Vice President, Next Generation Therapeutics

Asklepios BioPharmaceutical, Inc. (AskBio) is a leading, clinical-stage gene therapy company founded in 2001 based on the work of adeno-associated virus (AAV) gene therapy visionary and pioneer, Jude Samulski, PhD.

Since that time, our commitment to developing life-saving medicines that can potentially cure genetic diseases has never wavered.

At AskBio, we've built a foundation of therapeutic programs, AAV manufacturing and a rich portfolio of patented technology.

Our therapeutic focus includes neuromuscular, central nervous system, cardiovascular and metabolic diseases with clinical trials underway for Pompe disease, Parkinson's disease, and congestive heart failure.

Our gene therapy platform includes Pro10™, an industry-leading proprietary cell line manufacturing process, and an extensive AAV capsid and promoter library.

We became a wholly-owned, independently operated, subsidiary of Bayer AG in late 2020 as a cornerstone of its newly formed Cell & Gene Therapy (CGT) platform.

Our global headquarters is in Research Triangle Park, NC. Additionally, we have significant operations in Philadelphia, PA, Columbus, OH, Scotland, France, Germany, and Spain.

Our vision : Pioneering science to create transformative molecular medicines.

Our mission : Lead innovative science and drive clinical outcomes to transform people's lives.

Our principles :

• Advance innovative science by pushing boundaries.
• Bring transformative therapeutics to patients in need.
• Provide an environment for employees to reach their fullest potential.

Our values :

• Be a Pioneer. We are not afraid of the impossible and to innovate to make gene therapies accessible to those in need.
• Cultivate Collaboration. Strive to be the best teammate, actively listen, openly communicate, and embrace diverse points of view.
• Embrace Responsibility. We are humbled by the enormity of our mission. We hold a relentless commitment to advance science and clinical outcomes for our patients, families, and caregivers.
• Raise the Bar. Continuously drive improvements and efficiencies. Seek and provide constructive feedback. Have a bias for learning and action.
• Act with Uncompromising Integrity. Be honest, transparent, and committed to doing what's right in every situation. Make clear commitments and follow through.

Job Summary :

The VP, Next Generation Therapeutics will lead research and discovery efforts to advance cutting-edge platform technologies including capsid engineering and gene editing in order to enable and drive innovative preclinical pipeline programs.

This role will be pivotal in advancing AskBio's pipeline of breakthrough genetic medicines by working closely with cross-functional teams, including Product Development, CMC, Translational, Regulatory and Clinical Teams, to unlock new therapeutic indications and transform scientific and technological innovation into therapeutic products.

The VP, Next Generation Therapeutics will report to our Chief Scientific Officer. This position is based in Research Triangle Park, NC and the successful candidate must be able to work on-site regularly.

Job Responsibilities :

• Stay at the forefront of and drive innovation in genetic medicine, including capsid engineering, non-viral delivery and gene therapy / editing.
• Manage and build high-performing viral and non-viral delivery teams to enable and implement robust workflow in screening and discovering next-generation capsids and non-viral delivery particles, in close collaboration with the AskBio Informatics / Machine Learning team and Bayer team.
• Develop mechanistic understanding to enable rational design of next-generation capsids and non-viral delivery particles.
• Collaborate with internal teams, including Product Development, CMC, Translational, Regulatory and Clinical Teams, to incorporate novel delivery technologies into innovative preclinical pipeline programs and be a critical contributor of a preclinical project team.
• Drive gene editing programs, in collaboration with Bayer or external partners, to demonstrate in vitro and in vivo editing activities and efficacies to deliver IND-enabling data packages.
• Contribute to the preparation and submission of regulatory documents related to gene editing research programs.
• Efficiently manage a team of scientists and researchers, fostering a culture of clarity, innovation via collaboration, scientific excellence.

Empower and coach next-generation leaders.

• Acting as part of the AskBio R&D Leadership Team and a member of the Research and Discovery Committee, contribute to AskBio's R&D strategy, pipeline project prioritization and execution.
• Serve as a technical and strategic leader on external partnership discussions and execution. Critical role in due diligence.

Foster external innovation.

Minimum Requirements :

• PhD in Molecular Biology, Virology, Genetics, or a related field, with 10+ years of related experience (this can include a combination of post-doc, academic, industry, and similar experience)
• Proven track record of advancing gene therapy candidates from early research through preclinical development.
• Experience in pre-IND and IND filing.
• Strong passion and knowledge in developing cutting-edge platform technologies and incorporating them into product discovery and development.
• Proven ability to think strategically, identify scientific opportunities, and translate them into actionable research plans.
• Outstanding leadership skills in building and fostering high-performing R&D teams in a fast-paced, innovation-driven environment.
• Strong knowledge of regulatory and quality requirements in the gene therapy / editing field.
• Excellent collaboration mindset and skills, with the ability to work effectively across cross-functional teams.
• Demonstrated ability to establish and maintain external collaborations with academic institutions, industry partners, and key opinion leaders.
• Excellent communication skills, both verbal and written, with the ability to effectively present scientific findings to diverse audiences.

Preferred Skills & Experience :

Demonstrated expertise in developing cutting-edge platform technologies, including capsid engineering, and / or gene editing.

Asklepios BioPharmaceutical, Inc. (AskBio) is an Equal Opportunity Employer and does not discriminate against any employee or applicant for employment because of race, color, religion, gender, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, age, disability, veteran status or any other protected status prohibited under Federal, State or local laws.

All employment decisions are based on valid job-related requirements. If you are a qualified individual with a disability or a disabled veteran and are unable or limited in your ability to use or access our website, you may request a reasonable accommodation to express interest in a specific opening by calling us at (919) 561-6210 or sending us an email at [email protected].

Agencies : Please do not contact any employee at AskBio about this requisition. Any resume submitted by a recruitment agency to any employee at AskBio, through any medium, will be deemed the sole property of AskBio unless the agency was engaged by AskBio Talent Acquisition team to recruit for that position.

All agencies must have a prior executed service agreement with AskBio prior to any search engagement. If a candidate who was submitted outside of the AskBio agency process is hired by AskBio, no fee or payment of any kind will be paid to the agency.