Vice President, Drug Discovery and Development
About the job
Reporting to Agora Open Science Trust’s CEO and Board of Directors, the Vice President, Drug Discovery and Development will advance the M4K Pharma (‘Medicines for Kids’) open science-based kinase inhibitor program for the rare pediatric brain cancer diffuse intrinsic pontine glioma (DIPG). The M4K program is currently in late lead optimization, moving towards IND / CTA and clinical trials. The VP will also be tasked with launching an M4ND Pharma (‘Medicines for Neurodegeneration’) program, which will involve identifying and selecting one or more new drug development opportunities in neurodegenerative disease indications that are underserved by traditional business models, and sourcing and coordinating open scientific contributions from academia and industry to drive the program forward. The VP position requires an individual with a strong track record in managing and leading preclinical drug development programs into the clinic, a penchant for collaborative science, and excellent networking and fundraising skills.
Responsibilities
Develop and coordinate stage-appropriate target product profiles (TPPs) and scientific plans for the M4K and M4ND programs, in consultation with relevant collaborators and external stakeholders
Make ongoing operational decisions with respect to overall project design, direction, and resource allocation in response to evolving data and results, preferably on a consensus basis with main collaborators
Provide day-to-day project management and coordination to scientific collaborators involved in M4K and M4ND projects
Develop and execute a robust fundraising strategy to meet the funding needs of the M4K and M4ND programs through new grants, philanthropic contributions, and in-kind support.
Establish new partnerships in academia, public organizations, and industry (pharma, biotech, CROs, etc) to execute on project-specific scientific plans
Establish and manage a Scientific Advisory Board (SAB) for each program
Oversee and facilitate ongoing data sharing by project collaborators
Manage regulatory matters related to IND / CTA applications and clinical trials, in consultation with the CEO
Represent Agora and the M4K and M4ND programs at relevant conferences and stakeholder meetings.
Qualifications
PhD in a relevant field, with 10+ years of experience relevant to drug discovery and development, preferably including managing or leading preclinical development and IND / CTA enabling work
Experience working in collaborative drug development teams across a variety of preclinical stages and scientific disciplines.
Demonstrated fundraising capabilities considered an asset.
Ability to understand, interrogate, and make sound recommendations and decisions in response to drug discovery and development data.
Experience working with CROs and academic partners for outsourced drug discovery activities.
General knowledge of regulatory processes relevant to IND / CTA submissions.
Salary and Benefits
A competitive salary and benefits package for the VP position will be offered, based on the successful candidate’s training, experience, and track record.
About Agora Open Science Trust
Agora, a spin-out of the Structural Genomics Consortium, is a Canadian charity with a mission to accelerate the discovery and development of affordable new medicines through open science. In partnership with the Ontario Institute for Cancer Research, Charles River Laboratories, and a range of scientific collaborators across North America, the UK, and Europe, Agora helped launch M4K Pharma in 2019, a first of its kind open science drug development initiative targeting pediatric brain cancer. Through the generous support of the Krembil Foundation, we are seeking to advance M4K’s lead program into preclinical and clinical development and to expand our open science drug development model into neurodegeneration.
Please email your CV and cover letter to info@agoraopensciencetrust.org by April 12, 2024 or apply via LinkedIn.