Verrica Pharmaceuticals Appoints Chris Chapman as Chief Commercial Officer
Rhea-AI Summary
Verrica Pharmaceuticals (Nasdaq: VRCA) appointed Chris Chapman as Chief Commercial Officer effective Feb 12, 2026. Chapman brings over 25 years of commercial pharmaceutical experience and leadership across dermatology, including roles at Dermavant, Organon, Galderma, and Pfizer.
Management expects Chapman to expand U.S. commercial capabilities for YCANTH, support the global Phase 3 program for common warts, and advance development of VP-315 for basal cell carcinoma.
Positive
- Appointment of experienced CCO with 25+ years in pharma commercial roles
- Proven dermatology launch experience — led VTAMA approvals (June 2022, Dec 2024)
- Commercial integration experience from Dermavant with Organon acquisition (Oct 2024)
Negative
- None.
Key Figures
Market Reality Check
Peers on Argus
VRCA is down 5.64% while peers show mixed moves: PSTV (+2.34%), OTLK (+7.88%), RADX (+1.4%), and declines in GRCE (-1.1%) and CALC (-9.48%). Scanner momentum captured only OTLK moving up, underscoring a stock-specific move for VRCA rather than a sector-wide trend.
Historical Context
| Date | Event | Sentiment | Move | Catalyst |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Feb 09 | Japan launch YCANTH | Positive | +0.0% | Partner Torii launched YCANTH in Japan after MHLW approval and Phase 3 data. |
| Jan 07 | Phase 3 wart program | Positive | +0.9% | First patient dosed in global Phase 3 trial for YCANTH in common warts. |
| Nov 24 | Private placement financing | Positive | +12.1% | Raised $50M to retire OrbiMed debt and extend cash runway into mid-2027. |
| Nov 14 | Q3 2025 earnings | Positive | -5.1% | Reported $14.3M revenue, strong YCANTH trends, minimal net loss, $21.1M cash. |
| Nov 10 | VP-315 Phase 2 data | Positive | +11.8% | Presented high ORR and clearance rates for VP-315 in basal cell carcinoma. |
VRCA has generally reacted positively to clinical and financing milestones, but showed a negative move on its last earnings and no reaction to a Japan launch, indicating selective pricing of news.
Over the past few months, Verrica reported several milestones: a Japan launch of YCANTH on Feb 09, 2026 with no price reaction, initiation of a global Phase 3 program for common warts on Jan 07, 2026 with a 0.87% gain, and a $50M private placement on Nov 24, 2025 that lifted shares 12.11%. Strong VP-315 Phase 2 data on Nov 10, 2025 drove an 11.85% increase, while Q3 2025 results on Nov 14, 2025 saw a 5.09% decline. Today’s CCO appointment fits into this broader commercialization build-out.
Regulatory & Risk Context
An effective S-3 shelf filed on Dec 15, 2025 registers up to 14,756,230 shares for resale by existing stockholders, including shares underlying pre-funded and common warrants. Verrica will not receive proceeds from resales but would receive cash upon warrant exercise at $0.0001 and $6.315 per share. Auditors previously noted substantial doubt about its ability to continue as a going concern.
Market Pulse Summary
This announcement adds an experienced commercial leader with 25 years of industry background to support YCANTH’s growth, the global Phase 3 wart program, and VP-315’s oncology potential. In recent months, Verrica advanced late-stage trials, raised $50M to retire debt, and reported Q3 2025 revenue of $14.3M. At the same time, an S-3 covering 14.76M resale shares and prior going-concern commentary remain key risk markers to monitor alongside execution on YCANTH uptake and VP-315 progression.
Key Terms
oncolytic peptide medical
basal cell carcinoma medical
plaque psoriasis medical
atopic dermatitis medical
immunotherapeutic medical
AI-generated analysis. Not financial advice.
WEST CHESTER, Pa., Feb. 12, 2026 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Verrica Pharmaceuticals Inc. (“Verrica”) (Nasdaq: VRCA), a dermatology therapeutics company developing and selling medications for skin diseases requiring medical interventions, today announced the appointment of Chris Chapman as its Chief Commercial Officer.
“It is my pleasure to welcome Chris Chapman to the Verrica team as our new Chief Commercial Officer,” said Jayson Rieger, PhD, MBA, President and Chief Executive Officer. “Chris has an extraordinary track record of successfully commercializing several products in dermatology and other specialties, and has had success in building and leading commercial organizations in dynamic and competitive markets. I am confident that Chris’ commercial acumen will broaden access to YCANTH for molluscum patients and bring critical insights to our global Phase 3 program for common warts as well as the development of VP-315, our novel oncolytic peptide for basal cell carcinoma.”
