Jan 21 (Reuters) - The U.S. Food and Drug Administration

has expanded the approval for Johnson & Johnson's ( JNJ ) nasal

spray Spravato to allow its standalone use in patients with

depression, the company said on Tuesday.

The drug was previously approved in combination with

antidepressants to treat symptoms in adults with major

depressive disorder (MDD) who experienced suicidal thoughts or

actions.

"Now that it is also available as a monotherapy, healthcare

providers have the freedom to further personalize treatment

plans based on individual needs," said Gregory Mattingly,

founding partner of St. Charles Psychiatric Associates.

MDD is one of the most common psychiatric disorders, with an

estimated 21 million adults in the U.S. living with the disease,

according to J&J's estimates.

The approval is based on a study that showed Spravato helped

reduce the severity of depressive episodes in patients compared

to placebo. The drug works by targeting a neurotransmitter

glutamate, which plays a role in depressive episodes.

(Reporting by Bhanvi Satija in Bengaluru; Editing by Anil

D'Silva, Maju Samuel and Shinjini Ganguli)