WINSTON-SALEM, N.C., March 25, 2026 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- ProKidney Corp. (NASDAQ:PROK) ("ProKidney" or the "Company"), a leading late clinical-stage cell therapy company focused on chronic kidney disease (CKD), today announced the appointment of Greg Madison as Chief Commercial Officer. In this role, Mr. Madison will drive ProKidney's commercial strategy as the Company advances towards the potential commercialization of rilparencel.

"Greg is a seasoned commercial biopharma executive with a proven track record of building high-performing organizations, shaping strategy, and preparing innovative therapies for market," said Bruce Culleton, M.D., CEO of ProKidney. "He brings valuable operational and leadership skills needed to help guide ProKidney through its next phase of growth, including strong depth in nephrology and other specialty markets. As we advance our clinical and regulatory objectives for rilparencel, Greg will play a key role in strengthening our leadership team and positioning rilparencel for potential commercialization."

Mr. Madison brings more than two decades of executive leadership experience across commercial strategy, general management, launch planning, business development, and company building in both clinical and commercial-stage biopharmaceutical companies. Most recently, he served as Chief Executive Officer of Shield Therapeutics plc, where he redesigned the commercial strategy, identified and led a transformative business development transaction, and raised capital to position the company on a path to profitability. Previously, he was Chief Executive Officer of Melt Pharmaceuticals, creating the company and advancing a novel sublingual combination drug from preclinical to Phase 2. Prior to that, he served as President and CEO of Keryx Biopharmaceuticals, leading its evolution from a clinical to commercial-stage organization, launching a novel iron-based phosphate binder for dialysis patients, and advancing a second indication for iron deficiency anemia. Earlier in his career, Mr. Madison was Executive Vice President and Chief Commercial Officer of AMAG Pharmaceuticals, and Vice President/General Manager of the Global Renal Business at Genzyme, where he helped drive Renagel/Renvela to blockbuster status with over $1 billion in annual revenue.

"ProKidney is developing a truly novel cell therapy with the potential to address a profound unmet need for patients with advanced CKD and diabetes," said Greg Madison. "As a potential first cell therapy for CKD patients and nephrologists, I am excited to join the Company at such an important time. I look forward to working alongside Bruce and the broader team to shape the commercial strategy, organization, and execute the plans needed to support the potential launch of rilparencel."

About Chronic Kidney Disease

CKD is a progressive condition characterized by the gradual decline of kidney function, which can ultimately lead to end-stage kidney disease (ESKD) requiring dialysis or transplantation. An estimated 37 million adults in the U.S. have CKD, though many remain undiagnosed in the early stages. Diabetes is the leading cause of CKD, and individuals with both conditions face significantly elevated risks of cardiovascular events, hospitalization, and mortality. ProKidney is developing rilparencel for patients with Stage 3b/4 CKD and diabetes, a population that includes over 1 million people in the U.S. While current treatment options aim to slow disease progression, there remains a substantial unmet need for therapies that can stabilize kidney function and delay or prevent the need for dialysis in patients with advanced CKD.

About ProKidney Corp.

ProKidney, a pioneer in the treatment of CKD through innovations in cell therapy, was founded in 2015 after a decade of research. ProKidney's lead product candidate, rilparencel (also known as REACT^®), is a first-in-class, patented, proprietary autologous cell therapy with regenerative medicine advanced therapy designation that is being evaluated in the ongoing Phase 3 REGEN-006 (PROACT 1) study for its potential to preserve kidney function in patients with advanced CKD and type 2 diabetes. For more information, please visit www.prokidney.com.

Forward-Looking Statements

This press release includes "forward-looking statements" within the meaning of the "safe harbor" provisions of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. ProKidney's actual results may differ from its expectations, estimates and projections and consequently, you should not rely on these forward-looking statements as predictions of future events. Words such as "expect," "estimate," "project," "budget," "forecast," "anticipate," "intend," "plan," "may," "will," "could," "should," "believes," "predicts," "potential," "continue," and similar expressions (or the negative versions of such words or expressions) are intended to identify such forward-looking statements. These forward-looking statements include, without limitation, the advancement of our clinical and regulatory objectives for rilparencel and, if approved, potential commercialization of rilparencel. Most of these factors are outside of the Company's control and are difficult to predict. Factors that may cause such differences include, but are not limited to: disruptions to our business or that may otherwise materially harm our results of operations or financial condition as a result of our recent domestication to the United States; the inability to maintain the listing of the Company's Class A common stock on Nasdaq; the inability of the Company's Class A common stock to remain included in various indices and the potential negative impact on the trading price of the Class A common stock if excluded from such indices; the inability to implement business plans, forecasts, and other expectations or identify and realize additional opportunities, which may be affected by, among other things, competition and the ability of the Company to grow and manage growth profitably and retain its key employees; the risk of downturns and a changing regulatory landscape in the highly competitive biotechnology industry; the risk that results of the Company's clinical trials may not support approval; the risk that the FDA could require additional studies before approving the Company's drug candidates; the inability of the Company to raise financing in the future; the inability of the Company to obtain and maintain regulatory clearance or approval for its products, and any related restrictions and limitations of any cleared or approved product; the inability of the Company to identify, in-license or acquire additional technology; the inability of Company to compete with other companies currently marketing or engaged in the biologics market and in the area of treatment of kidney diseases; the size and growth potential of the markets for the Company's products, if approved, and its ability to serve those markets, either alone or in partnership with others; the Company's estimates regarding expenses, future revenue, capital requirements and needs for additional financing; the Company's financial performance; the Company's intellectual property rights; uncertainties inherent in cell therapy research and development, including the actual time it takes to initiate and complete clinical studies and the timing and content of decisions made by regulatory authorities; the fact that interim results from our clinical programs may not be indicative of future results; the impact of geo-political conflict on the Company's business; and other risks and uncertainties included under the heading "Risk Factors" in the Company's most recent Annual Report on Form 10-K, subsequent Quarterly Reports on Form 10-Q and other filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission. The Company cautions readers that the foregoing list of factors is not exclusive and cautions readers not to place undue reliance upon any forward-looking statements, which speak only as of the date made. The Company does not undertake or accept any obligation or undertaking to release publicly any updates or revisions to any forward-looking statements to reflect any change in its expectations or any change in events, conditions or circumstances on which any such statement is based.

ProKidney Contact

Ethan Holdaway

Ethan.Holdaway@prokidney.com

Investor Relations Contact

Daniel Ferry

Daniel@lifesciadvisors.com

Media Contact

Audra Friis

audrafriis@sambrown.com

ProKidney Expands Senior Leadership Team with Appointment of Greg Madison as Chief Commercial Officer