Vera Therapeutics Announces Appointment of Matt Skelton to Chief Commercial Officer

Core Insights - Vera Therapeutics has appointed Matt Skelton as Chief Commercial Officer to lead the commercial launch of atacicept for IgA nephropathy [1][2] - Atacicept is a promising investigational treatment that targets B-cell activation and has shown significant clinical efficacy in trials [3][4][6] Company Overview - Vera Therapeutics is a late clinical-stage biotechnology company focused on developing treatments for serious immunological diseases [10] - The company's lead product candidate, atacicept, is designed to block B-cell Activating Factor (BAFF) and A PRoliferation-Inducing Ligand (APRIL), which are involved in autoimmune diseases [10] Leadership Appointment - Matt Skelton brings extensive experience in global commercialization, having previously scaled Seagen's commercial organization from one product to four approved products [2][10] - His leadership is expected to be critical in transitioning Vera Therapeutics into a commercial-stage company [2] Atacicept Clinical Program - The ORIGIN Phase 2b clinical trial of atacicept met its primary and key secondary endpoints, showing significant reductions in proteinuria and stabilization of eGFR [4] - The ongoing ORIGIN 3 Phase 3 trial has also met its primary endpoint with a statistically significant reduction in proteinuria at week 36 [5] Regulatory Status - Atacicept has received Breakthrough Therapy Designation from the FDA for IgA nephropathy, indicating its potential to significantly improve treatment outcomes [6] - The Biologics License Application (BLA) for atacicept has received Priority Review designation, with a target action date set for July 7, 2026 [7] Future Studies - The ORIGIN Extend study allows participants to access atacicept until its commercial availability and collects long-term safety and efficacy data [8] - Atacicept is also being evaluated in other autoimmune kidney diseases, expanding its potential therapeutic applications [8][10]