Major Biotech Deal: Sobi Acquires Arthrosi in Transaction Valued Up to $1.5 Billion
Acquisition Strengthens Gout Treatment Portfolio with Late-Stage Asset
On December 15, 2025, Swedish Orphan Biovitrum AB (Sobi), a global biopharma company based in Stockholm, announced that it has entered into an agreement to acquire Arthrosi Therapeutics, Inc., a company that was initially invested in and incubated by Viva Biotech Holdings.
Financial Details and Continuing Cooperation
The total transaction value Sobi has agreed to pay can reach up to $1.5 billion. This includes an upfront payment of $950 million upon closing, and up to $550 million in contingent payments based on the achievement of regulatory and performance milestones. The closing of the acquisition is anticipated to occur in the first half of 2026.
Viva Biotech expects the merger to result in an aggregate gain of approximately $40.0 million, the final amount of which is contingent upon the fulfillment of regulatory and performance milestones. Furthermore, Arthrosi has established a new Statement of Work (SOW) with Langhua Pharmaceutical, the Contract Development and Manufacturing Organization (CDMO) unit of Viva Biotech, for the supply of active pharmaceutical ingredient (API), signaling continued business collaboration.
Product Strategy and Technological Value
Arthrosi Therapeutics is a late-stage biotechnology company focused on developing pozdeutinurad (AR882), a potentially best-in-class, highly potent, and selective next-generation oral URAT1 inhibitor. Pozdeutinurad is designed to reduce serum urate (sUA) levels, mitigate gout flares, and dissolve tophi in patients with progressive and tophaceous gout.
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Pipeline Expansion: The acquisition of pozdeutinurad significantly strengthens Sobi’s gout franchise. Pozdeutinurad is currently being evaluated in two fully recruited global Phase 3 clinical studies, with results expected to be available in 2026.
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Market Potential: Sobi positions pozdeutinurad to potentially become the preferred therapy for patients with progressive gout who exhibit persistent symptoms despite receiving first-line treatments. Sobi’s CEO, Guido Oelkers, noted the product’s potential to substantially accelerate the company’s growth until the mid-2030s and beyond.
Dr. Han Dai, Chief Innovation Officer of Viva BioInnovator, praised Arthrosi reaching this acquisition milestone as a dual realization of industrial and clinical value, further validating the efficacy of Viva Biotech’s investment and industry empowerment model within the global innovative drug sector.
