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Vera Therapeutics Appoints Kerry Cooper, M.D., as Senior Vice President of Medical Affairs
BRISBANE, Calif., May 04, 2023 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Vera Therapeutics, Inc. (Nasdaq: VERA), a late-stage biotechnology company focused on developing and
About this update from Vera Therapeutics, Inc.
[{"type":"text","content":"BRISBANE, Calif., May 04, 2023 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Vera Therapeutics, Inc. (Nasdaq: VERA), a late-stage biotechnology company focused on developing and commercializing transformative treatments for patients with serious immunological disease, today announced the appointment of Kerry Cooper, M.D., to the role of Senior Vice President, Medical Affairs, where he will report to Chief Medical Officer Celia Lin and be responsible for overseeing medical affairs strategy and scientific communications. Dr. Cooper brings nearly 40 years of experience in nephrology across a variety of senior positions within industry, clinical practice and academia. He has led medical affairs strategies for drug development programs in chronic kidney disease (CKD), hyperparathyroidism, hyperkalemia and other renal conditions. Over twelve years, he served in leadership roles in medical affairs at several leading pharmaceutical companies, including AstraZeneca and Amgen, where he served as Global Medical Affairs Leader for Nephrology. He joins Vera from ProKidney, where he led the development of the medical affairs function. “We are very excited to welcome Dr. Cooper to the Vera team as a deeply experienced nephrologist and expert in kidney diseases and with his established leadership launching new therapies for patients with kidney disease. His experience will be invaluable as we advance atacicept into our pivotal Phase 3 trial in IgA nephropathy patients,” said Chief Executive Office Marshall Fordyce. “I am thrilled about this opportunity to join Vera at an incredibly exciting time for the company and for patients with IgA nephropathy. Results from atacicept’s randomized, placebo-controlled, double-blind, Phase 2 clinical trial in IgAN patients provide strong support for atacicept as a potential disease-modifying therapy, and de-risks the Phase 3 trial. I look forward to building a world-class medical affairs function in partnership with Vera’s leadership team that will support the continued development and future commercialization of atacicept, and potentially other best in class therapies,” said Kerry Cooper, M.D. “I have seen firsthand the tremendous impact developing innovative therapies in nephrology can have on patients’ lives, and I look forward to pursuing that mission with Vera.” Dr. Cooper received his medical degree from Yale University and comp...