{
  "id": 19847498,
  "title": "Zai Lab Advances Atopic Dermatitis Candidate Toward Potential Quarterly Maintenance Dosing",
  "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/11/13/zai-lab-advances-atopic-dermatitis-candidate-toward-potential",
  "topic": "finance",
  "section": "Finance & Markets",
  "published": "2026-11-13T18:02:16.000Z",
  "source": {
    "name": "Benzinga",
    "slug": "benzinga",
    "url": "https://www.benzinga.com/markets/biotech/26/11/63257814/zai-lab-advances-atopic-dermatitis-candidate-toward-potential-quarterly-maintenance-dosing"
  },
  "original_language": "en",
  "account": "Zai Lab Limited (NASDAQ: ZLAB) has reported promising preliminary results from its first-in-human Phase 1/1b clinical trial of ZL-1503, a bispecific antibody designed to treat moderate-to-severe atopic dermatitis. The trial involved 48 healthy volunteers and demonstrated that ZL-1503 rapidly and sustainably inhibited the IL-13 pathway, with a single dose of 200 mg or higher reducing phosphorylated STAT6, a key signaling biomarker for atopic dermatitis, by at least 90% through Week 12. The treatment also lowered levels of other inflammatory biomarkers such as TARC, CCL26, and IgE. The study evaluated doses ranging from 50 mg to 1,000 mg in a randomized, double-blind setup.\n\nPharmacokinetic assessments showed dose-proportional exposure and an extended half-life of approximately 40 to 50 days for ZL-1503, nearly doubling the half-life of several existing anti-IL-13 and anti-IL-31 biologics. This extended half-life supports the potential for once-every-12-week maintenance dosing, a significant advantage over current treatments. Participants tolerated ZL-1503 well, with no serious adverse events, dose-limiting toxicities, or detectable anti-drug antibodies observed up to the data cutoff. The majority of treatment-emergent adverse events were mild and attributed to study procedures or unrelated illnesses, leading to no interruptions in study drug administration.\n\nZai Lab's innovative serum half-life extension technology targets both IL-13 and IL-31 receptor alpha. While IL-13 is responsible for type 2 inflammation and tissue remodeling, IL-31 triggers itch and amplifies local immune responses. Preclinical studies conducted earlier this year indicated that ZL-1503 provided rapid itch relief and significantly reduced inflammation in animal models. Zai Lab plans to further evaluate multiple ascending doses of ZL-1503 in adults with moderate-to-severe atopic dermatitis and anticipates releasing Part B cohort data in the first half of 2027. Additionally, the company has completed enrolling participants in an intravenous-to-subcutaneous bioavailability bridging study, with initial Phase 1 results expected in 2027. As of the report's publication, ZLAB shares were trading down 6.84% at $24.26.",
  "summary": "Zai Lab Limited (NASDAQ:ZLAB) reported preliminary results from the first-in-human portion of its global Phase 1/1b clinical trial evaluating ZL-1503, an investigational bispecific antibody for moderate-to-severe atopic dermatitis. Strong Biomarker Inhibition And Extended Half-Life Data from 48 healthy volunteers showed that ZL-1503 rapidly and sustainably blocked the IL-13 pathway. A single dose…",
  "key_points": [],
  "editors_take": null,
  "illustration": null,
  "coverage": {
    "outlets": 1,
    "also_reported_by": []
  },
  "ai_generated": true,
  "disclaimer": "Summaries, key points and the editor’s take are written by software from other outlets’ reporting and may contain errors — always check the linked original."
}