At a Glance
- Company: Nektar Therapeutics
- Location: San Francisco, California, USA
- Headline: Shares +50% on 36-week REZOLVE-AD data
- Focus area: Treg-selective IL-2 agonist for atopic dermatitis
- Next steps: Phase 3 trials 2026; BLA filing 2029
What happened?
Nektar Therapeutics announced positive 36-week maintenance data from the REZOLVE-AD phase 2b trial of rezpegaldesleukin (REZPEG) on 10 February 2026. Patients re-randomised to Q4W or Q12W dosing after 16-week induction maintained EASI-75 responses (56-67%) and showed deepening efficacy, with no new safety signals.
Why does it matter?
REZPEG’s Treg-selective mechanism offers durable responses with infrequent dosing versus competitors like Dupixent (biweekly). Maintenance data addresses key investor concerns around relapse post-induction, positioning it as a potential second-line biologic with superior convenience.
Who’s behind it?
Nektar regained full REZPEG rights post-J&J termination; Citi analysts called results “checking all boxes for competitive profile.” Trial enrolled 393 biologic-naïve moderate-to-severe AD patients.
How was it achieved?
REZPEG preferentially expands anti-inflammatory Tregs via pegylated IL-2, sustaining improvements in EASI, vIGA-AD and patient-reported outcomes through maintenance without dose escalation.
What’s next?
Nektar advances to phase 3 (24-week induction) targeting 2029 approval; alopecia areata phase 2b data expected Q1 2026.
What are people saying?
CEO Howard Robin: “Transformative data… phase 3 as quickly as possible.” Citi: “Preferred second-line therapy potential.”