Upstream Bio Appoints Stacy Price as Chief Technology Officer

Rhea-AI Summary

Upstream Bio (Nasdaq: UPB) has appointed Stacy Price as Chief Technology Officer. Price brings over 25 years of experience in technical operations, manufacturing, and product development in biotechnology. In her new role, she will oversee technical operations and product development expansion for verekitug, focusing on CMC processes and drug delivery.

Price previously served as Chief Technology and Manufacturing Officer at Invivyd and Chief Technical Officer at Akouos. She also held senior leadership positions at Ziopharm Oncology, Shire, and Transkaryotic Therapies. Price holds an M.S. in Biochemical Engineering and a B.S. in Chemical Engineering from Tufts University.

Positive

• Strategic hire with extensive experience in biologics development and technical operations
• Timing aligns with company's expansion plans for a third clinical program for verekitug
• Addition strengthens leadership team's expertise in CMC processes and drug delivery

Negative

• None.

WALTHAM, Mass., May 20, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Upstream Bio, Inc. (Nasdaq: UPB), a clinical-stage company developing treatments for inflammatory diseases, with an initial focus on severe respiratory disorders, today announced the appointment of Stacy Price, MS, PMP, as Chief Technology Officer. Ms. Price brings over 25 years of experience in technical operations, manufacturing, and product development in the biotechnology industry, across a variety of drug modalities. In this role, Ms. Price will oversee the expansion of technical operations and product development in support of Upstream Bio’s global development of verekitug, with a focus on chemistry, manufacturing, and controls (CMC) processes and drug delivery.

“Stacy is joining Upstream Bio at a pivotal time in our growth as we prepare to initiate a third clinical program for verekitug and look ahead to the next stages of verekitug’s development,” said Rand Sutherland, MD, Chief Executive Officer of Upstream Bio. “Stacy’s extensive expertise in end-to-end technical operations, specifically in biologics development, will be invaluable as we advance our programs and continue to invest for the future.”

“I’m excited to join this experienced leadership team and help position Upstream Bio for the opportunities ahead of us,” added Ms. Price. “I look forward to further leveraging our state-of-the-art technical capabilities to enhance patient-first efforts to develop verekitug as a differentiated treatment option with an extended dosing interval, ultimately with the goal of improving the quality of life for patients with severe respiratory diseases.”

Ms. Price most recently served as Chief Technology and Manufacturing Officer at Invivyd, a publicly-traded biotechnology company, where she oversaw the end-to-end technical operations and CMC regulatory strategies for Invivyd’s antibody-based programs. Prior to that, she was Chief Technical Officer at Akouos, a then-publicly traded biotechnology company that was acquired in December 2022, where she established technical infrastructure and operations to support gene therapy delivery. Earlier in her career, Ms. Price held senior leadership roles at Ziopharm Oncology, Shire, and Transkaryotic Therapies (TKT), directing large-scale manufacturing programs and technical operations for both small molecules and biologics. She holds an M.S. in Biochemical Engineering and a B.S. in Chemical Engineering from Tufts University.

About Upstream Bio
Upstream Bio is a clinical-stage biotechnology company developing treatments for inflammatory diseases, with an initial focus on severe respiratory disorders. The Company is developing verekitug, the only known antagonist currently in clinical development that targets the receptor for thymic stromal lymphopoietin, a cytokine which is a clinically validated driver of inflammatory response positioned upstream of multiple signaling cascades that affect a variety of immune mediated diseases. The Company has advanced this highly potent monoclonal antibody into separate Phase 2 trials for the treatment of severe asthma and chronic rhinosinusitis with nasal polyps and is initiating development in chronic obstructive pulmonary disease. Upstream Bio’s team is committed to maximizing verekitug’s unique attributes to address the substantial unmet needs for patients underserved by today’s standard of care. To learn more, please visit www.upstreambio.com.

