Kodiak Sciences Eye Drug Meets Main Goal in Late Stage Study

Shares of Kodiak Sciences Inc. jumped 52% before the market opened on Thursday following news that its experimental drug, Zenkuda, achieved its primary goal in a late-stage study. The trial focused on patients with diabetic retinopathy, a condition caused by damage to the blood vessels in the retina that can result in significant vision loss. In the clinical trial, 62.5% of patients treated with Zenkuda saw at least a two-step improvement on a standard retinopathy severity scale after 48 weeks. This stands in sharp contrast to the 3.3% improvement observed in the sham treatment group. Additionally, the drug was linked to an 85% lower risk of developing severe complications, such as proliferative diabetic retinopathy. In a statement regarding the clinical findings, the company noted: > Zenkuda was well tolerated, with the study reporting no cases of vision-threatening conditions such as inflammation of blood vessels or the eye. Zenkuda is designed as a long-acting treatment that inhibits a protein responsible for the growth of abnormal blood vessels in the eye. The company observed consistent results across patient groups, including those using GLP-1 medications. Following the successful trial, the developer intends to expedite its application for approval with the Food and Drug Administration in the United States.