** Shares of drugmaker Nektar Therapeutics NKTR.O rise 4.15% to $37.94 premarket

** Co says its experimental eczema drug, rezpegaldesleukin, helped patients with moderate-to-severe eczema maintain improvements for a year

** Eczema is a chronic itchy skin condition

** Co says 71% and 83% of patients on the highest monthly and quarterly doses kept symptoms under control; up to 30% saw complete skin clearance

** Says side effects were mostly mild injection‑site reactions, with no new safety issues; 3.5% stopped treatment due to side effects

** Plans larger late-stage studies, aiming for potential approval in 2029; says drug has FDA fast-track status

** NKTR rose ~203% in 2025

(Reporting by Sahil Pandey in Bengaluru)

((Sahil.Pandey@thomsonreuters.com))