BRIEF—Vera Therapeutics launches with $80 million financing

A new company focused on immunological and inflammatory diseases, dubbed Vera Therapeutics, has launched in the USA with $80 million in series C financing led by Abingworth LLP.

The money will be used to support the advancement of lead candidate atacicept, a novel inhibitor of B cells and plasma cells, in patients with IgA nephropathy (IgAN).

It will also be used to scale up manufacturing capabilities and expand Vera’s therapeutic pipeline in immunologic and inflammatory disease.

Vera is on track to start a Phase IIb study in IgAN patients in mid-2021 and is investing in commercial-scale manufacturing capabilities.