Nektar Therapeutics Reports New Data on Rezpegaldesleukin Efficacy

Nektar Therapeutics announced at the European Academy of Dermatology and Venereology (EADV) Congress 2026 in Vienna, Austria, that new long-term data for the drug candidate rezpegaldesleukin are being presented. The findings relate to two dermatological indications: alopecia areata and atopic dermatitis.

In patients with alopecia areata, rezpegaldesleukin demonstrated durable and deepening efficacy after one year of treatment. Following treatment cessation at 52 weeks, 75% of patients maintained a SALT Score ≤20 response four months after stopping treatment. At six months, 63% maintained the same response. Furthermore, hair regrowth continued to deepen in 19% of patients during the six-month off-treatment follow-up period, compared to 7% at the end of treatment.

Nektar Therapeutics is initiating the third Phase 3 study within the global ZENITH AD program, expanding the program to include patients with atopic dermatitis who have previously been treated. The company also plans to initiate the ZENITH AA study in early 2027, focusing on patients with severe to very severe alopecia areata.

Rezpegaldesleukin's mechanism of action targets regulatory T cells (Tregs), and the company believes it may offer a new approach to managing conditions like alopecia areata and atopic dermatitis. The pharmaceutical company will host a conference call for investors and analysts to discuss the findings.