Patent attributes
The present invention provides methods of maintaining stable remission or stable response achieved by a patient with depression following administration of a therapeutically effective amount of esketamine during an initial administration phase, comprising continuing administration of a therapeutically effective amount of esketamine for at least five months during a subsequent administration phase. The present invention also provides methods for the long term treatment of depression in a patient, comprising administering to the patient in need of the treatment a clinically proven safe and clinically proven effective therapeutically effective amount of esketamine for at least six months. In some embodiments, the depression is major depressive disorder or treatment resistant depression.