Vanda Pharmaceuticals (Nasdaq: VNDA) has announced a sponsorship deal placing its NEREUS brand on Mick Schumacher’s No. 47 car in the NTT IndyCar Series.
The pharmaceutical firm will serve as primary sponsor for four of the seven remaining races of the season with Rahal Letterman Lanigan Racing.
NEREUS, known generically as tradipitant, is the first new prescription medication approved for the prevention of motion-induced vomiting in 47 years.
The choice of the No. 47 car is deliberately symbolic, aligning the sponsorship with the 47-year gap since the last regulatory approval of a motion sickness treatment in the United States.
Schumacher and the No. 47 Honda will carry NEREUS branding beginning at the Borchetta Bourbon Music Grand Prix in Nashville before continuing at Portland, Washington D.C., and Monterey.
Mihael H. Polymeropoulos, M.D., President, CEO and Chairman of the Board of Vanda, said the deal carries deeper meaning beyond mere brand exposure.
“Partnering with the No. 47 car perfectly captures this historic moment and our shared commitment to performance under challenging conditions,” said Polymeropoulos.
NEREUS is an oral NK-1 receptor antagonist that received FDA approval for the prevention of vomiting induced by motion in adults, representing a significant pharmacological advance.
The drug works as a selective NK-1 receptor antagonist, offering patients a modern alternative in a therapeutic category that had seen no new approved treatments for over four decades.
Vanda has been broadening its marketing footprint across multiple sports, with existing involvement spanning the ATP, NHL, NBA, WNBA, college basketball, and regional sports networks.
The IndyCar partnership represents the company’s first foray into motorsport, adding a high-profile and fast-growing sporting arena to its promotional portfolio.
Rahal Letterman Lanigan Racing has been a notable presence in the NTT IndyCar Series, and Schumacher’s No. 47 entry has attracted a series of new commercial partners throughout the current season.
Vanda describes itself as a global biopharmaceutical company focused on developing and commercialising innovative therapies targeting high unmet medical needs for patients worldwide.