KOD vs MRNA

Kodiak Sciences Inc

Kodiak Sciences Inc., a clinical stage biopharmaceutical company, engages in researching, developing, and commercializing therapeutics to treat retinal diseases in the United States and international markets. Its lead product candidate is KSI-301, a vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF)-biological agent that is in Phase 1b clinical study to treat wet age-related macular degeneration (AMD) and diabetic retinopathy, including diabetic macular edema, as well as for macular edema due to retinal vein occlusion. The company's preclinical stage product candidate includes KSI-501, a bispecific anti-interleukin 6/VEGF bioconjugate conjugate to treat neovascular retinal diseases with an inflammatory component. Its early research pipeline includes KSI-601, a triplet inhibitor for the treatment of multifactorial retinal diseases, such as dry AMD and the neurodegenerative aspects of glaucoma. The company was formerly known as Oligasis, LLC and changed its name to Kodiak Sciences Inc. in September 2015. Kodiak Sciences Inc. was founded in 2009 and is based in Palo Alto, California.

Moderna Inc.

Moderna, Inc., a biotechnology company, develops therapeutics and vaccines based on messenger RNA for the treatment of infectious diseases, immuno-oncology, rare diseases, cardiovascular diseases, and auto-immune diseases. As of March 9, 2021, the company had 13 programs in clinical trials and a total of 24 development programs in six modalities comprising prophylactic vaccines, cancer vaccines, intratumoral immuno-oncology, localized regenerative therapeutics, systemic secreted and cell surface therapeutics, and systemic intracellular therapeutics. The company has strategic alliances with AstraZeneca PLC, Merck & Co., Inc., Vertex Pharmaceuticals Incorporated, Vertex Pharmaceuticals (Europe) Limited, the Biomedical Advanced Research and Development Authority, the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency, the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, the National Institutes of Health, the Coalition for Epidemic Preparedness Innovations, and Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation. Moderna, Inc. also has collaborations with Lonza Ltd. for the manufacture of COVID-19 vaccine; and Catalent Inc., Laboratorios Farmacéuticos Rovi, S.A., Recipharm, and Lonza Group for fill-finish manufacturing of its COVID-19 vaccine candidate, as well as Aldevron, LLC for supporting COVID-19 vaccine and additional programs in company's clinical development pipeline. The company was formerly known as Moderna Therapeutics, Inc. and changed its name to Moderna, Inc. in August 2018. Moderna, Inc. was founded in 2010 and is headquartered in Cambridge, Massachusetts.