California K-12 Schools Now Eligible for neffyinSchools Program, Offering Needle-Free Epinephrine at No Cost for Emergency Use
Rhea-AI Summary
ARS Pharmaceuticals (Nasdaq: SPRY) announced that California K-12 schools are now eligible for the neffyinSchools program, which provides free needle-free neffy® epinephrine nasal spray for emergency use.
The program, launched in January 2025, now spans 24 states with more than 8,000 participating schools; ARS Pharma has donated nearly 45,000 doses to date. Eligible public and private K-12 schools can request two cartons (four single-use doses) of neffy 1 mg and 2 mg at no cost and may receive replacements after use or expiration.
Positive
- California added to program, expanding reach to 24 states
- 8,000+ participating schools since program launch in Jan 2025
- ARS Pharma has donated nearly 45,000 doses of neffy
- Eligible schools receive two cartons (4 doses) at no cost
Negative
- None.
Key Figures
Market Reality Check
Peers on Argus
SPRY fell 1.69% while peers showed mixed moves: ATAI +8.23%, CRMD +4.88%, XERS +2.70%, with MRVI -2.09% and RAPP -1.37%, pointing to a stock-specific reaction rather than a broad biotech move.
Historical Context
| Date | Event | Sentiment | Move | Catalyst |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Dec 29 | China approval | Positive | +3.0% | China NMPA approval for neffy 2 mg and partnership milestones. |
| Nov 26 | Conference participation | Neutral | +3.1% | Participation in Piper Sandler healthcare conference and fireside chat. |
| Nov 10 | Q3 2025 earnings | Neutral | +0.3% | Q3 2025 results showing strong neffy revenue but continued net loss. |
| Nov 04 | Access program launch | Positive | +1.0% | Launch of Get neffy on Us program to expand patient access. |
| Nov 03 | Scientific meeting data | Positive | -3.8% | Planned real-world data presentations at ACAAI annual meeting. |
Recent SPRY news has mostly coincided with modest positive price reactions, with one notable divergence on a conference-related update.
Over the past six months, SPRY has reported regulatory progress, commercial updates for neffy, and financial results. China approval for neffy 2 mg and access programs like Get neffy on Us and neffyInSchools have supported modest gains of ~1–3% on prior news days. The current expansion of neffyInSchools to California continues this access-focused strategy, building on earlier school and patient outreach initiatives and international approvals.
Market Pulse Summary
This announcement extends the neffyinSchools program to California, bringing free neffy to K-12 schools as part of a broader rollout across 24 states and more than 8,000 schools. It reinforces SPRY’s strategy of building adoption through access initiatives and large-scale product donation, now nearing 45,000 doses. Investors may watch future disclosures on prescription trends, school participation growth, and how these efforts translate into sustained commercial performance.
Key Terms
anaphylaxis medical
epinephrine medical
epinephrine nasal spray medical
Type 1 allergic reactions medical
AI-generated analysis. Not financial advice.
California joins 23 other states eligible to receive free neffy® (epinephrine nasal spray) at schools
SAN DIEGO, Jan. 21, 2026 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- ARS Pharmaceuticals, Inc. (Nasdaq: SPRY), a biopharmaceutical company dedicated to empowering at-risk patients and their caregivers to better protect patients from allergic reactions that could lead to anaphylaxis, announced today that California, the state where ARS Pharma is headquartered, is now eligible for its neffyinSchools program.
Type 1 allergic reactions, including anaphylaxis, can happen quickly and be caused by foods, insects, medication, exercise, or other unknown causes and can only be treated with epinephrine. It is estimated that one-quarter of life-threatening food allergy reactions in schools occur in students and staff without a prior diagnosis.¹ Studies also show that food allergy affects approximately 1 in 13 school-aged U.S. children.²
“One year ago, we envisioned a nationwide program that would give school nurses and staff the confidence to respond quickly to a severe allergic emergency, and we’re thrilled that California schools are now eligible to participate in this program,” said Richard Lowenthal, Co-Founder, President, and CEO of ARS Pharma. “With neffy’s needle-free design, long shelf life and stability at temperature excursions of up to 122°F, schools have an option that is compact, easy to use, easily disposable and is ready when needed. We look forward to adding more school communities in the future.”
Since its launch in January 2025, the neffyinSchools program has grown to include more than 8,000 participating schools across the country. With California now eligible, the program spans 24 states and aims to reach more states as legislation for undesignated use in schools evolves alongside innovation. neffy is considered the first significant innovation in epinephrine delivery for allergic reactions in over 35 years.
“California has taken a major step in prioritizing access to all forms of epinephrine, helping to protect children and empowering school nurses across the state when seconds matter,” said Terri Hinkley, EdD, MBA, BScN, RN, CAE, CEO of the National Association of School Nurses (NASN). “Allergic reactions, including anaphylaxis, can happen quickly. I believe this type of forward-thinking is exactly what schools need to ensure our communities are safer.”
