Pfizer says the FDA has approved its migraine nasal spray Zavzpret

Pfizer said Friday that the Food and Drug Administration has approved a new nasal spray to treat migraines.

Zavzpret, a branded formulation of the generic drug zavegepant, is the “first and only” calcitonin gene-related peptide receptor antagonist nasal spray for treating migraines with or without an aura, or sensory disturbances such as flashes of light that can accompany a migraine, the drugmaker said. 

Zavzpret began working to treat migraine symptoms in as little as 30 minutes and provided some relief for up to 48 hours after the last administered dose, Pfizer said, citing a March study published in The Lancet. A 10mg dose of the drug proved more effective than a placebo at relieving pain and other migraine symptoms, the study found.

Pfizer said it plans to make the drug available in pharmacies in July.

Angela Hwang, chief commercial officer and president of Pfizer’s global biopharmaceuticals business, said in a statement that Zavzpret provides another option for the many people who suffer migraines.

Migraines are moderate or severe headaches that can cause a throbbing pain usually occurring on just one side of the head, according to John Hopkins Medicine. Other symptoms may include nausea, vomiting, and sensitivity to light and sound. 

Migraines affect more than 10% of people globally, with people between the ages of 20 and 50 most likely to experience the condition, according to JAMA Network, an American Medical Association-published journal. They are the sixth-highest cause worldwide of years lost to disability, a measure of the amount of time individuals suffer from a lower quality of life due to a disability, according to the World Health Organization.

The global migraine drug market was worth $3.9 billion in 2021. Its value is expected to hit $5.4 billion by 2027, according to 2022 report from market research firm IMARC Group.