BioCryst Announces Formation of Scientific Advisory Board to Drive Rare Disease Pipeline Innovation and Growth

—Supports BioCryst’s evolution toward a more disciplined R&D model centered on external innovation—

RESEARCH TRIANGLE PARK, N.C., Oct. 05, 2026 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- BioCryst Pharmaceuticals, Inc. (Nasdaq: BCRX) today announced the formation of a Scientific Advisory Board (SAB) comprising seven accomplished scientific and industry leaders with deep expertise across rare disease research and drug development. The SAB will provide independent scientific and strategic guidance as the Company advances its research and development strategy and builds a high value novel drug pipeline.

“The formation of BioCryst’s Scientific Advisory Board marks an important step in the evolution of our new R&D model,” said Dr. Sandeep Menon, BioCryst’s Chief Research and Development Officer. “External innovation is increasingly central to how we build our pipeline, and guidance from leading scientists and physicians will sharpen our thinking and strengthen the diligence behind each program we evaluate and advance. The Scientific Advisory Board will work closely with me and our Chief Scientific Officer, Dr. David Jenkins, as we shape and execute BioCryst’s R&D strategy.”

“Building on our success in developing and commercializing medicines for hereditary angioedema, we are bringing the same rigor to the next generation of BioCryst medicines,” said Charlie Gayer, Chief Executive Officer. “With the expertise of these highly experienced scientific advisors, BioCryst will be better positioned to evaluate emerging opportunities and translate their potential into meaningful benefits for patients.”

The SAB will provide strategic guidance across BioCryst’s research and development activities, including pipeline expansion, external innovation opportunities, translational science and clinical development. The board will also offer insights on regulatory strategy and help strengthen connections with leading scientific, medical and patient communities worldwide.

"Few companies have demonstrated BioCryst’s ability to translate rigorous science into rare disease medicines that reach patients, and that track record is what makes the Company’s evolution so compelling," said Dr. Anthony Manning, Chair of the Scientific Advisory Board. "The formation of this Board is an important step for BioCryst, and it is a privilege to chair a group with this depth of experience across rare disease drug discovery, translational science and clinical development. I am confident the Company’s decisions about which science to pursue and how to advance it will benefit from the collective judgment of its members."

Scientific Advisory Board Members:

• Anthony (Tony) Manning, PhD, Chair, is Principal at Manning Bio Worldwide, LLC, advising biotechnology companies and academic institutions following a 30-year career in pharmaceutical drug discovery and development. As Chief Scientific Officer at Momenta Pharmaceuticals (now part of Johnson & Johnson), he built a pipeline of first-in-class therapeutics for rare autoantibody-driven diseases, including nipocalimab (IMAAVY), now FDA-approved for generalized myasthenia gravis and warm autoimmune hemolytic anemia, with additional indications in development. Earlier, he led drug discovery efforts at Roche Pharmaceuticals and Biogen Idec, contributing to the approvals of Actemra and Rituxan, and to the development of litifilimab, now in Phase 3 for lupus.
   
• Dr. Christine Bulawa, PhD, received a PhD from the University of Wisconsin-Madison and completed postdoctoral studies at Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT). As part of her 20+ years in rare disease drug discovery, she was the first employee of FoldRx Pharmaceuticals and instrumental in the preclinical development of tafamidis, the first pharmacological treatment for transthyretin amyloidosis. As a senior leader in Pfizer’s Rare Disease Research Unit, Dr. Bulawa built a pipeline of innovative programs based on rigorously validated targets, spanning portfolio entry to clinical development, with a focus on small molecule and genetic therapies to treat degenerative neurological, neuromuscular and protein aggregation diseases. 
   
• Dr. Eric A. Hughes, MD, PhD, serves as Executive Vice President, Global Research & Development and Chief Medical Officer at Teva Pharmaceuticals. A physician-scientist who earned his MD and PhD from Yale University, Dr. Hughes brings nearly 20 years of biopharmaceutical industry experience and is helping advance Teva’s transformation into a leading innovative biopharmaceutical company, enabled by a world-class generics business.  Prior to Teva, he served in leadership roles at Vertex, Novartis and Bristol Myers Squibb.
   
