Carlo Allegri/Reuters
- The Food and Drug Administration on Friday approved a new nasal spray to treat migraines.
- The spray will be available in July and is designed to treat migraines in 15 minutes.
- Pfizer acquired the drug when it bought out Biohaven Pharmaceuticals last year for $11.6 billion.
The Food and Drug Administration on Friday approved Zavzpret, a new nasal spray designed to treat migraines in just 15 minutes.
The drug, which Pfizer acquired when it bought out Biohaven Pharmaceuticals last year for $11.6 billion, will provide an alternative to oral migraine medication, NBC News reported.
"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," Angela Hwang, Pfizer's chief commercial officer, said in a press release.
The drug is set to be released in July, and is expected to treat migraines with and without auras.
Doctors told NBC News the nasal medication may help patients who have trouble keeping down oral medications while experiencing migraines.
"A lot of patients, when they have migraines, they're throwing up, for instance, so they may not be able to hold oral medication," Dr. Emad Estemalik, a headache specialist at the Cleveland Clinic, told NBC News. "That's where an intranasal comes as an advantage."
The drug is not the first nasal medication of its kind, but it's anticipated to work more rapidly — the medication is intended to offer relief within 15 minutes, according to Pfizer.
The drug's FDA approval was based on a study that showed it helped relieve migraines compared to a placebo. For the 39 million Americans who suffer migraines, the drug offers a new avenue for relief.
"When a migraine hits, it has a significant negative impact on a person's daily life," Kathleen Mullin, associate medical director at New England Institute for Neurology & Headache, said in a press release. "Among my migraine patients, one of the most important attributes of an acute treatment option is how quickly it works."