The neffyinSchools program is open to public and private K-12 schools throughout the U.S. Eligible schools can request product through an online application and receive two cartons (four single use doses) of neffy® (epinephrine nasal spray) 1 mg and 2 mg at no cost, for emergency use. To date, ARS Pharma has donated nearly 45,000 doses of neffy. Participating schools also can receive replacement product upon use or expiration.
The neffyinSchools program is currently offered in the following states: Alaska, Arizona, Arkansas, California, Colorado, Connecticut, Indiana, Louisiana, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Minnesota, Montana, New Hampshire, New York, North Carolina, Oklahoma, Oregon, South Carolina, Texas, Vermont, Virginia, Washington and Wisconsin. All K-12 schools are encouraged to apply.
For more information, including details about patient advocacy groups and resources for schools, visit www.neffy.com/community-programs.
About neffyinSchools
ARS Pharma is committed to working with our communities to provide essential epinephrine in schools. Eligible public and private K-12 schools in the U.S. (excluding territories) will be able to receive two cartons (four single use doses) of neffy 2 mg for adults and children who weigh ≥30 kg (66 lbs.), as well as neffy 1 mg for children who weigh between 15 to < 30kg (33 < 66 lbs.) in emergency situations. The neffyinSchools program is only for undesignated use, and children with prescriptions for epinephrine from their healthcare provider must continue to supply medication to their school in accordance with school guidelines. Schools must review applicable state legislation to ensure neffy meets the requirements of local epinephrine stocking and administration laws for undesignated use.
About neffy®
neffy is a nasal spray used for emergency treatment of allergic reactions including anaphylaxis, in adults and children aged 4 years and older who weigh 33 lbs. or greater.
INDICATION AND IMPORTANT SAFETY INFORMATION FOR neffy (epinephrine nasal spray)
INDICATION
neffy is indicated for emergency treatment of type I allergic reactions, including anaphylaxis, in adult and pediatric patients aged 4 years and older who weigh 33 lbs. or greater.
IMPORTANT SAFETY INFORMATION
neffy contains epinephrine, a medicine used to treat allergic emergencies (anaphylaxis). Anaphylaxis can be life-threatening, can happen in minutes, and can be caused by stinging and biting insects, allergy injections, foods, medicines, exercise, or other unknown causes. Always carry two neffy nasal sprays with you because you may not know when anaphylaxis may happen and because you may need a second dose of neffy if symptoms continue or come back. Each neffy contains a single dose of epinephrine. neffy is for use in the nose only.
Use neffy right away, as soon as you notice symptoms of an allergic reaction. If symptoms continue or get worse after the first dose of neffy, a second dose is needed. If needed, administer a second dose using a new neffy in the same nostril starting 5 minutes after the first dose. Get emergency medical help for further treatment of the allergic emergency (anaphylaxis), if needed after using neffy.
Tell your healthcare provider if you have underlying structural or anatomical nasal conditions, about all the medicines you take, and about all your medical conditions, especially if you have heart problems, kidney problems, low potassium in your blood, Parkinson’s disease, thyroid problems, high blood pressure, diabetes, are pregnant or plan to become pregnant, or plan to breastfeed.
Tell your healthcare provider if you take or use other nasal sprays or water pills (diuretics) or if you take medicines to treat depression, abnormal heart beats, Parkinson’s disease, heart disease, thyroid disease, medicines used in labor, and medicines to treat allergies. neffy and other medications may affect each other, causing side effects. neffy may affect the way other medicines work, and other medicines may affect how neffy works.
neffy may cause serious side effects. If you have certain medical conditions or take certain medicines, your condition may get worse, or you may have more or longer lasting side effects when you use neffy.
Common side effects of neffy include: nasal discomfort, headache, throat irritation, chest and nasal congestion, feeling overly excited, nervous or anxious, nose bleed, nose pain, sneezing, runny nose, dry nose or throat, tingling sensation, including in the nose, feeling tired, dizziness, nausea, and vomiting.
Tell your healthcare provider if you have any side effects that bother you or that do not go away after using neffy.
These are not all of the possible side effects of neffy. Call your healthcare provider for medical advice about side effects. To report side effects, contact ARS Pharmaceuticals Operations, Inc. at 1-877-MY-NEFFY (877-696-3339) or the FDA at 1-800-FDA-1088 or www.fda.gov/medwatch.
Please see the full Prescribing Information and Patient Information for neffy.
