Johnson & Johnson May Soon Gain FDA Approval for Blockbuster Depression Drug

Pharmaceutical giant Johnson & Johnson could be on the cusp of gaining approval from the FDA for a potential drug that could treat depression and eliminate the costly and time-intensive ketamine treatments that many turn to.

Called esketamine, the drug won backing on Tuesday from an outside panel of experts convened by the Food and Drug Administration.

The FDA may approve the drug for commercial sale in the United States as early as next month.

“Expectations should start to change,” VistaGen Therapeutics CEO Shawn Singh said to Fox Business. VistaGen Therapeutics is developing its own drugs to treat depression and social anxiety.

“You really need big pharma’s muscle to say to Wall Street this is worthy of your attention,” Singh added.

Disclaimer: We have no position in Johnson & Johnson (NYSE: JNJ) and have not been compensated for this article.