Windward Bio, a Swiss biotech startup, has secured $165 million in financing to push a drug candidate into Phase 3 testing for asthma. The company licensed two experimental medicines from Chinese partners while also maintaining an internal discovery team.
The funding underscores a growing trend of Western biotechs leveraging China's drug development pipeline. Windward Bio's lead asset, originally discovered in China, targets a severe form of asthma with limited treatment options.
The $165 million figure was disclosed by the company, with no further breakdown of investors or tranches provided. The Phase 3 trial design and timeline have not been specified.
If successful, the therapy could address a significant unmet need in respiratory medicine. However, the drug must clear regulatory hurdles and demonstrate efficacy in a large patient population.
No independent experts commented on the funding or drug's potential in the source material, leaving questions about its differentiation from existing treatments unanswered.