The first pill to treat postpartum depression was approved by the FDA Aug. 4, offering a new treatment option for about 500,000 women who develop the condition annually.
Existing treatments for postpartum depression require patients to visit a healthcare facility to receive an IV injection.
The drug, Zurzuvae, is taken once-daily for two weeks. Clinical trial data shows the pill can begin easing depression symptoms in as quickly as three days. In comparison, general antidepressants can take two weeks or longer to have an effect, according to The New York Times.
Sage Therapeutics developed Zurzuvae with Biogen. The drug is expected to launch in the fourth quarter of 2023.