Arthritis Drug's $1.4 Billion Promise for German Drugmaker 4SC AG Hinges on Study, Could Present Itself as Pfizer Inc.'s Main Oral RA Competition

4SC AG (VSC) said study results due by the end of next month may help the German biotechnology company secure a licensing deal for its experimental rheumatoid arthritis medicine, Vidofludimus.

4SC needs a partner to fund the last and most expensive round of human trials required for approval, Chief Executive Officer Ulrich Dauer said in an interview. A possible deal hinges on results from a mid-stage clinical trial that are expected by the end of June, Dauer said. He declined to say how many companies Martinsried, Germany-based 4SC is in talks with, saying the number is “more than two but less than 10.”