Nxera Pharma

What Nxera Pharma does

Nxera Pharma Co., Ltd. (formerly Sosei Group, rebranded April 2024) is a Japan-headquartered, technology-driven biopharmaceutical company that designs and develops therapeutics targeting G protein-coupled receptors (GPCRs). The company operates from a Tokyo headquarters and a UK R&D hub in Cambridge, with additional offices in London, Basel and Seoul, and trades publicly on the Tokyo Stock Exchange (TSE: 4565) and OTCMKTS (SOLTF). Its core technology is the NxWave™ GPCR structure-based drug discovery platform, which integrates NxStaR™ (proprietary GPCR structure determination via X-ray crystallography and cryo-EM, supported by patented miniG protein technology), NxHit™ (virtual, GPCR-focused library and DNA-encoded library screening), and NxDesign™ (computational-chemistry and machine-learning-enabled structure-based drug design). Nxera has solved more than 500 GPCR structures and uses the platform both to advance a 30+ program internal pipeline (spanning obesity, metabolic, endocrine, neurology and immuno-oncology indications) and to power multi-year discovery collaborations with AbbVie, Eli Lilly, Neurocrine Biosciences, Centessa, Cancer Research UK and the NewCo GPCR spin-out.

The company's revenue model is a hybrid of (i) direct product commercialization in Japan and select APAC markets (PIVLAZ/clazosentan for cerebral vasospasm prevention, generating JPY 13,511M in FY2025 with 25,470 patients treated, and QUVIVIQ/daridorexant for insomnia, which grew 223.9% to JPY 4,327M); (ii) licensing and milestone payments from out-licensed and partnered programs (FY2025 milestone receipts of US$35M; up to US$1.2B remaining from AbbVie, US$694M from Eli Lilly, and US$205M-plus from the Santhera Agamree deal); and (iii) tiered royalties on global sales of partnered assets. Distribution in Japan is executed directly and via channel partnerships (Shionogi for QUVIVIQ), while ex-APAC rights are typically out-licensed to major pharma for global commercialization. FY2025 total revenue was JPY 29.6 billion (~US$197.9M), and the company is targeting full-year profitability in FY2026 supported by a November 2025 strategic restructuring (15% workforce reduction, ~JPY 1B in annual savings) and a JPY 3.5B planned reduction in R&D spend.

Name

Nxera Pharma

Legal name

Nxera Pharma Co., Ltd.

Website

https://nxera.life

Company type

Public

Founded year

1990

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

251–500 employees

Short description

Nxera Pharma is a Japan-headquartered biopharmaceutical company that uses its proprietary NxWave™ GPCR structure-based drug discovery platform to develop therapeutics, commercializing PIVLAZ and QUVIVIQ in Japan/APAC and licensing assets globally to AbbVie, Eli Lilly, and other major pharma partners.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Biopharmaceuticals (GPCR-targeted drug discovery and development)

NAICS

Pharmaceutical Preparation Manufacturing (325412), Pharmaceutical and Medicine Manufacturing (3254)

SIC

Pharmaceutical Preparations (2834)

akta.pro primary industry

Neurology & Psychiatry (CNS) Pharmaceuticals (HLAIAAAF)

akta.pro secondary industry

Neurology & CNS Specialty Pharmaceuticals (HLAIACAC)

Keywords

• GPCR drug discovery
• Structure-based drug design
• Biopharmaceutical development
• Neurological disease therapeutics
• Metabolic disorder treatments

Headquarters

HQ city

Tokyo

HQ country

Japan

HQ region

Asia

Offices5 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Hardware or Manufacturing

Cost components

Technology or R&D, Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Others

Revenue model

1. Product Sales: Commercial revenues from marketed products including PIVLAZ® (clazosentan) for cerebral vasospasm prevention and QUVIVIQ™ (daridorexant) for insomnia. PIVLAZ grew 6.8% to JPY 13,511 million; QUVIVIQ surged 223.9% to JPY 4,327 million in FY2025
2. Milestone Payments: One-time payments received upon achievement of specific R&D milestones under collaboration agreements. Received US$10 million from AbbVie (4th milestone), US$22.5 million from Neurocrine Biosciences Phase 2 trial, US$3 million from Centessa for ORX489 milestone
3. Development and Commercial Milestones: Potential future milestone payments under partnerships: up to US$1.2 billion from AbbVie (neurological diseases), up to US$694 million from Eli Lilly (metabolic diseases), up to US$275 million from GPCR spin-out NewCo
4. Tiered Royalties: Ongoing royalties on global sales from partnered programs including AbbVie neurological collaborations, Eli Lilly metabolic collaborations, and Centessa OX2R agonist pipeline
5. Licensing Revenue: Upfront payments and ongoing licensing fees from out-licensing arrangements such as Santhera agreement (US$40 million upfront for Agamree/vamorolone in Japan, South Korea, Australia, New Zealand)

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion3 records

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

Nxera Pharma is a technology-driven biopharmaceutical company that discovers, develops, and commercializes medicines targeting G protein-coupled receptors (GPCRs). Its proprietary NxWave™ platform supports structure-based drug design, and the company markets two products in Japan — PIVLAZ (clazosentan) for cerebral vasospasm prevention and QUVIVIQ (daridorexant) for insomnia — while also generating revenue through licensing deals, milestone payments, and royalties from global pharmaceutical partners.

