Kodiak Sciences to Present Pipeline Advances and KSI-101 Clinical Data, Including Results from a MESI Cohort in a Tertiary Care Uveitis Practice, at Upcoming Scientific Conferences
Rhea-AI Summary
Kodiak Sciences (Nasdaq: KOD) will present clinical and preclinical advances May 2–7, 2026, at AUS and ARVO, including KSI-101 Week 24 MESI results and an Asian tertiary‑care cohort.
Key disclosed outcomes: 58% of Asian patients achieved ≥15‑letter BCVA gains; mean +17.8 letters at Week 24; CST reduced to <325 µm after one injection; >90% resolved IRF/SRF by Week 8 in APEX.
Positive
- 58% of Asian MESI patients achieved ≥15‑letter BCVA gains
- Mean best‑corrected visual acuity increase of +17.8 letters at Week 24
- Central subfield thickness reduced to 325 µm after one injection
- >90% of APEX patients resolved IRF and SRF by Week 8
- 5 mg and 10 mg doses advanced into actively recruiting Phase 3 PEAK and PINNACLE
Negative
- KSI‑101 remains investigational with no regulatory approval to date
- Phase 3 PEAK and PINNACLE are actively recruiting; pivotal outcomes are pending
News Market Reaction – KOD
In the May 1 session, KOD gained 1.10%, reflecting a mild positive market reaction.
Data tracked by StockTitan Argus on the day of publication.
Key Figures
Previous Conferences,clinical trial Reports
| Date | Event | Sentiment | 24h Move | Catalyst |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sep 02 | KSI-101 conference data | Positive | -4.7% | Announced KSI-101 Phase 1b APEX MESI data presentations at major retina conferences. |
24h Move is the share-price change in the day after each event; other market factors may also have contributed.
Prior same-tag KSI-101 conference/clinical updates saw a negative price reaction despite data-focused, development-oriented messaging.
Over the past several months, Kodiak has highlighted KSI-101 repeatedly at major scientific meetings. A prior Sep 02, 2025 conferences/clinical-trial update on KSI-101 in MESI led to a -4.65% move despite emphasizing its dual mechanism and Phase 1b APEX data. Since then, broader company news has featured positive Phase 3 results for Zenkuda and ongoing late-stage programs. Today’s article extends that history by adding new MESI tertiary-care and Asian cohort data plus broader pipeline and platform details at AUS and ARVO.
Key Terms
macular edema secondary to inflammation medical
bispecific medical
central subfield thickness (cst) medical
bcva medical
tumor necrosis factor-alpha (tnf-α) medical
interleukin-6 (il-6) medical
nlrp3 inflammasome medical
intraocular pressure (iop) medical
AI-generated analysis. How Rhea-AI works. Not financial advice.
- Clinical results of KSI-101 in macular edema secondary to inflammation (MESI) from a tertiary care uveitis practice demonstrate outcomes consistent with results from the
U.S. Phase 1b APEX study, supporting continued global development and expansion of the Phase 3 PEAK and PINNACLE program intoAsia . - Ongoing advancement of bispecific therapies in geographic atrophy and ocular inflammatory disease; preclinical data continue to support a multi-target approach to address limitations of current single-target therapies.
- The ABCD PlatformTM, an evolution of Kodiak's ABC platform to include conjugation of small molecules and other drugs, continues to advance as a versatile system for targeted, multi-modal drug development in retina and glaucoma optic neuropathy.
"Results from a tertiary care uveitis practice were highly consistent with those observed in the
"Our presentations at the American Uveitis Society and the Association for Research in Vision and Ophthalmology showcase both the clinical progress of KSI-101 and the continued advancement of our pipeline molecules and pipeline science," said Victor Perlroth, M.D., Chief Executive Officer of Kodiak Sciences. "We look forward to engaging with colleagues at these conferences as we continue to deepen our science and grow our team."
