Walden Biosciences Announces CMO Appointment and Upcoming Clinical Data for WAL0921 in Proteinuric Chronic Kidney Disease
Rekha Abichandani, M.D., appointed Chief Medical Officer Enrollment nearing completion in Phase 2 basket study of
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Rekha Abichandani, M.D., appointed Chief Medical Officer
Enrollment nearing completion in Phase 2 basket study of WAL0921; initial data from diabetic kidney disease cohorts to be presented in fourth quarter 2026
Data from Phase 1+ study of WAL0921 to be presented at American Society of Nephrology Annual Meeting
CAMBRIDGE, Mass., Sept. 15, 2026 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Walden Biosciences, Inc., (“Walden” or the “Company”), a private, clinical-stage biotechnology company dedicated to developing disease-modifying medicines to treat rare chronic kidney diseases, today announced the appointment of Rekha Abichandani, M.D., to the role of Chief Medical Officer, and the anticipated timing of data availability from both the ongoing Phase 2 study and the completed Phase 1+ study of WAL0921. WAL0921, the Company’s most advanced clinical candidate, is a first-in-class, humanized monoclonal antibody being developed for proteinuric kidney disease that targets urokinase plasminogen activator receptor in both its soluble (suPAR) and membrane-bound (uPAR) forms.
Dr. Abichandani joins Walden as WAL0921 is rapidly progressing through a Phase 2 basket study in multiple forms of proteinuric chronic kidney disease. The initial cohorts included 19 participants with diabetic kidney disease (DKD) before the trial advanced to enroll participants with focal segmental glomerulosclerosis (FSGS), IgA nephropathy (IgAN), and membranous nephropathy (MN). Enrollment in the latter groups is nearing completion, and Walden anticipates sharing initial data from the DKD cohorts during the fourth quarter of this year.
“We are thrilled to have Rekha leading our clinical development programs as we prepare to share the first clinical data for WAL0921 and solidify our priority indications for further development,” said Blaine McKee, Ph.D., Chief Executive Officer at Walden. “These upcoming data announcements will provide rigorous support of the potential of WAL0921 to reduce proteinuria and provide relief to patients living with proteinuric kidney diseases. We are pleased by the progress we have made to date across our pipeline and look forward to sharing these results with the medical community later this year.”
Dr. Abichandani brings more than 25 years of drug development experience in rare genetic diseases, hematology/oncology/transplant, nephrology, and infectious disease to Walden. Prior to joining Walden, Dr. Abichandani served as an independent consultant to private and public biotechnology companies. Previously, she held senior roles in global clinical development at Shire and earlier in her career at Genzyme and Sanofi. Dr. Abichandani is a nephrologist by training and completed her Internal Medicine Residency and Clinical Nephrology Fellowship at Emory University. She also holds a Masters in Clinical Research from Tufts University.
“I have dedicated much of my career to improving the care of people living with rare diseases and chronic kidney diseases, and I am driven by the opportunity at Walden to bring true innovation to patients that may dramatically reshape the way these diseases are treated,” said Dr. Abichandani. “We look forward to sharing our initial clinical data in the coming months, and to continuing to partner with the clinical community on the next steps in our strategy.”
Upcoming WAL0921 Phase 1+ Data Presentation at ASN Kidney Week 2026
Data from the Phase 1+ single ascending dose study of WAL0921 will be presented at the American Society of Nephrology’s 59th Annual Kidney Week, being held in Denver, Colorado, from October 22 – 25, 2026. The abstract, titled “WAL0921, an Anti-Soluble Urokinase Plasminogen Activator Receptor (suPAR) Monoclonal IgAN Antibody, Is Safe and Well Tolerated in a Phase 1 Single Ascending Dose (SAD) Study and Reduces Circulating suPAR in Healthy Participants,” will be presented during a poster session.
About Walden Biosciences
Walden Biosciences is a private, clinical-stage biotechnology company focused on developing disease-modifying medicines to treat rare chronic kidney diseases. Walden is applying unique, multi-disciplinary approaches designed to prevent kidney damage and stop disease progression. Walden’s product candidates are well-differentiated from current therapies as they have novel mechanisms of action and are not hemodynamic modulators and are non-immunosuppressive.
Walden’s programs directly target two cell types critical for kidney function: podocytes and proximal tubular cells. Dysfunction of these cells is a critical hallmark of the majority of proteinuric kidney diseases. Walden’s Phase 2 program, WAL0921, is a humanized monoclonal antibody that inhibits urokinase plasminogen activator in both its soluble (suPAR) and membrane bound (uPAR) forms and is being evaluated in a global basket study (NCT06466135). Walden’s second most advanced program is a Phase 1 ready small molecule, WAL0623, that is designed to stabilize and restore the function of dynamin, an enzyme responsible for the maintenance of the cytoskeletal architecture and function of podocytes and proximal tubule cells. Both programs offer the promise to deliver breakthrough therapies that transform the treatment of kidney disease. For more information, please visit www.waldenbiosciences.com or follow us on LinkedIn.
For More Information
Investor Contact:
Precision AQ
Anne Marie Fields
annemarie.fields@precisionaq.com
Media Contact:
Ten Bridge Communications
Michael Galfetti
tbcwalden@tenbridgecommunications.com
