Spravato’s Transformative Impact: Offering Hope and Rapid Relief for Patients with Depression

PE: Having worked with Spravato for over six years, can you share specific examples or insights into its impact on patients' lives?

Mattingly: I think the first benefit for many patients is just knowing that it works differently. Many of my patients have tried antidepressants, maybe back to when they were in high school or college. For many years, they've tried medicines, and they've kind of given up on antidepressants. Knowing that Spravato works in a way that's different has offered hope to a lot of my patients, and it works quickly.

In this case, I know within hours to days if Spravato is starting to help someone with depression. I think the fact that patients can see the benefits right away has been another big part of the message.

Patients can tell you that this is changing things within the way they’re feeling and approaching life. For example, one of my patients is a local attorney in St Louis, and she’s battled depression since she was a teenager. On the outside, she looks successful. She has kids and a job but feels as if she’s been walking around in a fog for over a decade. She told me that she didn’t know it was possible to feel this good, saying that it wasn’t until she took Spravato that she realized she didn’t have to walk in the fog anymore.

Full Interview Summary: Spravato’s availability as a monotherapy provides a pivotal shift in treating patients with treatment-resistant depression (TRD), offering unprecedented personalization in care. Historically, patients using Spravato had to pair it with an antidepressant, which could result in side effects like weight gain or sexual dysfunction. The new indication allows patients the freedom to choose Spravato as a standalone therapy or alongside existing medications, enabling tailored treatment based on individual needs and tolerability. Additionally, Spravato introduces a groundbreaking option to treat depression on an as-needed basis, rather than daily, accommodating diverse patient schedules and symptom patterns.

Clinicians highlight Spravato’s rapid efficacy, often delivering noticeable relief within hours to days compared to the weeks or months required by traditional antidepressants. This quick onset provides hope to patients who may have struggled with depression for years. Moreover, Spravato’s mechanism, targeting glutamate pathways to promote brain connectivity and healing, offers unique benefits beyond what standard antidepressants achieve, as reflected in numerous patient experiences. For instance, one patient described emerging from a “decade-long fog” after starting Spravato, finding renewed clarity and vitality.

Clinical data underscores its impact, with a 22.5% remission rate by week four among TRD patients—remarkable given the diminished response rates typical after failing two or more antidepressants. While the REMS program imposes strict protocols for administration, it ensures consistent, safe treatment delivery, building patient confidence in care quality across locations.

Looking ahead, the monotherapy indication and as-needed flexibility position Spravato to expand its global reach and redefine depression management. By reducing dependency on daily medication and offering customizable care, it represents a transformative step toward more accessible and patient-centric treatments for TRD.