RTW Biotech Opportunities (RTW) has announced that it has made a new investment in series A fundraising of Windward Bio, a Swiss private, clinical-stage drug development company committed to improving outcomes for people living with advanced immunological diseases with an initial focus on severe respiratory conditions. The Series A round raised US$200m in funds which RTW says will support the advancement of two undisclosed programs through Investigational New Drug (IND)-enabling studies.
RTW says that that Windward has entered into an agreement to license WIN378 from Hong Kong-listed Kelun-Biotech and Harbour BioMed for global rights, excepting China and select smaller markets in Asia, adding that Winward is preparing to begin a phase 2 trial investigating WIN378 in severe asthma with initial clinical readouts expected in 2026. It also adds that clinical trials are planned in asthma and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), aiming to address unmet needs in approximately 5 million advanced, uncontrolled patients in the US, Europe, and Japan.
Adding to Umoja Biopharma
Separately, RTW has announced that it has made an additional investment in the series C financing round of Umoja Biopharma, a clinical-stage biotechnology company aiming to develop in vivo cell therapies that improve the reach, effectiveness, and access of CAR T cell therapies in oncology and autoimmune treatments. RTW says that the Series C was oversubscribed and raised US$100 million in proceeds which will be used to advance Umoja’s in vivo CAR T cell therapy pipeline, including its lead CD22 UB-VV400 program in multiple oncology and autoimmune clinical studies.
Comments from, Roderick Wong, Managing Partner and CIO of RTW’s investment manager
On Winward Bio, Wong says “We are thrilled to support the seasoned team at Windward Bio in the development of their pipeline and particularly WIN378, a next-generation TSLP therapy, which has the potential to improve convenience and treatment outcomes for patients with severe respiratory diseases ”
Commenting on Umoja Biopharma, Wong had the following to say “We are delighted to continue supporting Umoja in advancing their groundbreaking work on in vivo CAR T cell therapies. The potential to meaningfully impact on patients’ lives is significant, and we are excited for the multiple benefits that could result from this innovative and exciting pipeline of therapies.”