Sobi Acquires Arthrosi Therapeutics in $1.5B Deal, Expanding Gout Treatment Pipeline
Swedish pharmaceutical company Sobi has announced its acquisition of California-based Arthrosi Therapeutics in a deal valued at up to $1.5 billion. The move significantly bolsters Sobi's presence in the gout treatment market and adds a promising late-stage drug candidate to its pipeline.
Deal Structure and Financial Details
Sobi will pay $950 million upfront in cash for Arthrosi, with the potential for an additional $550 million in milestone payments tied to clinical, regulatory, and sales achievements. The transaction, expected to close in the first half of 2026, will be primarily funded through debt. Sobi anticipates that the acquisition will be "highly accretive" to its mid- and long-term growth.
Pozdeutinurad: A Next-Generation Gout Treatment
The centerpiece of the acquisition is pozdeutinurad (AR882), Arthrosi's lead drug candidate. Pozdeutinurad is a next-generation, once-daily oral URAT1 inhibitor currently in Phase III clinical trials for progressive and tophaceous gout. The drug has shown promising results in earlier studies:
- In Phase II trials, a 50 mg dose of pozdeutinurad lowered serum uric acid levels to below 5 mg/dL in 93% of patients, compared to 11% for allopurinol and 33% for febuxostat.
- A higher 75 mg dose demonstrated even greater efficacy, suppressing uric acid to below 4 mg/dL in 88% of treated patients.
Sobi CEO Guido Oelkers expressed optimism about the drug's potential, stating, "Pozdeutinurad has the potential to become the therapy of choice for patients who have progressive gout with persistent and unresolved symptoms despite first-line therapy."
Market Landscape and Competition
The acquisition comes amid growing interest in the gout treatment market, with several companies developing URAT1 inhibitors:
- Crystalys Therapeutics, backed by Novo Nordisk, launched in September 2025 with $205 million in series A funding to advance dotinurad, another oral URAT1 inhibitor.
- Chinese biotech Atom Therapeutics reported positive Phase IIb/III results for its URAT1 blocker lingdolinurad in September 2025.
These developments highlight the competitive landscape in gout treatment, with pharmaceutical companies seeking to improve upon existing therapies like allopurinol and febuxostat.
The Sobi-Arthrosi deal represents a significant consolidation in the gout treatment space and underscores the potential value of next-generation URAT1 inhibitors in addressing this common form of arthritis affecting millions worldwide.
References
- Sobi Makes $1.5B Gout Play With Arthrosi Acquisition
For $950 million upfront, Sobi will gain ownership to pozdeutinurad, an oral URAT1 inhibitor that performed well in Phase II studies.
- Sobi pays $950M upfront to snap up phase 3 gout specialist Arthrosi Therapeutics
Fresh off a $153 million series E round, Arthrosi Therapeutics is skipping an IPO route and is instead being bought up for a potential value of $1.5 billion from Swedish biopharma Sobi.
- Sobi snaps up gout drug in $950M deal for startup Arthrosi
The deal revolves around a drug Sobi claimed could become the “therapy of choice” for people whose gout symptoms persist despite initial therapy.
Explore Further
What are the clinical data and efficacy results of pozdeutinurad compared to other URAT1 inhibitors like dotinurad and lingdolinurad?
What are the key terms of the $1.5 billion acquisition deal, including milestone payment conditions and funding sources?
How does the acquisition of Arthrosi Therapeutics position Sobi in the competitive gout treatment market?
What are the highlights and advantages of pozdeutinurad compared to existing therapies such as allopurinol and febuxostat?
Are there other competitors currently pursuing similar BD transactions in the gout treatment space?