Nxera Pharma

About Nxera Pharma

In 1990, Shinichi Tamura founded Sosei Group with a vision to create Japan's first global biotechnology champion. The company initially grew by developing and commercializing drugs, generating revenue through partnerships and royalties. A significant turning point came in 2015 when Sosei acquired Heptares Therapeutics, a UK-based biotech firm. This acquisition, valued at up to $400 million, was transformative, bringing in world-class drug discovery capabilities centered on G protein-coupled receptors (GPCRs), a critical family of protein targets for new medicines. Heptares was co-founded in 2007 by scientists Richard Henderson and Chris Tate to commercialize their pioneering technology for stabilizing GPCRs, enabling the design of more effective and selective drugs. The combination created a global biopharmaceutical group with a robust pipeline and a powerful technology platform. Sosei wisely kept the successful Heptares R&D operations in the UK as a wholly owned subsidiary, preserving its innovative culture. This strategic move allowed the company to accelerate development in key areas like neurology, immunology, and metabolic diseases. Building on this momentum, the company completed another major acquisition in 2023, buying Idorsia's operations in Japan and South Korea. To reflect its evolution into an integrated, technology-powered global entity, Sosei Group officially changed its name to Nxera Pharma in March 2024, signaling its ambition to lead the next era of medicine.