Vera Therapeutics to Host Key Opinion Webinar on Targeting the Source of IgA Nephropathy (IgAN) Featuring Jonathan Barratt, Ph.D., FRCP

Dr. Barratt will discuss disease burden and pathogenesis of IgAN, a common cause of kidney failure and a high unmet medical need globally

Event held Monday, November 28, 2022 at 2pm ET

BRISBANE, Calif., Nov. 17, 2022 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Vera Therapeutics, Inc. (Nasdaq: VERA), a late-stage biotechnology company focused on developing and commercializing transformative treatments for patients with serious immunological diseases, today announced that it will host a key opinion leader (KOL) webinar on IgA nephropathy (IgAN), a common cause of kidney failure. The webinar will be held on Monday, November 28, 2022 at 2:00pm ET.

The webinar will feature a presentation from Jonathan Barratt, Ph.D., FRCP, from the University of Leicester, U.K., who will discuss the disease burden and pathogenesis of IgAN, as well as clinical data to-date for atacicept in patients with IgAN. IgA nephropathy represents a high unmet medical need in the world, with an estimated 400,000 patients in the U.S., the European Union, and Japan – up to half of whom will develop end-stage renal disease (ESRD) within 20 years from initial diagnosis, requiring dialysis or kidney transplant. 

Atacicept is a fusion protein self-administered as a subcutaneous injection once weekly that blocks both B lymphocyte stimulator (BLyS) and a proliferation-inducing ligand (APRIL), which are cytokines that stimulate B cells and plasma cells to produce autoantibodies contributing to IgAN and certain other autoimmune diseases. Recent data presented by Dr. Barratt at the American Society of Nephrology (ASN) Kidney Week 2022 showed atacicept reduced immune complex levels in patients with IgAN. Atacicept is the first therapeutic to show reduction in all of the three first hits of IgAN pathogenesis – serum galactose-deficient IgA1 (Gd-IgA1), anti-Gd-IgA1, and now immune complex levels.

In addition, the Vera Therapeutics leadership team will provide an overview of the ongoing Phase 2b ORIGIN trial of atacicept in IgAN and the Company’s pipeline. As previously announced, enrollment in the ORIGIN trial has been completed and topline results are expected to be presented early in the first quarter of 2023. If the data from the ORIGIN trial are supportive, Vera Therapeutics expects to initiate a pivotal Phase 3 clinical trial of atacicept in 2023.

A live question and answer session will follow. To register for the event, please click here.

Dr. Barratt leads the Renal Research Group within the College of Life Sciences at the University of Leicester. His research is focused on a bench-to-bedside approach to improving the understanding of IgAN pathogenesis. Dr. Barratt is the IgAN Rare Disease Group Lead for the U.K. National Registry of Rare Kidney Diseases (RaDaR) and a member of the steering committee for the International IgAN Network. He was a member of the U.S. Food and Drug Administration and ASN Kidney Health Initiative: Identifying Surrogate Endpoints for Clinical Trials in IgAN Workgroup.

About Atacicept
Atacicept is an investigational recombinant fusion protein, self-administered as a subcutaneous injection once weekly, that contains the soluble transmembrane activator and calcium-modulating cyclophilin ligand interactor (TACI) receptor that binds to the cytokines B lymphocyte stimulator (BlyS) 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 certain autoimmune diseases, including IgA nephropathy (IgAN) and lupus nephritis. Atacicept showed a dose-dependent effect on key biomarkers and clinical markers in a Phase 2a clinical study in patients with IgAN. Vera believes atacicept is positioned for best-in-class potential, targeting B cells and plasma cells to reduce autoantibodies and having been administered to more than 1,400 patients in clinical studies across different indications.

About Vera
Vera Therapeutics is a late-stage biotechnology company focused on developing treatments for serious immunological diseases. Vera’s mission is to advance treatments that target the source of immunologic diseases in order to change the standard of care for patients. Vera’s lead product candidate is atacicept, a fusion protein self-administered as a subcutaneous injection once weekly that blocks both B lymphocyte stimulator (BLyS) and a proliferation inducing ligand (APRIL), which are cytokines that stimulate B cells and plasma cells to produce autoantibodies contributing to certain autoimmune diseases, including IgA nephropathy (IgAN), also known as Berger’s disease, and lupus nephritis. In addition, Vera is evaluating additional diseases where the reduction of autoantibodies by atacicept may prove medically useful. Vera is also developing MAU868, a monoclonal antibody designed to neutralize infection with BK Virus, a polyomavirus that can have devastating consequences in certain settings such as kidney transplant. For more information, please visit www.veratx.com.

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, Vera’s plan to host a key opinion leader webinar on IgA nephropathy, the results of Vera’s Phase 2b ORIGIN trial, Vera’s expectation to potentially initiate a pivotal Phase 3 clinical trial of atacicept in 2023, and Vera’s product candidates, strategy, and regulatory matters. Because such statements are subject to risks and uncertainties, actual results may differ materially from those expressed or implied by such forward-looking statements. Words such as “potential,” and similar expressions are intended to identify forward-looking statements. These forward-looking statements are based upon Vera’s 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, risks and uncertainties associated with Vera’s business in general, geopolitical and macroeconomic events, including the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic, and the other risks described in Vera’s filings with the 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 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:
Kathy Vincent
Greig Communications, Inc.
kathy@greigcommunications.com