For Idorsia, sophisticated partnerships are a way of gaining strategic access to technologies or products and fully exploiting our discovery engine and clinical pipeline. In general, we seek suitable external project partners to maximize the value of internal innovation.
Partnerships
More potential –
Maximizing
the value of
innovation
“We look for partners who share
our belief that science can
transform lives.”
our belief that science can
transform lives.”
— Srishti Gupta, CEO
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In 2017, Idorsia entered into a collaboration agreement with Johnson & Johnson Innovative Medicine (formerly Janssen Biotech, one of the Janssen Pharmaceutical Companies of Johnson & Johnson) to jointly develop aprocitentan and any of its derivative compounds or products. Janssen Biotech had sole commercialization rights worldwide. In May 2022, Idorsia announced positive results of the Phase 3 PRECISION study investigating aprocitentan. In March 2024, the US FDA approved TRYVIO™ (aprocitentan), the first and only endothelin receptor antagonist for the treatment of high blood pressure not adequately controlled in combination with other antihypertensives. In April 2024, the Committee for Medicinal Products for Human Use (CHMP), the scientific committee of the European Medicines Agency (EMA), adopted a positive opinion for the use of JERAYGO™ (aprocitentan) for the treatment of resistant hypertension in adult patients in combination with at least three antihypertensive medicinal products.
Idorsia received a one-time milestone payment of USD 230 million. The costs of the Phase 3 study were shared equally between both partners. In September 2023, Idorsia and Janssen entered into an amended and restated collaboration agreement whereby Idorsia reacquired the development and commercialization rights for aprocitentan from Janssen.
In return, and to cover the investment made by Janssen, Idorsia will pay Janssen a conditional consideration up to a total cap of CHF 306 million, depending on Idorsia’s revenues, as follows:
- 30% of any consideration received by Idorsia from a potential out-licensing or divestment of aprocitentan,
- 10% of any consideration received by Idorsia from a potential out-licensing or the divestment of any other Idorsia product, following the first approval of aprocitentan, and
- low- to mid-single digit royalties on total group product net sales, beginning from the quarter after first aprocitentan approval.
Janssen retains licenses in the pulmonary hypertension field.
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In March 2024, Idorsia entered into a global research and development collaboration with Viatris, for the global development and commercialization rights to selatogrel and cenerimod.
Idorsia received an upfront payment of USD 350 million (CHF 308 million) with Idorsia obligated to contribute USD 200 million for the development of selatogrel and cenerimod. Idorsia is entitled to potential development and regulatory milestone payments, and certain contingent payments of additional sales milestone payments and tiered royalties in the mid-single to low-double digit percentages on annual net sales.
In February 2025, Idorsia reached an agreement with Viatris to update the terms of the collaboration. In exchange for a USD 100 million reduction to Idorsia’s contribution to the development costs due in 2025, Idorsia has agreed to a USD 250 million reduction in future potential regulatory and sales milestone payments, and an expansion of territorial rights to Viatris for cenerimod. The agreed royalties on future sales remain unchanged.
Under the updated terms, Idorsia's contribution for the development of selatogrel and cenerimod is reduced to USD 100 million with no commitment in 2025. Idorsia has contributed USD 73 million in 2024 for the performance of development services, and the remaining USD 27 million will be paid in 2026.
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In 2020, Idorsia’s license, collaborative development and commercialization agreement with ReveraGen BioPharma in respect of vamorolone was transferred in its entirety to Santhera Pharmaceuticals. Idorsia is entitled to development and sales milestones, as well as low single-digit percentage payments on net sales of vamorolone.
In December 2024, Idorsia entered into a royalty monetization agreement for vamorolone with the R-Bridge Healthcare Fund for which it received a USD 30 million payment. As part of the agreement, R-Bridge is entitled to all future vamorolone royalties and milestones up to a certain cap. Once the cap is reached, the entitlement will revert back to Idorsia.
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In 2020, Idorsia and Syneos Health entered into an innovative commercial partnership to build the salesforce for the US launch of QUVIVIQ™ (daridorexant). In January 2022, Idorsia expanded this commercialization partnership to support the potential launch of QUVIVIQ and effectively reach the primary care market in Europe and Canada.
The strategic collaboration brings Idorsia’s QUVIVIQ, and expertise in the science of the orexin system, together with Syneos Health’s robust customer-facing sales expertise and proven track record in launching new products.
In the US, Syneos Health has switched to 20 virtual sales reps, operating with a data driven, highly targeted call plan, instead of the around 100 field force sales reps we had before. Syneos is now also executing marketing, focused digital media, data analytics and market access activities in support of the virtual representatives.
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In 2022, Idorsia and Simcere entered into an exclusive licensing agreement for Idorsia’s daridorexant in China. Under the agreement, Simcere has an exclusive right to develop and commercialize daridorexant in the Greater China region (Mainland China, Hong Kong, and Macau), one of the world's largest pharmaceutical markets.
Simcere is responsible for the local development program with Chinese patients. Simcere successfully commercializes Sanbexin for acute ischemic stroke and daridorexant will expand Simcere’s pipeline of Central Nervous System (CNS) products in China.
According to the terms of the agreement, Idorsia received a US$ 30 million upfront payment.
In June 2025, Simcere received approval for QUVIVIQ® (daridorexant) from the Chinese National Medical Products Administration for the treatment of adult patients with insomnia characterized by difficulty falling asleep and/or maintaining sleep, with no psychotropic drug control labeling. In addition, the parties reached an agreement to update the terms of the licensing agreement for QUVIVIQ in China. Under the updated terms of the agreement, Idorsia received an approval milestone payment of USD 50 million, and will be eligible to commercial milestone payments of up to USD 93 million, and low- to high-single-digit tiered royalties on future net sales.
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In 2023, Idorsia sold its Asia Pacific (ex-China) operations – including select license rights to products – to Nxera Pharma for a total consideration of CHF 400 million.
The transaction includes the acquisition by Nxera Pharma of Idorsia’s affiliates in Japan and South Korea, the assignment of the license for PIVLAZ (clazosentan) for the territory, and a co-exclusive license for daridorexant for the territory and the assignment of all potential milestones in connection with the co-exclusive license of daridorexant granted to Mochida Pharmaceutical. The transaction also includes an option for Nxera Pharma – upon payment of separate option fees – to license lucerastat for the development and commercialization in the territory.
Territory: Australia, Brunei, Cambodia, Indonesia, Japan, Laos, Malaysia, Myanmar, New Zealand, Philippines, Singapore, South Korea, Thailand, Taiwan, and Vietnam.
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Owkin has a global license to develop and commercialize ACT-1002-4391, Idorsia’s novel, potent EP2/EP4 receptor antagonist with antitumor efficacy, to be used both as monotherapy and in combination with other oncology agents. The compound is in preparation for Phase 1 clinical pharmacology studies. Owkin will use its proprietary AI-based data-mining platform to generate clinical trial designs and to identify patients who may benefit from, and potential targets for, the compound.
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Through a commercial partnership with Menarini in France, Idorsia expanded its commercial reach for QUVIVIQ™ (daridorexant) from specialist prescribers to general practitioners (GPs) in October 2024, which has substantially increased sales quarter on quarter with France being one of the main drivers of sales growth in the EUCAN region.
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Idorsia is expanding its commercial reach for QUVIVIQ™ (daridorexant) from specialist prescribers to general practitioners (GPs) through a commercial partnership with Berlin-Chemie (a wholly owned subsidiary of the Menarini Group) beginning in early April 2025.
