Basel-based Windward Bio has closed a USD 165 million crossover financing round to advance its pipeline of long-acting antibody therapies targeting serious immunological diseases, including asthma, COPD, and atopic dermatitis.
OrbiMed led the round, with new investors RA Capital Management, Janus Henderson Investors, Sanofi Ventures, and Harbour BioMed joining existing Series A backers Novo Holdings, Blue Owl Healthcare Opportunities, SR One, Omega Funds, RTW Investments, Qiming Venture Partners, Quan Capital, and Pivotal bioVenture Partners. The company said proceeds will extend its cash runway and support multiple clinical readouts over the next 12 months. With this round, Windward Bio has raised a total of USD 365 million since launching in January 2025.
The company's lead candidate, WIN378, is a fully human monoclonal antibody targeting thymic stromal lymphopoietin (TSLP), a cytokine involved in the initiation of inflammatory cascades across multiple immunological conditions. WIN378 has been engineered for half-life extension, enabling a twice-yearly subcutaneous dosing regimen. Phase I data previously confirmed the extended half-life profile, a low rate of antidrug antibodies, and tolerability up to the highest dose tested. WIN378 is currently being evaluated in the POLARIS Phase II/III asthma study, with the Phase II dose-ranging component fully recruited and initial data expected in the second half of 2026. A Phase II study in COPD is anticipated to begin in Q2 2026, and the first Phase III study is expected to initiate in Q4 2026. Windward Bio holds global rights to WIN378, excluding Greater China and several Southeast and West Asian countries, under a license from Kelun-Biotech and Harbour BioMed.