NextCure chief medical officer to depart ahead of Avere Therapeutics merger

NextCure disclosed in an 8-K dated October 26, 2026 that it had decided to end the employment of Chief Medical Officer Dr. Udayan Guha, M.D., Ph.D., with the termination set to take effect on October 31, 2026. The company said the move was made in contemplation of its pending merger with Avere Therapeutics, Inc.¹

As part of his exit, Dr. Guha signed a severance agreement with NextCure. The agreement includes a release of claims in favor of the company.¹ Under its terms, Dr. Guha will receive severance benefits in line with what his existing employment agreement calls for in a termination without cause, with those terms described in NextCure's definitive proxy statement filed with the SEC on April 24, 2026.¹

The severance agreement also addresses what happens if the Avere merger closes. If the merger is completed, Dr. Guha would become eligible for an additional, enhanced severance payment tied to a change-in-control termination without cause, as specified in his employment agreement.¹

In the filing, NextCure's board thanked Dr. Guha for his leadership and expressed gratitude for his contributions during his tenure.¹

The 8-K was signed on October 30, 2026 by Steven P. Cobourn, NextCure's Chief Financial Officer. The filing does not provide further detail on the status or expected timing of the Avere Therapeutics merger beyond describing it as pending.