• Dr. Stephanie Noviello, MD, MPH, is Chief Medical Officer at ILiAD Biotechnologies, Inc. She is a clinical development leader with extensive experience across infectious diseases, virology, immunology, rare diseases and skeletal diseases at Novartis, Motif BioSciences, Bristol-Myers Squibb and Schering-Plough Research Institute.
   
• Dr. Shashi Ramaiah, DVM, PhD, DACVP, DABT, is a board-certified Veterinary Pathologist and Toxicologist who spent 18 years at Pfizer, most recently as Vice President and Global Head of Discovery, Investigative and Translational Sciences. He is Founder and CEO of SPECCRO, a drug development advisory firm that helps biotechnology companies and investors de-risk programs and portfolios, drawing on more than 40 senior industry experts and extensive engagement with national and international scientific consortia.
   
• Dr. Art Taveras, PhD, is a seasoned biopharmaceutical executive with over 35 years of industry experience, specializing in leading R&D divisions across major public pharmaceutical corporations and biotech firms including Biogen Idec, Transform Therapeutics, X4 Pharmaceuticals, CoMET Therapeutics, ShangPharma ChemPartner, Alantos Pharmaceuticals and Schering-Plough. His strategic expertise as President, CEO, CSO and R&D Leader has advanced robust pipelines and key global R&D partnerships, culminating in over 175 patent application filings, 150 publications, 60 clinical trials, 6 regulatory agency approvals and 5 therapeutic platform technologies across commercial and clinical-stage assets for diseases in neurology, oncology, immunology, metabolism and rare disease.
   
• Dr. Ajay Yekkirala, PhD, is an experienced serial entrepreneur who co-founded Superluminal Medicines at RA Capital and built a strong investor syndicate including NVIDIA, Eli Lilly, Insight Partners, Catalio, BVF and Perceptive Advisors. As Chief Scientific Officer, he directs the AI/ML platform build and all pipeline R&D. Prior to Superluminal, Dr. Yekkirala founded Blue Therapeutics to develop non-addictive painkillers. He received his PhD from the University of Minnesota and completed postdoctoral training at Harvard Medical School. He has authored several papers published in high-impact, peer-reviewed journals and advised various committees at the NIH, including EPPIC-NET at NINDS and Medication Development Research Committee at NIDA.
  
  

About BioCryst Pharmaceuticals
BioCryst is a global biotechnology company focused on developing and commercializing medicines for hereditary angioedema (HAE) and other rare diseases, driven by its deep commitment to improving the lives of people living with these conditions. BioCryst has commercialized ORLADEYO® (berotralstat), the first oral, once-daily plasma kallikrein inhibitor and is advancing a pipeline of potential first-in-class or best-in-class therapeutics for rare diseases. For more information, please visit www.biocryst.com or follow us on LinkedIn.

Forward-Looking Statements

This press release contains forward-looking statements, including statements regarding future results, performance, or achievements, expectations regarding BioCryst’s strategic shift to prioritize external innovation, expectations regarding pipeline development, the anticipated role and potential benefits of BioCryst’s Scientific Advisory Board, and statements related to BioCryst’s future operations, prospects and pipeline programs. These statements involve known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors which may cause BioCryst’s actual results, performance, or achievements to be materially different from any future results, performance, or achievements expressed or implied by the forward-looking statements. These statements reflect our current views with respect to future events and are based on assumptions and are subject to risks and uncertainties. Given these uncertainties, you should not place undue reliance on these forward-looking statements. Some of the factors that could affect the forward-looking statements contained herein include: BioCryst’s ability to successfully progress its pipeline development plans; guidance and recommendations provided by the Scientific Advisory Board may not improve BioCryst’s evaluation or advancement of potential programs or result in the anticipated benefits; the commercial viability of BioCryst’s future rare disease therapies; ongoing and future development of product candidates may take longer than expected and may not have positive results; product candidates, if approved, may not achieve market acceptance; the results of BioCryst’s partnerships with third parties may not meet BioCryst’s current expectations; and BioCryst’s ability to realize the contemplated benefits of its new R&D strategy and model and successfully evaluate and execute external opportunities. This list is not exclusive. To see a more comprehensive list of risks, please refer to the documents BioCryst files periodically with the Securities and Exchange Commission, specifically BioCryst’s most recent Annual Report on Form 10-K, Quarterly Reports on Form 10-Q, and Current Reports on Form 8-K, which identify important factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from those contained in BioCryst’s projections and forward-looking statements.

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