Lonza to make Kodiak Sciences' eye drug candidates

Kodiak – which changed its name from Oligasis in September – develops treatments for retinal diseases.

On Kodiak's website it says its lead candidates – KSI 201 for wet age-related macular degeneration (AMD) and KSI 401 for dry AMD – were “built on a high science antibody bioconjugate product platform which we invented​."

The firm declined to give any more details, instead telling us it "has developed a proprietary bioconjugate product platform and technology transfer is an important part of the customer – manufacturer relationship​."

Patent​

Kodiak is listed the owner of a Canadian patent​ covering “multifunctional zwitterionic polymer conjugates​.”

The patent - which lists Kodiak CEO Victor Perlroth as inventor - describes a technique for the production of “multi-functional” drugs consisting of a polymer backbone that can be attached – conjugated – to a wide range of functional chemical and biological agents.

Kodiak did not respond when we asked if this is the science on which its platform is based.

Under the new contract, Lonza will make Kodiak drug candidates at its facility in Visp, Switzerland and its plants in Slough, UK and Nansha, China.

Karen Fallen, Vice President, Business Unit Head, Clinical Development and Licensing, at the Swiss contract manufacturing organisation (CMO)  said: “We are utilizing our expertise in the areas of cell line development, biological and chemical manufacturing, and conjugation​.”

News of the contract comes a month after Kodiak raised $36m (€32m) to “accelerate existing therapeutic programs and deepen the company’s retinal pipeline​.”