Teva released 24-week Phase Ib data for its anti-IL-15 antibody in vitiligo and plans a Phase 2b study. The drug targets a novel mechanism in a market with few options.
Teva Pharmaceutical Industries on Wednesday released 24-week efficacy results from a Phase Ib trial of its anti-IL-15 antibody in vitiligo. The company said it plans to advance the drug into a Phase 2b study. The slide deck, published alongside the event, outlined the trial design and the planned next phase.
Vitiligo is an autoimmune condition that causes skin depigmentation. It affects roughly 1% of the global population. Current treatment options include topical steroids and JAK inhibitors. Incyte's Opzelura, a topical JAK inhibitor, was approved in the U.S. for nonsegmental vitiligo in 2022. Teva's antibody targets IL-15, a cytokine that helps maintain memory T cells in the skin. By blocking IL-15, the drug aims to reduce the autoimmune attack on melanocytes without broad immune suppression. IL-15 is a cytokine that supports the survival of memory T cells. In vitiligo, these T cells attack melanocytes. Teva's antibody aims to deplete the pathogenic T cells while leaving the rest of the immune system intact. This approach targets the disease more specifically than JAK inhibitors, which broadly suppress cytokine signaling.
The Phase Ib trial enrolled patients with moderate to severe nonsegmental vitiligo. Patients received the antibody every four weeks for 24 weeks. Teva did not disclose specific numeric results in the slide deck. The company said the 24-week readout supported dose selection and trial design for Phase 2b. Teva expects to start the Phase 2b study in early 2027. The Phase 2b study will test multiple doses over 52 weeks. The primary endpoint will be the proportion of patients achieving at least 50% improvement in the Vitiligo Area Scoring Index. The study will take multiple years to complete.
For Teva, the program represents a bet beyond its core generic and specialty drug business. The company's innovative pipeline includes this antibody, a biosimilar portfolio, and central nervous system drugs. Success in vitiligo would open a new revenue stream in a market with limited treatment options. The global vitiligo treatment market was valued at roughly $2 billion in 2025. Newer therapies are expected to drive growth.
Competition is a risk. Incyte's Opzelura has a head start. Other companies, including Pfizer and AbbVie, are developing oral JAK inhibitors. Teva's antibody targets a different mechanism. Phase 2b data are still a year or more away.
Teva has been focusing on its core generics business while investing in innovative drugs. The anti-IL-15 antibody is one of several early-stage assets. Others include a treatment for schizophrenia and a biosimilar of Stelara. Teva has said these drugs are part of its long-term growth strategy.
Teva carries an Alpha Score of 63 out of 100, a Moderate rating. More details are on the TEVA stock page. The stock trades at a discount to large-cap pharma peers, partly due to its debt load and the overhang from U.S. opioid litigation. Teva has been working to reduce its debt and has reached settlements in most opioid cases. The company's immediate focus is on the trial launch.
The company said it expects to initiate the Phase 2b study in early 2027. The next milestone is the first patient dosed in Phase 2b.
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