BRISBANE, Calif., Jan. 28, 2026 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Vera Therapeutics, Inc. (Nasdaq: VERA), a late clinical-stage biotechnology company focused on developing and commercializing transformative treatments for patients with serious immunological diseases, today announced the appointment of Matt Skelton to Chief Commercial Officer, effective immediately. Mr. Skelton joined Vera Therapeutics over a year ago as the Executive Vice President, Commercial.
“We are pleased to welcome Matt to the executive team as we prepare for the potential commercial launch of atacicept for the treatment of IgA nephropathy,” said Marshall Fordyce, M.D., Founder and CEO of Vera Therapeutics. “With his track record of building comprehensive commercial organizations and successfully launching multiple therapeutics, Matt’s leadership will be critical in our ambition to change what’s possible for patients in need.”
“I am excited to spearhead our launch readiness activities and guide our evolution into a commercial-stage company,” said Matt Skelton. “Atacicept presents a unique opportunity with its mechanism of dual BAFF/APRIL inhibition, promising clinical data, and profile of self-administration at home with an autoinjector. Our team is singularly focused on delivering on our potential to underscore our commitment to the IgAN community.”
Mr. Skelton is a seasoned biotech leader with extensive experience in driving global commercialization processes from development stages to successful launches. Before joining Vera Therapeutics, he scaled the commercial organization at Seagen from a one-product company to four approved products. His expertise spans global marketing, sales operations, market research, and forecasting, with a proven ability to lead cross-functional teams and develop strategic commercial plans. Prior to Seagen, Mr. Skelton held senior roles at Amgen, overseeing marketing and sales teams, and leading major product launches. He started his career at Eli Lilly as a sales representative. Mr. Skelton holds a Bachelor of Arts degree from DePauw University.
About Atacicept
Atacicept is an investigational recombinant fusion protein that contains the soluble transmembrane activator and calcium-modulating cyclophilin ligand interactor (TACI) receptor that binds to the cytokines B-cell activating factor (BAFF) and A PRoliferation-Inducing Ligand (APRIL). These cytokines are members of the tumor necrosis factor family that promote B-cell survival and autoantibody production associated with immunoglobulin A nephropathy (IgAN), lupus nephritis, and other autoimmune kidney diseases.
About the Atacicept Clinical Program
The ORIGIN Phase 2b clinical trial of atacicept in IgAN met its primary and key secondary endpoints, with statistically significant and clinically meaningful proteinuria reductions and stabilization of eGFR versus placebo through 36 weeks. The safety profile during the randomized period was comparable between atacicept and placebo. Through 96 weeks, atacicept demonstrated further improvements in Gd-IgA1, hematuria, and proteinuria, as well as stabilization of eGFR reflecting a profile consistent with that of the general population without IgAN.
ORIGIN 3 (NCT04716231) is an ongoing global, multicenter, randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled Phase 3 trial of 431 adults with IgA nephropathy. Participants were randomized 1:1 to atacicept 150 mg, self-administered at home via once weekly subcutaneous injection, or placebo. The primary efficacy endpoint of the prespecified 36-week interim analysis was the change in 24-hour UPCR compared to placebo. ORIGIN 3 met the primary endpoint with a statistically significant and clinically meaningful reduction in proteinuria at week 36. Across the ORIGIN program in IgAN, the safety profile of atacicept appears favorable, and comparable to placebo. The trial continues in a placebo-controlled blinded manner to evaluate the change in kidney function over two years as measured by eGFR, with results expected in 2027. For more information about ORIGIN 3, please visit http://www.clinicaltrials.gov.
Atacicept has received Breakthrough Therapy Designation from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) for the treatment of IgAN, which reflects the FDA’s determination that, based on an assessment of data from the ORIGIN Phase 2b clinical trial, atacicept may demonstrate substantial improvement on a clinically significant endpoint over available therapies for patients with IgAN.
The atacicept Biologics License Application (BLA) for the treatment of adults with IgAN received Priority Review designation from the FDA, with a Prescription Drug User Fee Act (PDUFA) target action date of July 7, 2026.
The ORIGIN Extend study provides ORIGIN study participants with extended access to atacicept until its potential commercial availability in their region and captures longer-term safety and efficacy data. Atacicept is also being evaluated in expanded IgAN populations, anti-PLA2R positive primary membranous nephropathy, and anti-nephrin positive focal segmental glomerulosclerosis (FSGS) and minimal change disease (MCD) patients in the PIONEER trial.
Vera Therapeutics believes atacicept is positioned for best-in-class potential, targeting B cells to reduce autoantibodies and having been administered to more than 1,500 patients in clinical trials across different disease areas.
About Vera
Vera Therapeutics is a late clinical-stage biotechnology company focused on developing treatments for serious immunological diseases. Vera Therapeutics’ mission is to advance treatments that target the source of disease in order to change the standard of care for patients. Vera Therapeutics’ lead product candidate is atacicept, a fusion protein self-administered at home as a subcutaneous once weekly injection that blocks both B-cell Activating Factor (BAFF) and A PRoliferation-Inducing Ligand (APRIL), which stimulate B cells to produce autoantibodies contributing to certain autoimmune diseases, including IgAN and lupus nephritis. Beyond IgAN, Vera Therapeutics is evaluating additional diseases where the reduction of autoantibodies by atacicept may prove clinically meaningful. In addition, Vera Therapeutics holds an exclusive license agreement with Stanford University for a novel, next generation fusion protein targeting BAFF and APRIL, known as VT-109, with wide therapeutic potential across the spectrum of B-cell-mediated diseases. Vera Therapeutics is also developing MAU868, a monoclonal antibody designed to neutralize infection with BK virus, which can have devastating consequences in kidney transplant recipients. Vera Therapeutics retains all global developmental and commercial rights to atacicept, VT-109 and MAU868.
Forward-looking Statements
Statements contained in this press release regarding matters, events or results that may occur in the future are “forward-looking statements” within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. Such forward-looking statements include statements regarding, among other things, approval of atacicept by the FDA; the success of the commercial launch of atacicept for the treatment of IgAN; the ability of the Chief Commercial Officer to effectively lead the commercial launch of atacicept and evolve Vera Therapeutics’ to a commercial-stage company; Vera Therapeutics’ ability to change what’s possible for patients in need; the timing of expected results for ORIGIN 3; atacicept’s positioning for best-in-class potential; and the plans, commitments, aspirations and goals under the caption “About Vera Therapeutics”. Words such as “believe,” “expect,” “may,” “plan,” “potential,” “will” and similar expressions are intended to identify forward-looking statements. These forward-looking statements are based upon Vera Therapeutics’ current expectations and involve assumptions that may never materialize or may prove to be incorrect. Actual results could differ materially from those anticipated in such forward-looking statements as a result of various risks and uncertainties, which include, without limitation, risks related to the regulatory approval process, results of earlier clinical trials may not be obtained in later clinical trials, preliminary results may not be predictive of topline results, risks and uncertainties associated with Vera Therapeutics’ business in general, the impact of macroeconomic and geopolitical events, and the other risks described in Vera Therapeutics' filings with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission. All forward-looking statements contained in this press release speak only as of the date on which they were made and are based on management’s assumptions and estimates as of such date. Vera Therapeutics undertakes no obligation to update such statements to reflect events that occur or circumstances that exist after the date on which they were made, except as required by law.
For more information, please contact:
Investor Contact:
Joyce Allaire
LifeSci Advisors
212-915-2569
jallaire@lifesciadvisors.com
Media Contact:
Debra Charlesworth
Vera Therapeutics
415-854-8051
corporatecommunications@veratx.com