Presentations at American Uveitis Society –Saturday, May 2, 2026, in
- Format: Oral presentation
- Presentation Title: Bispecific Trap-antibody Inhibiting Interleukin-6 and Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor (KSI-101): Week 24 Results from the Phase 1b APEX Study in Patients with Macular Edema Secondary to Inflammation (MESI)
- Speaker: Dr. Edmund Tsui, M.D., Associate Professor-in-Residence of Ophthalmology, Stein Eye Institute, David Geffen School of Medicine, University of
California ,Los Angeles (UCLA),USA - Time: 7:45pm MT
Presentations at Association for Research in Vision and Ophthalmology – May 3-7, 2026, in
These presentations will be made available under Kodiak's "Scientific Presentations" page on kodiak.com.
Phase 1b APEX Data of KSI-101 in MESI, Including New Data from a Tertiary Care Cohort
KSI-101 is a first-in-class, locally administered, high-strength bispecific protein in clinical development for the treatment of MESI, a heterogeneous group of diseases caused by a common pathophysiology – inflammation and blood-retinal barrier disruption. In the Phase 1b APEX study conducted in
KSI-101 was further evaluated in an Asian clinical cohort. Results from this cohort were consistent with those observed in the
1.Title: Bispecific Trap-Antibody Inhibiting Interleukin-6 and Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor (KSI-101): Clinical PK/PD Cohort in Asian Patients with Macular Edema Secondary to Inflammation (MESI)
Poster Session: Clinical features and treatment outcomes in uveitis
Date and Time: Monday, May 4, 11:15-1:00pm MT
Poster Number: 1568-0229
Speaker: Dr. Yih-Shiou Hwang, M.D., Ph.D., Professor and Head of Ophthalmology, Chang Gung Memorial Hospital, Linkou,
We will present first-time results from a clinical cohort of Asian patients with MESI treated at tertiary uveitis centers in
2.Title: Bispecific Trap-Antibody Inhibiting Interleukin-6 and Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor (KSI-101): Phase 1b APEX Study in Patients with Macular Edema Secondary to Inflammation (MESI)
Poster Session: Translational uveitis research and quality-of-life in uveitis
Date and Time: Wednesday, May 6, 2026; 10:15-12:00pm MT
Poster Number: 4282-0552
Speaker: Dr. Shawn C. Kavoussi, M.D., Texas Retina Center,
In the Phase 1b APEX study over 24 weeks in patients with MESI, KSI-101 demonstrated robust and consistent anatomic and visual improvements. Over half of patients achieved at least ≥15-letter gains, and more than
Ocular Inflammatory Disease
Ocular inflammatory disease is the fourth leading cause of vision loss among working-age adults in the developed world. Approximately one-third of patients with ocular inflammation develop macular edema, the leading cause of vision loss in this population. Steroids remain the mainstay treatment but can cause significant and permanent ocular adverse effects, especially with long-term use or high doses. There are no approved, locally administered biologics. Beyond KSI-101, currently in Phase 3 clinical development, Kodiak is advancing KSI-102 and KSI-103, two novel biologic therapies designed to address the complex cytokine interactions driving chronic inflammatory ocular diseases.
3. Title: Novel Intravitreal Bispecific Anti-Inflammatory Biologics Designed for Retinal Inflammatory Diseases Preserve Endothelial Barrier and Prevent Leukocyte Adhesion in Cell-Based Assays
Poster Session: AMD pathology I
Date and Time: Sunday, May 3, 2026; 8:00 – 9:45am MT
Poster Number: 76-0106
Elevated levels of pro-inflammatory cytokines such as tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-α) and interleukin-6 (IL-6) play distinct yet complementary roles in driving inflammation and vascular permeability in retinal inflammatory diseases. Therapies targeting these cytokines individually may not fully address both disease drivers. We present cell-based data demonstrating the biological activity of KSI-102, a novel bispecific antibody that potently inhibits both TNF-α and IL-6 simultaneously. These findings support further development of intravitreal bispecific therapies, including KSI-102 and the broader anti-inflammatory bispecific franchise such as KSI-103 (an IL-1 trap and anti-IL-6 antibody fusion), with the potential to enhance therapeutic outcomes in inflammatory ocular diseases.
