BRISBANE, Calif., Oct. 17, 2025 (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 that data from the ORIGIN Phase 3 clinical trial of atacicept for the treatment of IgA nephropathy (IgAN) will be delivered as a featured late-breaking oral presentation during the opening plenary session of the American Society of Nephrology (ASN) Kidney Week 2025 in Houston, Texas, being held November 6 to 9. In addition, two informational posters will describe the ORIGIN Extend and PIONEER trials of atacicept in IgAN and other autoimmune mediated glomerular diseases.
ASN Kidney Week 2025 Presentation Details
| Title: | ORIGIN 3: A Phase 3 Trial of Atacicept in IgAN |
| Presenting Author: | Richard Lafayette, MD, FACP, Professor of Medicine (Nephrology) and Director of the Glomerular Disease Center at Stanford University Medical Center |
| Abstract Number: | TH-OR083 |
| Session Title: | Opening Plenary: Featured High-Impact Clinical Trials |
| Session Date, Time: | Thursday, November 6, 2025 from 9:02 AM to 9:14 AM CST |
| Location: | Hall A, Convention Center |
| Title: | ORIGIN Extend: A Long-Term Extension Study of Atacicept in IgAN |
| Presenting Author: | Richard Lafayette, MD, FACP, Professor of Medicine (Nephrology) and Director of the Glomerular Disease Center at Stanford University Medical Center |
| Poster Board Number: | INFO12-TH |
| Session Date, Time: | Thursday, November 6, 2025 from 10:00 AM to 12:00 PM CST |
| Location: | Exhibit Hall, Convention Center |
| Title: | PIONEER: A Basket Trial of Atacicept in Autoimmune Mediated Glomerular Disease |
| Presenting Author: | Richard Lafayette, MD, FACP, Professor of Medicine (Nephrology) and Director of the Glomerular Disease Center at Stanford University Medical Center |
| Poster Board Number: | INFO13-TH |
| Session Date, Time: | Thursday, November 6, 2025 from 10:00 AM to 12:00 PM CST |
| Location: | Exhibit Hall, Convention Center |
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 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.
The ORIGIN Phase 3 trial met the primary endpoint with a statistically significant and clinically meaningful reduction in proteinuria at week 36, in the prespecified interim analysis. Across the ORIGIN program in IgAN, the safety profile of atacicept appears favorable, and comparable to placebo.
Atacicept has received FDA Breakthrough Therapy Designation 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. 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.
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.
About Vera Therapeutics
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 BAFF and 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. 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, the advancement, clinical development, regulatory milestones and commercialization of atacicept; the potential for atacicept to be best-in-class; and Vera Therapeutics’ plans, commitments, aspirations and goals under the caption “About Vera Therapeutics”. Words such as “believe,” “plan,” “potential” 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
