Basking Biosciences Appoints Lance Berman, MB.ChB., M.S., as Chief Medical Officer

RESEARCH TRIANGLE, N.C., May 4, 2026 — Basking Biosciences (Basking), a clinical-stage biopharmaceutical company developing the first reversible thrombolytic therapy for acute ischemic stroke (AIS), today announced the appointment of Lance Berman, MB.ChB., M.S., as chief medical officer. Dr. Berman brings more than 25 years of experience building and leading medical organizations at large pharma and emerging biotech companies, with a track record of advancing late-stage programs through regulatory submission, approval and commercialization. Shahid Nimjee, M.D., Ph.D., who co-founded Basking and has served as chief medical officer since the company’s inception, will continue to lead the company's scientific strategy and stroke clinical program as chief scientific officer and stroke clinical lead.

“The momentum behind our clinical programs makes this the right time to bring on a leader with Lance's depth of experience,” said Julia C. Owens, Ph.D., chief executive officer of Basking Biosciences. “With BB-031 advancing in the Phase 2 RAISE trial and the BB-025 Phase 1 trial near completion, he is well positioned to translate our clinical data into meaningful progress for patients.”

Basking's lead candidate, BB-031, is the first rapid-onset, short-acting thrombolytic therapy with a direct-acting reversal agent, currently in clinical development for acute ischemic stroke and other thrombotic conditions.

Dr. Berman joins Basking from Pulmocide, where, as chief medical officer, he led the clinical development of inhaled opelconazole for pulmonary aspergillosis, securing FDA Fast Track and Orphan Drug designations and advancing the program through Phase 2 and into a pivotal Phase 3 trial. Previously, as CMO of Relypsa, he built the medical department from the ground up, advanced the early-stage program through NDA submission and FDA approval, and contributed to the company’s IPO and its acquisition by Vifor Pharma.

“Basking is taking on an important challenge in thrombotic disease, particularly acute ischemic stroke, where patients need treatments that act rapidly, work effectively and can be safely reversed,” said Lance Berman, MB.ChB., M.S., chief medical officer of Basking Biosciences. “I’m excited to join this team and help advance a platform that has the potential to make safer, more effective interventions accessible to more patients who need them.”

Prior to Relypsa, Dr. Berman held senior medical director roles of increasing responsibility at Pfizer across the cardiovascular and metabolic portfolios and led supplemental NDA submissions and label negotiations for Norvasc and Caduet. He earned his Bachelor of Medicine and Bachelor of Surgery degree from the University of Cape Town and holds a Master of Science in Pharmaceutical Medicine from Hibernia College, a program developed in collaboration with Harvard University and the Royal College of Surgeons in Dublin. He began his pharmaceutical career at Janssen Pharmaceuticals and Schering-Plough, where he directed clinical research programs in neurology, including early clinical development of a first-in-class Parkinson’s disease therapy. His peer-reviewed publications include work in The New England Journal of Medicine and JAMA.

About Acute Ischemic Stroke

Acute Ischemic Stroke (AIS) is the leading cause of combined mortality and morbidity worldwide, accounting for 87 percent of all strokes. According to the World Health Organization, 15 million people suffer a stroke each year, resulting in more than 5 million deaths. Currently available therapies, including intravenous thrombolytics and mechanical thrombectomy, reach no more than 20 percent of patients, even in the best stroke centers.

About Basking Biosciences

Basking Biosciences is a clinical-stage biopharmaceutical company dedicated to changing the way potentially life-threatening blood clots are treated. Its novel therapies are designed to significantly improve safety and efficacy, which may broaden access for many more patients. The company's lead candidate, BB-031, is the first rapid-onset, short-acting thrombolytic therapy with a direct-acting reversal agent, currently in development for the treatment of acute ischemic stroke. By selectively inhibiting von Willebrand Factor (vWF), a central mediator of clot initiation, growth and stabilization, BB-031 delivers potent, targeted thrombolytic activity that, together with its reversal agent BB-025, could enable more patients to receive timely, life-saving treatment after stroke. For more information, visit www.baskingbiosciences.com and follow us on LinkedIn.

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The Grace Communication Group
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