Nxera To Receive $4.8M From Centessa For Progress On OX2R Agonist ORX142 Targeting Brain Disorders

Nxera Pharma has announced it will receive $4.8 million in milestone payments from its partner, Centessa Pharmaceuticals. These payments follow Centessa’s initiation of clinical development for ORX142, a highly selective orexin receptor 2 (OX2R) agonist, after the U.S. FDA cleared its Investigational New Drug (IND) application for a Phase 1 trial in healthy volunteers.

ORX142 is being developed to treat neurological and neurodegenerative disorders and marks Centessa’s second OX2R agonist program. The Phase 1 study will focus on evaluating its safety and pharmacological profile in humans for the first time.

As part of the financial arrangement, Nxera will recognize $1.8 million in revenue for Q2 2025 for the IND clearance and $3.0 million in Q3 2025 upon clinical trial initiation. These milestone revenues highlight Nxera's successful ongoing partnership with Centessa and its presence in advancing neurotherapeutic innovation.