About Type I Allergic Reactions Including Anaphylaxis
Type I allergic reactions are serious and potentially life-threatening events that can occur within minutes of exposure to an allergen and require immediate treatment with epinephrine, the only FDA-approved medication for these reactions. While epinephrine auto-injectors have been shown to be highly effective, there are well published limitations that result in many patients and caregivers delaying or not administering treatment in an emergency situation. These limitations include fear of the needle, lack of portability, needle-related safety concerns, lack of reliability, and complexity of the devices. There are approximately 40 million people in the United States who experience Type I allergic reactions. Of this group, over the last three years, approximately 20 million people have been diagnosed and treated for severe Type I allergic reactions that may lead to anaphylaxis, but (in 2023, for example) only 3.2 million filled their active epinephrine auto-injector prescription, and of those, only half consistently carry their prescribed auto-injector. Even if patients or caregivers carry an auto-injector, more than half either delay or do not administer the device when needed in an emergency.
About ARS Pharmaceuticals, Inc.
ARS Pharma is a biopharmaceutical company dedicated to empowering at-risk patients and their caregivers to better protect patients from allergic reactions that could lead to anaphylaxis. The Company is commercializing neffy® (trade name EURneffy® in the EU and 优敏速® in China), an epinephrine nasal spray indicated in the U.S. for emergency treatment of Type I allergic reactions, including anaphylaxis, in adult patients and pediatric patients 4 years of age and older who weigh 33 lbs. or greater, and in the EU for emergency treatment of allergic reactions (anaphylaxis) due to insect stings or bites, foods, medicinal products, and other allergens as well as idiopathic or exercise induced anaphylaxis in adults and children who weigh 30 kg or greater. For more information, visit www.ars-pharma.com.
Forward-Looking Statements
Statements in this press release that are not purely historical in nature are “forward-looking statements” within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. These statements include, but are not limited to: the patient benefits and effectiveness of neffy, including its needle-free, compact, portable and easy to use design, temperature stability, and extended shelf life; evaluations, judgments and expectations regarding the neffyinSchools program and its expansion; and other statements that are not historical fact. Because such statements are subject to risks and uncertainties, actual results may differ materially from those expressed or implied by such forward-looking statements. Words such as “anticipate,” “believe,” “can,” “could,” “expect,” “if,” “may,” “on track to/for,” “potential,” “plan,” “will,” “would,” and similar expressions are intended to identify forward-looking statements. These forward-looking statements are based upon ARS Pharmaceuticals’ current expectations and involve assumptions that may never materialize or may prove to be incorrect.
Actual results and the timing of events could differ materially from those anticipated in such forward-looking statements as a result of various risks and uncertainties, which include, without limitation: potential safety and other complications from neffy; the ability to obtain and maintain regulatory approval for neffy in its currently approved indications; the scope, progress and expansion of developing and commercializing neffy; the scope, progress and expansion of developing our intranasal epinephrine technology; clinical trial results; the potential for governments and payors to delay, limit or deny coverage for neffy; the size and growth of the market for neffy and the rate and degree of market acceptance thereof vis-à-vis intramuscular injectable products; ARS Pharma’s’ ability to protect its intellectual property position; and the impact of government laws, regulations and policies. Additional risks and uncertainties that could cause actual outcomes and results to differ materially from those contemplated by the forward-looking statements are included under the caption “Risk Factors” in ARS Pharma’s Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q for the quarter ended September 30, 2025, filed with the SEC on November 10, 2025. This document can also be accessed on ARS Pharma’s website at www.ars-pharma.com by clicking on the link “Financials & Filings” under the “Investors & Media” tab.
The forward-looking statements included in this press release are made only as of the date hereof. ARS Pharma assumes no obligation and does not intend to update these forward-looking statements, except as required by law. For more information, visit www.ars-pharma.com, and follow us on LinkedIn and X.
ARS Investor Contact:
Justin Chakma
ARS Pharmaceuticals
justinc@ars-pharma.com
ARS Media Contact:
Christy Curran
Sam Brown Inc.
615.414.8668
christycurran@sambrown.com
References
- Food Allergy Research & Education (FARE). FARE Releases Expert Recommendations for Managing Food Allergies in K-12 Schools. Food Allergy Research & Education; 2024. Available from: https://www.foodallergy.org/media-room/fare-releases-expert-recommendations-managing-food-allergies-k-12-schools.
- Food Allergy Research & Education (FARE). Food Allergy Facts and Statistics. Food Allergy Research & Education; April 2024. Available from: https://www.foodallergy.org/sites/default/files/2024-07/FARE%20Food%20Allergy%20Facts%20and%20Statistics_April2024.pdf.
FAQ
What does ARS Pharmaceuticals (SPRY) announce about California schools on January 21, 2026?
How many schools and states participate in the neffyinSchools program as of January 21, 2026?
How much neffy product can an eligible K-12 school receive from neffyinSchools (SPRY)?
How many doses has ARS Pharmaceuticals donated through neffyinSchools to date?
Which schools are eligible to apply for the neffyinSchools program from SPRY?
