance for migraine sufferers who need pain relief and prefer alternative options to oral medications," said Angela Hwang, chief commercial officer and president of Pfizer's biopharmaceutical business.
The company plans to make the drug available in pharmacies starting in July this year.
It has not revealed its price.
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Only 2% of study participants reported adverse reactions to the spray, such as taste disturbances, nose discomfort, nausea or vomiting.
According to 2020 figures cited by Pfizer, 40 million people in the United States suffer from migraine, considered by the World Health Organization as the second global cause of disability.
