Nona Biosciences and Kodiak Sciences Partner on Next-Generation Antibody Therapies for Ophthalmic Diseases

Rhea-AI Summary

Nona Biosciences and Kodiak Sciences (Nasdaq: KOD) have announced a collaboration to develop novel multi-target antibodies for ophthalmic diseases. The partnership will utilize Nona's proprietary Harbour Mice® platform, which generates fully human monoclonal antibodies in both H2L2 and heavy chain-only (HCAb) formats.

The HCAb platform produces antibodies approximately half the size of conventional IgGs, offering significant advantages for next-generation therapies. Under the agreement, Kodiak Sciences gains rights to use both H2L2 and HCAb Harbour Mice® platforms for therapeutic antibody discovery and development across multiple programs.

Positive

• Strategic partnership secured for development of novel ophthalmic therapies
• Access granted to advanced antibody discovery platforms
• Potential for multiple therapeutic programs development

Negative

• None.

Insights

Medical Research Analyst

The partnership between Nona Biosciences and Kodiak Sciences represents a significant technological advancement in ophthalmic drug development. The Harbour Mice® platform's ability to generate both conventional and heavy chain-only antibodies provides unique advantages for treating eye diseases. The HCAb format's smaller size is particularly noteworthy for ocular applications, as it could potentially improve tissue penetration and drug delivery to the retina. This collaboration strengthens Kodiak's pipeline development capabilities, especially for multi-target approaches which are important for addressing complex retinal diseases. However, while technologically promising, this is an early-stage research collaboration with no immediate revenue impact. The timeline from discovery to potential commercialization typically spans several years, making near-term financial benefits uncertain.

Biotech Industry Analyst

This partnership bolsters Kodiak's technological capabilities in antibody development, particularly following their recent setbacks in clinical trials. The Harbour Mice® platform's dual capability in generating both H2L2 and HCAb antibodies provides Kodiak with flexible tools for developing their next-generation pipeline. The smaller size of HCAb antibodies could offer competitive advantages in ocular drug delivery, potentially addressing some limitations of current therapies. However, as a discovery-stage collaboration, material financial impact is likely years away. For a company with a $553M market cap and previous clinical disappointments, this deal represents a strategic pivot but doesn't address immediate commercial needs. The market should view this as a long-term strategic move rather than a near-term value driver.

CAMBRIDGE, Mass., Dec. 9, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- Nona Biosciences, a global biotechnology company providing a total solution from "Idea to IND" (I to I^TM), ranging from target validation and antibody discovery through preclinical research, today announced a collaboration with Kodiak Sciences Inc. (Nasdaq: KOD). This partnership aims to advance the discovery of novel multi-target antibodies to treat ophthalmic diseases, leveraging Nona's proprietary Harbour Mice^® fully human antibody platform.

The Harbour Mice^® platform generates fully human monoclonal antibodies in both the two heavy and two light chains (H2L2) format and the heavy chain-only (HCAb) format, eliminating the need for additional engineering or humanization. The HCAb Harbour Mice^® platform, in particular, is transforming antibody development by producing unique, fully human heavy chain-only antibodies that are approximately half the size of conventional IgGs, offering significant advantages for next-generation antibody therapies. Under the agreement, Kodiak Sciences gains the right to use both the H2L2 and HCAb Harbour Mice^® platforms in multiple programs for therapeutic antibody discovery and development.

"We are pleased to collaborate with Kodiak Sciences to advance novel antibody therapies for ophthalmic diseases," said Jingsong Wang, M.D., Ph.D., Chairman of Nona Biosciences. "This agreement further validates our proprietary Harbour Mice^® technology platform. With Nona's industry-leading technology and expertise, we look forward to supporting Kodiak Sciences in accelerating their next-generation therapeutic antibody development and bringing more innovative therapies to patients." 

"Retinal diseases involve a complex etiology, so advancing more effective therapies will require targeting multiple pathways at once," said Victor Perlroth, M.D., Chairman and CEO of Kodiak Sciences Inc. "We are thrilled to announce our partnership with Nona Biosciences, leveraging their advanced Harbour Mice^® platforms and robust expertise in antibody discovery. This collaboration will accelerate our mission to create next generation biotherapeutics, combining our strengths to bring innovative treatments to patients in need."

About Nona Biosciences

Nona Biosciences is a global biotechnology company committed to cutting-edge technology innovations and providing a total solution from "Idea to IND" ("I to I^TM"), ranging from target validation and antibody discovery through preclinical research. The integrated antibody and antibody-related discovery services with multiple modalities range from antigen preparation, animal immunization, single B cell screening, to antibody lead generation and engineering, developability assessment and pharmacological evaluation, leveraging advantages of Harbour Mice^® platforms and the experienced therapeutic antibody discovery team.

Harbour Mice^® generates fully human monoclonal antibodies in classical two light and two heavy chain (H2L2) format, and heavy chain-only (HCAb) format. Integrating Harbour Mice^® and a single B cell cloning platform, Nona Biosciences is focused on driving global inventions of transformative next-generation drugs. For more information, please visit: www.nonabio.com.

About Kodiak Sciences Inc.

Kodiak Sciences (Nasdaq: KOD) is a biopharmaceutical company committed to researching, developing, and commercializing transformative therapeutics to treat a broad spectrum of retinal diseases. 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. For more information, please visit www.kodiak.com.

 

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SOURCE Nona Biosciences

FAQ

What is the purpose of the Kodiak Sciences (KOD) and Nona Biosciences partnership?

The partnership aims to advance the discovery of novel multi-target antibodies to treat ophthalmic diseases using Nona's Harbour Mice® antibody platform.

What technology will Kodiak Sciences (KOD) gain access to through this collaboration?

Kodiak Sciences will gain access to both the H2L2 and HCAb Harbour Mice® platforms for therapeutic antibody discovery and development.

What are the advantages of the HCAb Harbour Mice® platform being used by Kodiak Sciences (KOD)?

The HCAb platform produces fully human heavy chain-only antibodies that are approximately half the size of conventional IgGs, offering advantages for next-generation antibody therapies.