Product overview

Nxera Pharma is a next-generation, technology-driven biopharma company with a proprietary drug discovery platform for G protein-coupled receptors (GPCRs). The company's core technology is the NxWave™ platform, which encompasses NxStaR™ (structural biology), NxHit™ (compound screening), and NxDesign™ (structure-based drug design). The commercial portfolio includes two marketed products: PIVLAZ™ (clazosentan) for cerebral vasospasm prevention and QUVIVIQ™ (daridorexant) for insomnia. The pipeline spans multiple therapeutic areas including neurology (schizophrenia programs, muscarinic agonists), immunology (EP4 programs, GPR35 agonist), metabolic disorders (GLP-1, GIP, amylin programs), and oncology (EP4 antagonist partnered with Cancer Research UK). Nxera also licenses in products such as vamorolone for Duchenne muscular dystrophy. The company operates across Japan, UK, Switzerland, and South Korea with over 500 GPCR structures solved.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• NxWave: Proprietary GPCR structure-based drug discovery platform
• NxStaR
• NxHit
• NxDesign
• PIVLAZ
• QUVIVIQ

Products and services

• PIVLAZ (clazosentan) Marketed endothelin receptor antagonist indicated for the prevention of cerebral vasospasm, vasospasm-related cerebral infarction, and cerebral ischemic symptoms after aneurysmal subarachnoid hemorrhage (aSAH). Commercialized in Japan with FY2025 revenue of JPY 13,511 million (up 6.8% year-on-year); over 25,470 patients have been treated in Japan.
• QUVIVIQ (daridorexant) Dual orexin receptor antagonist for the treatment of insomnia disorder. Marketed in Japan via the Shionogi distribution partnership; FY2025 revenue surged 223.9% year-on-year to JPY 4,327 million. A Phase 3 trial in South Korea met all primary and secondary endpoints.
• Agamree (vamorolone) In-licensed novel corticosteroid alternative for Duchenne muscular dystrophy, licensed from Santhera Pharmaceuticals for development, manufacturing, and commercialization in Japan, South Korea, Australia, and New Zealand under a deal valued at up to US$205 million in upfront and milestone payments plus double-digit tiered royalties.
• NxWave™ Platform (Drug Discovery Service) Proprietary GPCR-focused structure-based drug discovery service offered to pharmaceutical partners through multi-target collaborations, option-to-license agreements, and out-licensing arrangements. The platform underpins partnerships with AbbVie (neurological diseases, up to US$1.2B in potential milestones), Eli Lilly (metabolic diseases, up to US$694M in potential milestones), Neurocrine Biosciences, Centessa Pharmaceuticals, and a GPCR spin-out NewCo (up to US$275M in potential milestones).

Quantifiable outcome

• 500+ GPCR structures solved and counting
• +7 more outcomes

Named customers3 records

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed Yes

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

AI capability1 record

Feature5 records

Partnerships

Nine partnerships are on record, tiered strategic, core and flagship.

• OpenFold AI Research ConsortiumstrategicTechnology or Integration · 10 June 2026Nxera joined OpenFold, a non-profit AI research consortium developing open-source AI software tools for biology and drug discovery. Membership enables leveraging state-of-the-art open-source structural prediction models to create synergies with proprietary NxWave™ platform to accelerate GPCR target-focused drug discovery. Consortium includes Bristol Myers Squibb, Novo Nordisk, Bayer, Roche as pharmaceutical members, and Amazon Web Services, Microsoft, NVIDIA as supporting technology members.
• NewCo (GPCR Spin-out)strategicStrategic or Co-development Partner · 11 May 2026Nxera closed licensing agreement and Series A financing with newly formed company for GPCR-targeted pre-clinical program discovered using NxWave technology platform. Granted exclusive worldwide license while retaining Japan and certain Asia-Pacific territories. Eligible to receive up to US$275 million in development and commercial milestones plus tiered royalties. Nxera holds significant minority equity stake; Chief Scientific Officer joined NewCo's Board of Directors.
• Neurocrine BiosciencescoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 12 April 2026Neurocrine Biosciences dosing first patient in Phase 2 trial of NBI-1117570 (dual muscarinic M1/M4 receptor agonist) for adults with schizophrenia. Triggered US$22.5 million milestone payment to Nxera, recognized as Q1 FY2026 revenue. Phase 2 double-blind, placebo-controlled trial enrolling approximately 120 patients with primary endpoint of change from baseline in PANSS total score.
• Centessa PharmaceuticalscoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 31 March 2026Centessa Pharmaceuticals entered into definitive agreement to be acquired by Eli Lilly. Nxera jointly discovered OX2R agonist pipeline (cleminorexton/ORX750, ORX142, ORX489) using Nxera's NxStaR technology. Nxera retains entitlement to milestone payments and royalties from all OX2R agonists unaffected by acquisition. Nxera holds equity interest in Centessa. Early milestone of US$3 million achieved for ORX489 in March 2026.
• Santhera PharmaceuticalscoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ Distributor · 8 January 2026Santhera granted Nxera exclusive licensing agreement for development, manufacturing, and commercialization of Agamree (vamorolone) for Duchenne muscular dystrophy in Japan, South Korea, Australia, and New Zealand. Nxera paying US$40 million upfront (US$30 million cash + US$10 million equity investment) with additional potential milestones up to US$165 million plus double-digit tiered royalties on net sales.
• ShionogicoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ Distributor · 31 October 2025Partnership with Shionogi for product distribution in Japan supporting QUVIVIQ (daridorexant) demand in Japan and across Asia-Pacific region. Manufacturing approval received for second API manufacturing site in Asia to reduce costs and improve profitability from 2027.
• Cancer Research UKcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 21 October 2025Partnership for cancer immunotherapy drug HTL0039732 (EP4 antagonist). Phase 1 trial successfully completed demonstrating safety and tolerability with early efficacy. Phase 2 expansion trial underway in Japan and UK sponsored by Cancer Research UK. Partial responses observed in patients with resistant tumors including metastatic renal cell and colorectal cancers.
• AbbVieflagshipStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2022Multi-target discovery collaboration targeting neurological diseases. Nxera achieved fourth R&D milestone in June 2026 (US$10 million payment), bringing total received to US$40 million since 2022. Nxera remains eligible for up to US$1.2 billion in additional potential option, development and commercial milestones, plus tiered royalties on global sales. Collaboration uses NxWave™ GPCR structure-based drug discovery platform.
• Eli LillyflagshipStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2022Multi-target collaboration targeting diabetes and metabolic diseases. Second development milestone achieved in April 2026, validating Nxera's NxWave™ GPCR platform by identifying small molecule binders and solving receptor structures. Nxera eligible for up to US$694 million in development and commercial milestones plus tiered royalties on global sales. Lilly assumes responsibility for further development and commercialization.

