OPN-300

**OPN-300** is an investigational intranasal formulation of the peptide hormone oxytocin developed by OptiNose using their patented Bi-Directional Breath Powered delivery technology to target high sites in the nasal cavity, enabling enhanced direct nose-to-brain transport that bypasses the blood-brain barrier. This approach aims to improve central nervous system effects compared to traditional routes, as evidenced by superior social cognition improvements in healthy volunteers despite similar systemic exposure to intravenous oxytocin. Primarily intended for core social-cognitive symptoms of **autism spectrum disorder (ASD)**, where no approved therapies exist; an early phase trial (published in *Translational Psychiatry*) showed statistically significant brain effects on emotional face recognition at low doses. Formulation provided by Sigma-Tau Industrie Farmaceutiche Riunite SpA; OptiNose planned Phase 2 initiation in ASD patients in Norway post-2015 results.[1][10][13][19]

Other names

oxytocin nasal sprayintranasal oxytocin (NIMH)