On September 6, 2023, Idorsia Ltd announced that it has entered into an agreement with Janssen Biotech Inc., one of the Janssen Pharmaceutical Companies of Johnson & Johnson, for the return of worldwide rights for aprocitentan to Idorsia. Aprocitentan is an oral, dual endothelin receptor antagonist currently under review with health authorities for the treatment of patients with resistant hypertension. In return, Idorsia is committed to pay up to 306 million Swiss francs, or about $343 million, subject to marketing application approval by the U.S. FDA and Europe’s EMA. Wilson Sonsini Goodrich & Rosati represented Idorsia in the transaction.

Janssen funding obligations to aprocitentan cease at the effective date of the agreement. Janssen licenses to aprocitentan IP (excluding pulmonary hypertension) will terminate and Janssen will transfer the brand name and relating commercial materials to Idorsia. Janssen will retain licenses in the pulmonary hypertension field. The agreement also eliminates the revenue-sharing agreement in respect to ponesimod. The agreement will be effective following receipt of the clearance relating to the United States Hart-Scott Rodino Antitrust Improvements Act of 1976.

The Wilson Sonsini team advising Idorsia in the transaction includes:

Technology Transactions - Biotech
John Wehrli
Norm Hovijitra
Magnus Gan
Taylor Arterburn

Antitrust
Todd Hahn
Kimberley Biagioli

Business Advisory
Matthew Meyer

For more information, please see Idorsia’s press release.