science

Seltorexant

Seltorexant is a science topic covered in the lgStudy science library. This page brings together a partial reference excerpt, illustrations, worked examples, real-world applications and a short study plan, so you can understand Seltorexant rather than just read about it. In short: Seltorexant, also known by its developmental code names MIN-202 and JNJ-42847922, is an orexin antagonist medication which is under development for the treatment of depression, insomnia, and Alzheimer's disease. It is a selective antagonist of the orexin OX2 receptor (2‑SORA).

Key takeaways

Seltorexant belongs to science; place it in that map before memorising details.
Learn the definition first, then one example that makes the definition concrete.
Connect Seltorexant to a quantity you can measure, compute or draw — that is where exam questions come from.
Reproduce the core statement of Seltorexant from memory before moving on to harder problems.

Reference excerpt

Seltorexant, also known by its developmental code names MIN-202 and JNJ-42847922, is an orexin antagonist medication which is under development for the treatment of depression, insomnia, and Alzheimer's disease. It is a selective antagonist of the orexin OX2 receptor (2‑SORA). The medication is taken orally.

Side effects Seltorexant is reported to be safe and well-tolerated. Side effects of seltorexant observed in clinical trials so far have included somnolence, fatigue, dizziness, headache, abdominal discomfort, and nightmares.

Pharmacology

Pharmacodynamics Seltorexant shows over 100-fold greater binding affinity for the OX2 receptor over the OX1 receptor. This is in contrast to other orexin receptor antagonists like suvorexant, lemborexant, and daridorexant, which are all dual orexin receptor antagonists (DORAs).

Pharmacokinetics Seltorexant has fast absorption with a time to peak levels of 0.3 to 1.5 hours and has a relatively short duration with an elimination half-life of only 2 to 3 hours. No residual effects of the medication were observed 4 hours after daytime administration. The pharmacokinetics of seltorexant are considered to be ideal for sleep induction. Seltorexant is metabolized by the cytochrome P450 enzyme CYP3A4.

Chemistry Seltorexant is a small-molecule compound and is structurally related to other clinically used orexin receptor antagonists.

Research As of October 2025, seltorexant is in phase 3 clinical trials for treatment of major depressive disorder (MDD) and phase 2 trials for treatment of insomnia and Alzheimer's disease. It was also under investigation for the treatment of sleep apnea, but no recent development has been reported for this indication. Seltorexant is under development by Minerva Neurosciences and Johnson & Johnson's Janssen Pharmaceuticals. Seltorexant is being explored at doses of 5 to 80 mg. In the early clinical trials conducted so far, seltorexant has been found to improve depression scores on the Hamilton Depression Rating Scale in people with MDD and to improve sleep onset, total sleep time, time awake after sleep onset, and sleep efficiency in people with MDD and/or insomnia.

See also Orexin receptor antagonist List of investigational antidepressants List of investigational insomnia drugs Vornorexant and fazamorexant (other short-acting orexin antagonists)

References

External links Seltorexant - AdisInsight

Illustrations

Worked examples

Example 1 — a first encounter with Seltorexant

Start with the simplest possible case. Write down what Seltorexant claims or describes in one sentence, then invent the smallest concrete situation in which that sentence is true. In science, the smallest case is usually a single object, a single equation or a single measurement. Check that every symbol or term in your sentence has a meaning in that case.

Example 2 — changing one variable

Take the situation from Example 1 and change exactly one quantity: double it, halve it, or set it to zero. Predict what should happen to Seltorexant before you calculate. Comparing your prediction with the result is the fastest way to find out whether you understand the idea or only the words.

Example 3 — an exam-style question

Typical questions about Seltorexant ask you to (a) state it precisely, (b) apply it to given data, and (c) explain a limitation. Practise writing all three answers in under five minutes; the third part is what separates a full-mark answer from an average one.

Applications of Seltorexant

In research: Seltorexant appears in science research whenever the underlying quantities have to be modelled precisely. Papers usually cite it as a starting assumption and then explore where it breaks down.
In technology and industry: Engineering practice reuses Seltorexant in design rules, simulations and safety margins. Knowing the idea lets you read a specification sheet and understand why the numbers look the way they do.
In the classroom: Seltorexant is common in secondary-school and first-year university syllabi. It links to neighbouring topics Aminopyrimidines, Drugs not assigned an ATC code, Experimental antidepressants, so understanding it makes those chapters shorter.
In everyday life: Look for Seltorexant outside the textbook — in sport, cooking, traffic, electronics or the sky above you. An example you found yourself is remembered far longer than one you were given.

Ask Teacher Smith questions about this articleOpens your AI tutor with a question about “Seltorexant” →

Affiliate

Preply — study more efficiently by working with a personal tutor. 50% off.

How to study Seltorexant in 20 minutes

Read the reference excerpt below once, without taking notes.
Close the page and write down what Seltorexant means in your own words.
Compare your version with the excerpt and mark what you missed.
Work through the three examples above with pen and paper.
Explain Seltorexant out loud to somebody else — or to Teacher Smith in the lgStudy chat.

Frequently asked questions

What is Seltorexant in simple terms?

Why does Seltorexant matter?

Because it connects several science ideas at once: it gives you a definition you can apply, a quantity you can calculate, and a way to check whether a result is plausible.

How should I study Seltorexant?

Read the excerpt, restate it from memory, then work through the examples and applications listed on this page. The five-step study plan above takes about twenty minutes.

What does this page cover?

It gives you a compact reference excerpt plus original lgStudy explanations, examples, applications and study material on Seltorexant.