Boehringer Ingelheim has turned down its chance to license Nxera Pharma’s phase 2-ready schizophrenia drug candidate, depriving the Japanese drugmaker of a 60 million euro ($70 million) option payment.
Germany’s Boehringer paid Nxera, which was then called Sosei Heptares, 25 million euros in 2024 for an exclusive option on a portfolio of GPR52 agonists. Because GPR52 is expressed in multiple parts of the brain, Boehringer and Nxera identified the receptor as a target that could replicate benefits of existing dopaminergic drugs while enhancing cognition.
Nxera put the idea to the test in phase 1a/1b studies of its lead GPR52 agonist NXE’149. While Nxera said clinical data on endpoints such as cognitive assessments, neurophysiological measures and peripheral biomarkers showed promise, Boehringer has turned down its option to license the candidate.
The biotech said Boehringer gave no further information. Boehringer began the year with the failure of another schizophrenia asset in a phase 3 program. The German company retains an interest in mental health conditions, although only one program—a prescription digital therapeutic for schizophrenia—has moved beyond phase 1.
Boehringer’s decision not to add NXE’149 to the pipeline frees it from a 60 million euro option payment and from further milestones that could have totaled 670 million euros. Nxera has regained full rights to NXE’149, other GPR52 agonists and all data and intellectual property generated under the collaboration.
The biotech plans to use the resources to attract a new partner. Nxera said it will explore opportunities, including an out-licensing process, with the goal of partnering NXE’149 with a major pharma company or specialist neuroscience business in 2026.
NXE’149 is one of two candidates Nxera plans to shop around next year. The biotech hung a for-sale sign on an EP4 agonist program in inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) last month. Having concluded the cost and complexity of IBD trials are better suited to other companies, Nxera outlined plans to round out its phase 1 data package in anticipation of talking to potential partners in January.
Nxera disclosed its intent to offload the IBD program as part of its R&D pivot to obesity, metabolic and endocrine disorders. The biotech shared plans to lay off 15% of its staff, including three of its 10 leaders, as part of the pivot and push to achieve its 2030 sales and profitability targets.