“I am excited to join Verrica at a time when YCANTH is becoming the new standard of care for the millions of children impacted by molluscum contagiosum,” said Mr. Chapman. “YCANTH represents a rare product opportunity based not only on its growth potential in molluscum, but also as a potential future treatment for common warts, an indication impacting millions of additional patients for which there are no FDA-approved therapies. I am also excited by the opportunity for Verrica’s other pipeline candidate, VP-315, which has the potential to become a best-in-class non-surgical immunotherapeutic option for the treatment of basal cell carcinoma. I relish the opportunity to lead and grow the U.S. commercial organization, while supporting Verrica’s global expansion goals for YCANTH.”
Mr. Chapman brings over 25 years of commercial experience in the pharmaceutical industry to Verrica. Most recently, he served as Chief Commercial Officer at Dermavant Sciences, where he played an instrumental role in launching VTAMA® (tapinarof) cream,
Prior to his roles with Dermavant and Organon, Mr. Chapman served as Vice President & General Manager, U.S. Prescription Business for Galderma, where he led the U.S. Prescription Business. Prior to Galderma, Chris spent 20 years in commercial roles at Pfizer, where he led the U.S. Pharmaceutical Contracting and Pricing Organization.
Mr. Chapman received a Bachelor of Science degree from Towson University.
About YCANTH® (VP-102)
YCANTH® is a proprietary drug-device combination product that contains a GMP-controlled formulation of cantharidin delivered via a single-use applicator that allows for precise topical dosing and targeted administration for the treatment of molluscum. YCANTH is the first and only healthcare professional-administered product approved by the FDA to treat adult and pediatric patients two years of age and older with molluscum contagiosum — a common, highly contagious skin disease that affects an estimated six million people in the United States, primarily children. Approval of YCANTH was based upon the positive results from two Phase 3 clinical trials in approximately 500 patients which demonstrated that YCANTH was a safe and effective therapeutic for the treatment of molluscum. Approximately 250 million lives are eligible to receive YCANTH covered by insurance. Commercially insured patients pay just
About Verrica Pharmaceuticals Inc.
Verrica is a dermatology therapeutics company developing medications for skin diseases requiring medical interventions. Verrica’s product YCANTH® (VP-102) (cantharidin), is the first and only healthcare professional-administered treatment approved by the FDA to treat adult and pediatric patients two years of age and older with molluscum contagiosum, a highly contagious viral skin infection affecting approximately 6 million people in the United States, primarily children. YCANTH® (VP-102) is also in development to treat common warts, the largest remaining unmet need in medical dermatology. Verrica has also entered a worldwide license agreement with Lytix Biopharma AS to develop and commercialize VP-315 (ruxotemitide, formerly known as LTX-315 and VP-LTX-315) for non-melanoma skin cancers including basal cell carcinoma and squamous cell carcinoma.
Forward-Looking Statements
Any statements contained in this press release that do not describe historical facts may constitute forward-looking statements as that term is defined in the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. These statements may be identified by words such as “believe,” “expect,” “may,” “plan,” “potential,” “will,” and similar expressions, and are based on Verrica’s current beliefs and expectations. These forward-looking statements include statements about the commercialization of YCANTH, including broadened access for molluscum patients, and the clinical development and benefits of Verrica’s product candidates, including YCANTH (VP-102) and VP-315. These statements involve risks and uncertainties that could cause actual results to differ materially from those reflected in such statements. Risks and uncertainties that may cause actual results to differ materially include risks and uncertainties related to market conditions, satisfaction of customary closing conditions related to the proposed public offering and other risks and uncertainties that are described in Verrica’s Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2024, Verrica’s Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q for the quarter ended September 30, 2025 and other filings Verrica makes with the SEC. Any forward-looking statements speak only as of the date of this press release and are based on information available to Verrica as of the date of this release, and Verrica assumes no obligation to, and does not intend to, update any forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise.
FOR MORE INFORMATION, PLEASE CONTACT:
Investors:
John Kirby
Interim Chief Financial Officer
jkirby@verrica.com
Kevin Gardner
LifeSci Advisors
kgardner@lifesciadvisors.com
FAQ
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