SKB Bio (06990) saw its shares climb more than 3% in Thursday's trading session, reflecting a strong market response to a recent corporate development. As of the latest update, the stock was up 3.35% at HK$480.80, with a trading turnover of HK$253 million.

The upward momentum follows an announcement from the company revealing that its partner, Windward Bio AG (Windward Bio), has published positive interim results from the Phase 2 portion of the POLARIS-1 clinical trial. This study evaluates SKB378/WIN378, a fully human ultra-long-acting monoclonal antibody targeting thymic stromal lymphopoietin (TSLP), as a therapeutic candidate for asthma. The drug features a distinctive binding mechanism designed to effectively suppress TSLP activity, a key driver of airway inflammation.

In addition to the promising Phase 2 data, Windward Bio has already initiated the Phase 3 portion of POLARIS-1. This phase will assess two dose regimens administered semi-annually, with the objective of measuring the annualized asthma exacerbation rate and other critical efficacy endpoints in patients with severe asthma. Looking ahead, Windward Bio has also outlined plans to launch a second Phase 3 study, POLARIS-2, in the first half of 2027. The detailed results from the Phase 2 segment of POLARIS-1 are slated for presentation at an upcoming medical conference.