Senior Director, Translational Medicine

Harpoon Therapeutics (ticker: HARP) is a clinical-stage immunotherapy company developing a novel class of T cell engagers that harness the power of the body’s immune system to treat patients suffering from cancer and other diseases. T cell engagers are engineered proteins that direct a patient’s own T cells to kill target cells that express specific proteins, or antigens, carried by the target cells. Using its proprietary Tri-specific T cell Activating Construct (TriTAC®) platform, Harpoon is developing a pipeline of novel TriTACs initially focused on the treatment of solid tumors and hematologic malignancies. HPN424 targets PSMA and is in a Phase 1/2a trial for metastatic castration-resistant prostate cancer. HPN536 targets mesothelin and is in a Phase 1/2a trial for cancers expressing mesothelin, initially focused on ovarian and pancreatic cancers. HPN217 targets BCMA and is in a Phase 1/2 trial for relapsed, refractory multiple myeloma. HPN328 targets DLL3 and is in a Phase 1/2 trial for cancers expressing DLL3, initially focused on small cell lung cancer and other tumors with high-grade neuroendocrine features. Harpoon is led by an experienced management team. The company emphasizes a collegial, collaborative environment and has a strong record of scientific innovation, pioneering protein engineering, expertise in tumor immunology and pre-clinical and clinical research. For additional information about Harpoon Therapeutics, please visit www.harpoontx.com.

Responsibilities

• Manage and build an expanding Translational Medicine group. Work closely with Research, Nonclinical, CMC, Regulatory, and Clinical representatives on product development teams (PDTs) to establish consensus in program-specific plans; ensure alignment, timely execution, and achievement of program goals.
• Assemble cross-functional PDTs and provide leadership in advancing Harpoon’s experimental drug molecules from discovery to IND submission.
• Provide direction and strategies in nonclinical studies, biomarker, and diagnostics development for drug molecules in clinical trials.
• In collaboration with Research, in vivo Pharmacology, and Clinical Pharmacology, drive translational biology research to support clinical development, e.g., providing the scientific rationale for combination clinical trials, strategies for patient selection and/or stratification, etc.
• Act as the point of contact and represent IND programs to executive management and board of directors.
• Oversee and participate in authoring documents for submissions to US and international regulatory agencies.
• Create a collaborative team environment, develop trust, and ensure transparent communications, negotiate with and influence key stakeholders.
• Act as the main liaison with Harpoon’s academic partners to ensure positive and productive collaboration that aligns with corporate direction in development programs.

Qualifications

• A PhD in a relevant field of study in biology, chemistry, or pharmaceutical science, PharmD, or DMV.
• 10+ years of leadership role and a proven track record in developing drugs (preferably biologics) for the treatment of cancer or related diseases and in successfully advancing drug candidates from research into clinical development.
• In depth knowledge and hands on experience in directing drug discovery research, clinical biomarker research, diagnostic development, and/or toxicology programs in biotech or pharmaceutical companies.
• Ability to navigate a fast-evolving biotech drug development environment and work across functions to align critical activities in Research/Discovery, Nonclinical, CMC, Regulatory, and Clinical Development to ensure timely program progress.
• Effective communication skills in presenting to internal (scientists, PDT members, management, executives, and board of directors) and external (scientific conferences, publications, working groups, and regulatory interactions) audiences.
• Knowledge in regulatory guidance, requirements and expectations in the US and internationally.
• Demonstrated ability to effectively manage projects and people.