Here's something you don't see every day: a genuinely new drug for motion sickness. Vanda Pharmaceuticals Inc. (VNDA) got FDA approval in December for Nereus (tradipitant), which prevents motion-induced vomiting and represents the first fresh pharmacologic option in this space in more than four decades. That's right—the last time we got a new motion sickness drug, disco was still a thing.
Analysts are taking notice. HC Wainwright's Raghuram Selvaraju bumped his price target from $20 to $22 while keeping a Buy rating. B Riley Securities analyst Madison El-Saadi stayed at Buy but raised her forecast from $11 to $14. Cantor Fitzgerald's Olivia Brayer maintained an Outperform rating with an $11 target, and Jefferies analyst Andrew Tsai, holding at Hold, lifted his price target to $7.50 from $5.
The Clinical Data That Got Everyone's Attention
The approval rests on three solid trials, including two Phase 3 studies that literally put people on boats—Motion Syros and Motion Serifos. Both enrolled participants with documented histories of motion sickness, so we're talking about people who actually suffer from this problem.
In Motion Syros with 365 participants, Nereus delivered vomiting rates of 18.3-19.5% versus 44.3% for placebo. Motion Serifos enrolled 316 people and showed vomiting rates of 10.4-18.3% with Nereus compared to 37.7% for placebo. That translates to risk reductions exceeding 50-70%, which is pretty compelling when you're trying to enjoy a boat trip without losing your lunch.
Throughout the pivotal program, Nereus demonstrated consistent reductions in vomiting episodes and maintained a favorable safety profile suitable for acute use.
The GLP-1 Connection
Here's where things get interesting. In November 2025, Vanda released data from a controlled trial exploring whether tradipitant could tackle GLP-1-induced nausea and vomiting—you know, the side effects that plague many people taking weight loss drugs like Wegovy. The results showed 29% of tradipitant-treated participants (17 out of 58) experienced vomiting versus 58.6% on placebo (34 out of 58), representing a 50% relative reduction.
What Analysts Are Really Thinking
Selvaraju from HC Wainwright sees the motion sickness approval as potentially just the opening act, writing that "the approval may signal only the beginning of a sea change in regulatory perception of this agent, which also has applicability in two much more lucrative markets."
El-Saadi at B Riley Securities struck a bullish tone Tuesday, noting that "the approval reinforces our view that VNDA represents an ongoing turnaround story with shares still trading at an excessive discount heading into two more potential approvals within the next 12 months."
Cantor Fitzgerald's Brayer expects Vanda to price tradipitant at a premium versus existing over-the-counter products. Pricing is the make-or-break issue here, especially given how cheap OTC alternatives are. To make it somewhat more affordable, the company plans to offer an eight-tablet bottle that Cantor estimates will run above $500.
Jefferies envisions a gradual launch as awareness builds, with contributions from patients who've been waiting for alternatives to existing therapies. Even modest penetration among dissatisfied users or people who currently avoid travel due to motion sickness could drive meaningful sales in theory. But here's the catch: launch adoption hinges on out-of-pocket costs, because Dramamine costs basically nothing.
Price Action: VNDA stock was up 1.25% at $7.97 at last check Tuesday.
