The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has approved the first at-home oral pill for treating perinatal or postpartum depression (PPD).
The preclinical research and clinical trials were led by Northwell Health’s The Feinstein Institutes for Medical Research’s Kristina M. Deligiannidis, MD, professor at the Institute of Behavioral Science at the Feinstein Institutes and the director of women’s behavioral health at Northwell’s Zucker Hillside Hospital.
One in eight women experience PPD. The pill, zuranolone, will be sold under the brand name Zurzuvae.
“After years of dedicated research and collaboration with other scientists around the country, women living with postpartum and perinatal depression have a new, at-home, easy-to-use treatment option that has the potential to alleviate their symptoms,” said Dr. Deligiannidis. “PPD is often underdiagnosed and undertreated. With the FDA’s decision today, we may be able to reverse this and help many more women in need.”
