Kodiak's Zenkuda Crushes Phase 3 in Diabetic Retinopathy, Stock Surges 19%
By FieldPulse Editorial · March 26, 2026
Tags: Pipeline, Ophthalmology
Kodiak Sciences reported a decisive Phase 3 win for Zenkuda in diabetic retinopathy: 62.5% of patients achieved meaningful vision improvement vs 3.3% on sham. The stock jumped 19%.
Kodiak Sciences announced positive topline results from GLOW2 , its second Phase 3 registrational trial of Zenkuda (tarcocimab tedromer) in diabetic retinopathy — and the numbers were decisive.
At week 48, 62.5% of patients treated with Zenkuda achieved a 2-step or greater improvement on the Diabetic Retinopathy Severity Scale (DRSS) compared to just 3.3% of patients in the sham control arm.
The stock surged approximately 19% on the data.
This is the second positive registrational trial for Zenkuda in diabetic retinopathy, following the earlier GLOW1 study.
Having two positive Phase 3 trials is the standard FDA expectation for approval, meaning Kodiak now has the clinical dataset it needs to file a Biologics License Application (BLA).
The company has indicated it plans to move toward regulatory submission.
Why These Numbers Matter A 62.5% vs.
3.3% difference on the primary endpoint is not a marginal result — it is a blowout.
DRSS improvement of 2 steps or more is a clinically meaningful threshold that correlates with reduced risk of vision-threatening complications, and the magnitude of the treatment effect leaves little room for interpretive ambiguity.
This is the kind of clean, unambiguous efficacy signal that makes both regulatory review and commercial positioning significantly easier.
Zenkuda is an anti-VEGF antibody biopolymer conjugate (ABC) — Kodiak's proprietary platform technology that extends the durability of anti-VEGF therapy.
The key clinical selling point is the dosing interval.
Standard anti-VEGF treatments for retinal diseases, including Regeneron's Eylea (aflibercept) and Roche's Vabysmo (faricimab), require frequent injections — often monthly or every two months — that create a significant treatment burden for patients and a logistical challenge for retinal practices.
If Zenkuda can deliver comparable or superior efficacy with less frequent dosing, it would address one of the most persistent complaints in retinal medicine: the injection burden that.