Nektar Therapeutics announced on March 28 new results from its Phase 2b REZOLVE-AD and REZOLVE-AA studies of rezpegaldesleukin, presented at the 2026 American Academy of Dermatology Annual Meeting in Denver.
The data is significant for patients with moderate-to-severe atopic dermatitis and severe alopecia areata, as it shows statistically significant improvements in disease severity scores. These findings could influence future treatment options for people living with autoimmune and inflammatory skin diseases.
During the conference, Dr. Raj Chovatiya presented results from the global Phase 2b REZOLVE-AD study involving 393 patients with moderate-to-severe atopic dermatitis. The study found that “the consistency of EASI responses with rezpegaldesleukin across baseline disease severity further differentiates it from the standard of care biologic treatment, which can have lower response rates in more severe patients as compared to moderate patients,” said Raj Chovatiya. He added, “We believe its novel agonist mechanism to expand regulatory T cells, which act as master regulators upstream of the cytokine-specific blockade mechanisms of other biologics to address multiple pathways, allows a potentially more consistent improvement across a broader patient population.” Nektar plans to begin a Phase 3 ZENITH-AD program for this drug in the second quarter of 2026.
Dr. David Rosmarin also presented late-breaking data from the REZOLVE-AA study in severe-to-very-severe alopecia areata. High-dose rezpegaldesleukin showed greater reductions in Severity of Alopecia Tool (SALT) scores compared to placebo after 36 weeks. “The clear activity of rezpegaldesleukin in alopecia areata builds on prior results in atopic dermatitis and reinforces the broader potential of this approach across T cell-driven inflammatory diseases,” said David Rosmarin. He continued, “I look forward to the upcoming results from the 16-week treatment extension to evaluate the potential for a deepening of SALT response over time.”
Rezpegaldesleukin targets immune system imbalances by stimulating regulatory T cells through activation of interleukin-2 receptors. In February and July 2025, it received Fast Track designation from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration for both moderate-to-severe atopic dermatitis and severe alopecia areata respectively.
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Nektar stated that further research will continue into their pipeline therapies targeting autoimmune conditions.
