Curated News
By: NewsRamp Editorial Staff
September 24, 2025
FDA Approves NRx Pharma's Preservative-Free Ketamine Breakthrough
TLDR
- NRx Pharmaceuticals gains FDA approval for KETAFREE, positioning it to capture market share in the $750 million ketamine market with a safer preservative-free product.
- The FDA granted NRx Pharmaceuticals' Suitability Petition for KETAFREE, enabling immediate re-filing of their Abbreviated New Drug Application for single-patient preservative-free ketamine.
- KETAFREE eliminates toxic preservatives from ketamine treatment, advancing safer mental healthcare and supporting federal priorities for re-shoring sterile drug manufacturing.
- NRx Pharmaceuticals is developing NRX-100, a non-generic ketamine formulation with Fast Track Designation for treating suicidal depression and PTSD.
Impact - Why it Matters
This development matters because ketamine has emerged as a crucial treatment for severe depression and PTSD, particularly for patients who haven't responded to traditional antidepressants. The elimination of toxic preservatives like Benzethonium Chloride addresses significant safety concerns that have limited ketamine's broader adoption. With mental health disorders affecting millions worldwide and suicide rates remaining persistently high, safer formulations of proven treatments could expand access and improve outcomes for the most vulnerable patients. The FDA's approval also signals regulatory support for innovation in mental health therapeutics at a time when the global mental health crisis demands new solutions.
Summary
NRx Pharmaceuticals (NASDAQ: NRXP), a clinical-stage biopharmaceutical company, has achieved a significant regulatory milestone with the U.S. Food and Drug Administration granting its Suitability Petition for KETAFREE™, a planned single-patient, preservative-free ketamine product. This approval enables immediate re-filing of the Company’s Abbreviated New Drug Application and represents a major advancement in ketamine therapy. Unlike current ketamine offerings in multi-dose vials containing the toxic preservative Benzethonium Chloride, KETAFREE™ is specifically designed to eliminate such harmful additives, addressing critical safety concerns in mental health treatment.
The development of KETAFREE™ supports federal priorities of re-shoring sterile drug manufacturing and removing dangerous preservatives from pharmaceutical products. With the ketamine market estimated at $750 million, this breakthrough has substantial commercial implications. NRx Pharmaceuticals is simultaneously advancing NRX-100, a non-generic ketamine formulation under development for suicidal depression and PTSD. The company's NMDA platform focuses on treating central nervous system disorders, with NRX-100 having received Fast Track Designation for treating Suicidal Ideation in Depression, including Bipolar Depression.
For those seeking comprehensive details, the full press release is available through the InvestorBrandNetwork website at https://ibn.fm/nqA1A. NRx Pharmaceuticals continues to demonstrate leadership in psychiatric pharmaceutical innovation, with additional pipeline assets including NRX-101, which has been awarded Breakthrough Therapy Designation for suicidal bipolar depression. The company's recent regulatory successes position it strongly in the competitive mental health therapeutics landscape, potentially offering new hope for patients with treatment-resistant conditions.
Source Statement
This curated news summary relied on content disributed by NewMediaWire. Read the original source here, FDA Approves NRx Pharma's Preservative-Free Ketamine Breakthrough