Forward-Looking Statements
This press release contains “forward-looking statements” within the meaning of Section 27A of the Securities Act of 1933 and Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, each as amended. These statements may be identified by words such as “aims,” “anticipates,” “believes,” “continue,” “could,” “estimates,” “expects,” “forecasts,” “goal,” “intends,” “may,” “plans,” “possible,” “potential,” “predict,” “project,” “seeks,” “should,” “target,” “will” and variations of these words or similar expressions. Any statements in this press release that are not statements of historical fact may be deemed to be forward-looking statements. These forward-looking statements include, without limitation, express or implied statements regarding: the expansion of the Company’s technical operations and product development efforts and other future investments; the global development of verekitug for the treatment of severe asthma, CRSwNP and COPD, including the initiation, timing, progress and results of ongoing and planned clinical trials; expectations regarding the differentiation, safety, efficacy, tolerability, and extended dosing interval of verekitug; and the anticipated contributions of the Company’s executive management team to the Company’s business. Any forward-looking statements in this press release are based on the Company’s current expectations, estimates and projections only as of the date of this release and are subject to a number of risks and uncertainties that could cause actual results to differ materially and adversely from those set forth in or implied by such forward-looking statements. Readers are cautioned that actual results, levels of activity, safety, efficacy, performance or events and circumstances could differ materially from those expressed or implied in the Company’s forward-looking statements due to a variety of risks and uncertainties, which include, without limitation, risks and uncertainties related to: Upstream Bio’s ability to advance verekitug through clinical development, and to obtain regulatory approval of and ultimately commercialize verekitug on the expected timeline, if at all; the initiation, timing, progress and results of clinical trials; Upstream Bio’s ability to fund its development activities and achieve development goals; Upstream Bio’s dependence on third parties to conduct clinical trials and manufacture verekitug, and commercialize verekitug, if approved; Upstream Bio’s ability to attract, hire and retain key personnel, and protect its intellectual property; Upstream Bio’s financial condition and need for substantial additional funds in order to complete development activities and commercialize verekitug, if approved; regulatory developments and approval processes of the U.S. Food and Drug Administration and comparable foreign regulatory authorities; Upstream Bio’s competitors and industry; and other risks and uncertainties described in greater detail under the caption “Risk Factors” in Upstream Bio’s most recent Annual Report on Form 10-K and Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q, as well as any subsequent filings with the SEC. Any forward-looking statements represent Upstream Bio’s views only as of today and should not be relied upon as representing its views as of any subsequent date. Upstream Bio explicitly disclaims any obligation or undertaking to update any forward-looking statements contained herein to reflect any change in its expectations or any changes in events, conditions or circumstances on which any such statement is based except to the extent required by law, and claims the protection of the safe harbor for forward-looking statements contained in the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995.

Investor and Media Contact:
Meggan Buckwell
Director, Corporate Communications and Investor Relations
ir@upstreambio.com

FAQ

Who is Stacy Price and what is her role at Upstream Bio (UPB)?

Stacy Price is the newly appointed Chief Technology Officer at Upstream Bio, bringing over 25 years of biotechnology industry experience. She will oversee technical operations and product development for verekitug, focusing on CMC processes and drug delivery.

What is Upstream Bio (UPB) developing?

Upstream Bio is developing treatments for inflammatory diseases, with a primary focus on severe respiratory disorders. Their key product candidate is verekitug, which is currently in clinical development.

What is Stacy Price's previous work experience before joining UPB?

Prior to joining Upstream Bio, Price served as Chief Technology and Manufacturing Officer at Invivyd and Chief Technical Officer at Akouos. She also held senior leadership roles at Ziopharm Oncology, Shire, and Transkaryotic Therapies.

What are Upstream Bio's (UPB) current plans for verekitug development?

Upstream Bio is preparing to initiate a third clinical program for verekitug and is planning for the next stages of its development, with a focus on creating a differentiated treatment option with an extended dosing interval.