Idorsia collaborates with Pharmalink to bring insomnia treatments to Gulf markets

MEA—Swiss biopharmaceutical company Idorsia has entered into an exclusive distribution agreement with Pharmalink Drug Store to bring its innovative insomnia medication Quviviq (daridorexant) to five Gulf markets.

The deal covers Kuwait, Oman, Qatar, Bahrain, and the United Arab Emirates, marking a significant expansion of the therapy’s regional availability.

Agreement structure and terms

Under the partnership terms, Idorsia will receive an upfront payment while maintaining control of marketing authorisations across all five countries.

Once local regulatory bodies approve the medication, Idorsia will supply the finished product to Pharmalink at a predetermined price.

Pharmalink will then assume responsibility for sales, promotional activities, and distribution throughout the designated territories.

How Quviviq works

Quviviq represents a novel approach to treating insomnia through its mechanism as a dual orexin receptor antagonist, discovered and developed by Idorsia.

The medication works by selectively blocking orexin signalling, a brain pathway that regulates wakefulness.

Unlike traditional sleep medications that suppress overall brain activity, daridorexant specifically targets the wake-promoting system.

This targeted approach aims to facilitate restorative sleep throughout the night while minimising morning grogginess and supporting improved daytime performance.

Clinical evidence

Research published in The Lancet Neurology demonstrated the medication’s effectiveness across multiple sleep parameters.

Patients taking daridorexant at 25mg and 50mg doses experienced significant improvements compared to placebo in three key areas: how quickly they fell asleep, their ability to stay asleep through the night, and their self-reported total sleep duration.

The 50 mg dose achieved an additional milestone by producing statistically significant improvements in daytime functioning compared to placebo, addressing insomnia as a round-the-clock condition rather than merely a nighttime problem.

Global market presence

Idorsia currently markets Quviviq directly in several major markets, including European countries, the United States, and Canada.

Through strategic partnerships similar to the Pharmalink agreement, the medication has already reached patients in China, Hong Kong, Japan, and various Latin American markets.

The Gulf region collaboration represents the latest chapter in the company’s international expansion strategy.

Leadership perspective

Idorsia CEO Srishti Gupta expressed enthusiasm about the collaboration, describing Pharmalink as a leading healthcare provider that aligns with the company’s ambitious growth objectives for Quviviq across the UAE and neighbouring Gulf states.

Gupta emphasised confidence that the partnership will expand patient access to what the company positions as the only insomnia medication clinically proven to improve daytime functioning while treating the disorder as a 24-hour condition.

 The agreement positions both companies to address unmet medical needs in the Gulf region’s insomnia treatment landscape.