Scale indicators16 records

Recent moves9 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• Schrödinger, Inc. US-listed (SDGR) computational/structure-based drug design platform company with a software-plus-collaborative-discovery model. Highly comparable to Nxera's NxWave™ platform in combining physics-based modeling, ML, and a wet-lab pipeline to generate partnered and proprietary therapeutic candidates.

Broad incumbents

• Otsuka Holdings: Diversified Japanese pharma group with significant CNS/psychiatry and specialty disease franchises including schizophrenia. Comparable in CNS therapeutic-area focus and in the Japanese listed-pharma landscape, providing a reference for partner-of-choice economics in Japanese CNS.
• Idorsia Pharmaceuticals: Swiss-listed specialty CNS biopharma whose operations were integrated into Nxera in 2026. Closely comparable in therapeutic focus (neurology, sleep, rare diseases) and brings daridorexant/QUVIVIQ history to the Nxera platform; a useful reference for what Nxera's CNS specialty pharma footprint could scale to.
• Karuna Therapeutics (acquired by Bristol Myers Squibb): CNS-focused biopharma (now part of BMS) that developed muscarinic M1/M4 agonism for schizophrenia. Direct comparability to Nxera's muscarinic program (NBI-1117570 with Neurocrine) and schizophrenia franchise including GPR52.
• Eisai Co., Ltd. Large Japanese pharmaceutical company with significant CNS, neurology, and rare-disease franchises. Comparable in scale and therapeutic-area overlap to Nxera's Japanese CNS commercial footprint and serves as a reference for what a profitable Japan-listed CNS biopharma looks like at scale.
• Cerevel Therapeutics (acquired by AbbVie): CNS-focused biopharma (now part of AbbVie) with development programs across schizophrenia, Parkinson's, and epilepsy. Comparable in CNS therapeutic focus and a relevant comparable for the value a partnered CNS asset can capture under AbbVie's umbrella — Nxera's own AbbVie partnership uses the same major pharma.

Regional players

• Shionogi & Co., Ltd. Major Japanese pharmaceutical company and Nxera's distribution partner for QUVIVIQ in Japan/APAC. A relevant Japanese peer given overlapping CNS/anti-infective portfolio and Shionogi's role in commercializing Nxera's CNS products in the home market.

Emerging players

• OMass Therapeutics: UK-based GPCR-focused drug discovery company using native mass spectrometry and structural biology. Direct comparability in GPCR-focused discovery and the named defendant in Nxera's miniG patent infringement action, making it a particularly informative peer on technology overlap and IP risk.
• Exscientia plc: AI-centric drug discovery company (EXAI) that has signed multi-target discovery deals with major pharma. Similar to Nxera in the partnered-collaborative revenue model and tech-driven pipeline generation, though Exscientia uses AI/automation rather than GPCR structural biology.
• Recursion Pharmaceuticals: AI-driven drug discovery platform (RXRX) combining high-throughput biology with ML. Comparable to Nxera in the technology-powered biopharma category, though Recursion's data-generation and target-discovery emphasis is distinct from Nxera's GPCR-structure specialization.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat6 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

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Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles13 records

Subsidiaries5 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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M&A

Investments1 record

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Frequently asked questions about Nxera Pharma