Last reviewed 2026-05-23 · How we verify

Intranasal ketamine

Intranasal ketamine is a NMDA receptor antagonist Small molecule drug developed by Rhode Island Hospital. It is currently FDA-approved for Treatment-resistant depression, Major depressive disorder with acute suicidality, Chronic pain conditions. Also known as: Ketamin S, Cristalia, São Paulo, Brazil, Ketamine, Ketalar, Ketamine Hydrochloride.

Intranasal ketamine is a rapid-acting NMDA receptor antagonist that blocks glutamate signaling in the brain to produce fast-onset antidepressant and analgesic effects.

Intranasal ketamine is a small molecule intervention used to study various conditions, including severe depression, treatment-resistant depression, and bipolar disorder, as per ClinicalTrials.gov. It is administered intranasally and is known by the synonyms ANAKET V, CALYPSOL, CLORKETAM 1000, DL-KETAMINE, IMALGENE 1000, and KETALAR, according to ChEMBL.

At a glance

Mechanism of action

Ketamine antagonizes N-methyl-D-aspartate (NMDA) receptors, which are ionotropic glutamate receptors involved in excitatory neurotransmission. This blockade leads to rapid modulation of downstream signaling pathways, including increased brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) and activation of mammalian target of rapamycin (mTOR), which promote synaptic plasticity and neuronal growth. The intranasal formulation allows direct delivery to the central nervous system with rapid onset of action, typically within hours to days, compared to conventional oral antidepressants.

Approved indications

• Treatment-resistant depression
• Major depressive disorder with acute suicidality
• Chronic pain conditions

Common side effects

• Dissociation
• Dizziness
• Nausea
• Headache
• Sedation
• Increased blood pressure

Key clinical trials

• Pain Reduction for Limb Injuries in Pediatric Emergency Departments: Intranasal Fentanyl or Intranasal Ketamine vs Oral Morphine (PHASE3)
• Intranasal Dexmedetomidine-esketamine Administration and Postoperative Pain in Pediatric Patients (PHASE4)
• A Study to Evaluate the Efficacy and Safety of Esketamine for Reduction of Symptoms of Major Depressive Disorder (PHASE3)
• A Study of Esketamine Nasal Spray in Korean Participants With Treatment-resistant Depression (PHASE4)
• University of Iowa Interventional Psychiatry Service Patient Registry
• Virtual Reality-Based Mindfulness as an Adjunct to Treatment as Usual in Treatment-Resistant Depression (NA)
• Psychotherapy Combined With Intranasal Esketamine for the Treatment of Suicidal Ideation (NA)
• Safety, Tolerability, Analgesic Effect, and Feasibility of Intranasal CT001 in Pediatric Patients (PHASE2, PHASE3)

Primary sources

Every claim on this page is sourced from regulatory or scientific primary sources. See our editorial policy for full methodology.

Competitive intelligence

For the full competitive landscape — auto-detected comparators, recent regulatory actions across the set, upcoming PDUFA, patent timeline, sponsor landscape:

• Intranasal ketamine CI brief — competitive landscape report
• Intranasal ketamine updates RSS · CI watch RSS
• Rhode Island Hospital portfolio CI

Frequently asked questions about Intranasal ketamine

Related

• Drug class: All NMDA receptor antagonist drugs
• Target: All drugs targeting NMDA receptor
• Manufacturer: Rhode Island Hospital — full pipeline
• Therapeutic area: All drugs in Psychiatry / Pain Management
• Indication: Drugs for Treatment-resistant depression
• Indication: Drugs for Major depressive disorder with acute suicidality
• Indication: Drugs for Chronic pain conditions
• Also known as: Ketamin S, Cristalia, São Paulo, Brazil, Ketamine, Ketalar, Ketamine Hydrochloride, ketamine

Primary sources · FDA · ClinicalTrials.gov · EMA · SEC EDGAR · ChEMBL · Wikidata · full sourcing