Geographic Atrophy
Geographic atrophy (GA), the advanced form of dry age-related macular degeneration, affects approximately one million patients in the
4.Title: IL-6/Complement and VEGF/Complement Dual Inhibitors for Geographic Atrophy
Poster Session: AMD: New drugs, delivery systems, and mechanisms of action II (section: Physiology/Pharmacology)
Date and Time: Sunday, May 3, 2026; 1:00-2:45pm MT
Poster Number: 447-0184
We engineered bispecific molecules by fusing complement inhibitors targeting C3b/C4b with anti-VEGF or anti-IL-6, creating multimodal candidates that demonstrate potent, broad complement inhibition while simultaneously blocking VEGF or IL-6 signaling. These results support a multi-target approach to addressing the underlying drivers of GA pathology and highlight the potential to improve outcomes beyond single-target therapies.
Enhancing Therapeutic Efficacy with the ABCD Platform
Antibody Drug Conjugates (ADCs) and Antibody Oligonucleotide Conjugates (AOCs) are promising platforms for targeted drug delivery but have a limited drug antibody ratio (DAR), which poses significant challenges in optimizing therapeutic efficacy. Kodiak's Antibody Biopolymer Conjugate Drug (ABCD) platform addresses this limitation by utilizing a customizable biopolymer to enable the design and development of multifunctional, high DAR therapeutics with the potential of a quarterly dosed intravitreal therapy for ophthalmic and systemic applications.
5.Title: Mechanistic Support for Ocular Intracellular Drug Delivery: Receptor-Mediated Uptake and Trafficking of Antibody-Biopolymer Conjugates (ABC) in Primary Endothelial Cells
Poster Session: AMD: New drugs, delivery systems, and mechanisms of action II (Section Physiology/Pharmacology)
Date and Time: Sunday, May 3, 2026; 1:00-2:45pm MT
Poster Number: 451-0188
We evaluated the intracellular behavior of antibody biopolymer conjugates (ABC) in primary endothelial cells using an anti-VEGFR2 model system. ABCs internalized efficiently as intact conjugates and trafficked through endosomal pathways with sustained intracellular persistence. These findings expand the mechanistic evidence supporting the ABCD platform as a versatile system for high DAR, targeted intracellular delivery, highlighting its potential to enable delivery of a broad range of therapeutic payloads for retinal diseases.
6.Title: Biopolymer Platform for Controlled Loading, Release, and Extended Durability of Intraocular Therapeutics with Multiple Mechanisms of Action
Poster Session: AMD: New drugs, delivery systems, and mechanisms of action II (Section Physiology/Pharmacology)
Date and Time: Sunday, May 03, 2026; 1:00-2:45pm MT
Poster Number: 444-0181
Here we present a glaucoma "duet" leveraging the ABCDTM platform and incorporating two small molecules –an inhibitor for the NLRP3 inflammasome for neuroprotection and an intraocular pressure (IOP)-lowering agent– at high DAR. Both drugs were loaded in equal proportion (DAR 125 each), confirming independent, sequential conjugation on the same polymer. Payload release characterization demonstrates successful drug unloading from ABCD molecules using pH-labile linkers. These data continue to support the dual-action approach to address the multifactorial nature of glaucoma optic neuropathy and highlight the versatility of the ABCD platform across ophthalmic indications.
About Kodiak Sciences Inc.
Kodiak Sciences (Nasdaq: KOD) is a precommercial retina-focused biotechnology company committed to researching, developing and commercializing transformative therapeutics. We are focused on bringing new science to the design and manufacture of next-generation retinal medicines to prevent and treat the leading causes of blindness globally. We are developing a portfolio of three late-stage clinical programs. Zenkuda™ (tarcocimab tedromer) has a BLA-ready profile in diabetic retinopathy, retinal vein occlusion and wet AMD, and, together with KSI-501, is being explored in the BLA-facing Phase 3 DAYBREAK wet AMD study, with topline data expected in 3Q 2026. Zenkuda and KSI-501 target the
Forward-Looking Statements:
This press release contains "forward-looking statements" within the meaning of Section 27A of the Securities Act of 1933, Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, and the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. These forward-looking statements are not based on historical fact and include, but are not limited to, statements regarding: the sufficiency of clinical results from the Asian cohort to support continued global development and expansion of the Phase 3 PEAK and PINNACLE program into
SOURCE Kodiak Sciences Inc.