Nektar reports positive Ph IIb results in alopecia areata

US biotech Nektar Therapeutics (Nasdaq: NKTR) shares increased by 10% in pre-market trading following promising Phase IIb trial results.

The company announced top-line results from the 36-week induction treatment period of the Phase IIb REZOLVE-AA trial of investigational rezpegaldesleukin, a first-in-class interleukin (IL)-2 pathway agonist and regulatory T-cell (Treg) proliferator.

The global Phase IIb study is being conducted in 92 patients with severe-to-very-severe alopecia areata. The primary endpoint was the mean percentage reduction from baseline in the Severity of Alopecia Tool (SALT) score at Week 36. Following 36 weeks, patients who demonstrated hair growth but had not yet reached SALT>20 had the option to continue for an additional 16 weeks of treatment through Week 52 in a blinded extension period. Primary and secondary endpoints were assessed at the end of the 36-week induction treatment period.