Company Description
Bicycle Therapeutics is a clinical-stage biopharmaceutical company developing a novel class of medicines, referred to as Bicycle® molecules, for diseases that are underserved by existing therapeutics. Bicycle molecules are fully synthetic short peptides constrained with small molecule scaffolds to form two loops that stabilize their structural geometry. This constraint facilitates target binding with high affinity and selectivity, making Bicycle molecules attractive candidates for drug development. The company is evaluating BT8009, a Bicycle® Toxin Conjugate (BTC®) targeting Nectin-4, a well-validated tumor antigen; BT5528, a BTC targeting EphA2, a historically undruggable target; and BT7480, a Bicycle Tumor-Targeted Immune Cell Agonist® (Bicycle TICA®) targeting Nectin-4 and agonizing CD137, in company-sponsored clinical trials. Additionally, the company is developing Bicycle® Radio Conjugates (BRC™) for radiopharmaceutical use and, through various partnerships, is exploring the use of Bicycle® technology to develop therapies for diseases beyond oncology.
Bicycle Therapeutics is headquartered in Cambridge, UK, with many key functions and members of its leadership team located in Cambridge, MA.
Culture is key and all Bicycle employees actively embrace and role model our company values:
- We are Adventurous. We believe it’s the way to deliver extraordinary results for our patients.
- We are Dedicated to our Mission. You can’t change the world if you don’t have determination.
- We are One Team. We only succeed when we work together.
Job Description
The Research Scientist will be primarily responsible for overseeing external assay development projects at CROs and supporting data generation, analysis and interpretation of clinical biomarker assays for BTCs and TICAs in clinical development. The successful candidate will be a key member of a multifaceted team that works seamlessly across research and clinical functions to support the clinical biomarker strategies. They will utilize their strong background in oncology and assay development to build clinical biomarker assays including companion diagnostics and develop strategies for patient selection. This is not a bench-based position.
- Work collaboratively with members of the Translational Sciences team, Global Project Teams, senior scientific and clinical leadership teams to:
- Design, conduct, and coordinate translational research activities at CROs including assay development, execution, and analysis of clinical biomarker data
- Identify, evaluate, and prioritize candidate predictive & pharmacodynamic biomarkers to support clinical development strategies
- Support analysis and development of clinical biomarker datasets including but not limited to NGS, IHC, and ISH
- Effectively communicate updates, ideas, observations, and data analyses with Translational and Global Program Teams
- In close collaboration with the clinical team, provide translational support to ongoing clinical trials through the management of clinical biomarker sample lifecycle including sample shipments, routine sample analysis, addressing sample issues at Central Labs and 3rd party vendors, and review of the biomarker sections of clinical lab manual
- Collaborate cross-functionally with other departments, including Medical, Clinical Science, Regulatory, Quantitative Pharmacology, Biometrics, and Clinical Operations
Qualifications
- Clinical NGS and biomarker assay development experience in solid tumor/liquid biopsies
- Experience with design, delivery, analysis, and interpretation of clinical biomarker assay techniques (eg comprehensive genomic profiling/NGS, ISH, and/or IHC)
- Working level understanding of in vitro diagnostics platforms
- Hands-on experience with the development, implementation, or performance of diagnostic assays, ideally companion diagnostics
- Demonstrated experience managing external projects at CROs
- Translational science, translational medicine, or clinical research experience
- Ability to collaborate, communicate, and present findings to scientists and non-scientists
- Flexible, organized and motivated scientist who enjoys working in a fast-paced, small company environment
Additional Information
- Flexible working environment
- Competitive reward including annual company bonus
- Medical, dental, and vision insurance for eligible employees and their families with 100% of the premiums covered by the Company
- Health and Dependent Care Flexible Spending Accounts
- 401(k) plan with a 4% Company match and immediate vesting
- Eligibility to accrue up to 23 paid time off days per full year worked, plus the option to buy up to 5 additional days
- Employee assistance program
- Employee recognition schemes
- 10 Company holidays
- Competitive Family Leave Policy
- Eligibility for an option grant to subscribe to shares in Bicycle Therapeutics plc.
All your information will be kept confidential according to EEO guidelines.
Bicycle Therapeutics is committed to building a diverse workforce that is representative of the communities we serve. We recognize that diverse and inclusive teams build a stronger and more innovative company. Therefore, all qualified applicants will be considered for employment, and we do not discriminate on the basis of race, religion, colour, gender, sexual orientation, age, disability status, marital status, or veteran status.
What We Do
We are Bicycle Therapeutics, a clinical-stage biopharmaceutical company. We didn’t wait for the next advance against cancer. We created it.
Based on groundbreaking work conceived in the laboratory of Sir Greg Winter with the help of Professor Christian Heinis, we are pioneering the development of bicyclic peptides, or Bicycles® – a novel class of versatile, chemically synthesized medicines. Bicycles are fully synthetic short peptides constrained to form two loops which stabilize their structural geometry. This constraint is designed to confer high affinity and selectivity, and the relatively large surface area presented by the molecule allows targets to be drugged that have historically been intractable to non-biological approaches. Bicycles represent a unique therapeutic class, combining the pharmacological properties normally associated with a biologic with the manufacturing and pharmacokinetic advantages of a small molecule, yet with no signs of immunogenicity observed to date.
Bicycles can be used as Bicycle conjugates to deliver toxin payloads and to precisely target local immune activation within tumors and as Bicycle T-cell modulators, which activate cytotoxic T-cells while circumventing the limitations of antibody and biologic therapies and better enabling combination therapy. Our lead product candidate, BT1718, is a Bicycle toxin conjugate currently being investigated in a Phase I/IIa open label dose escalation and expansion clinical trial sponsored by Cancer Research UK. BT1718 targets Membrane Type 1 Matrix Metalloproteinase (MT1-MMP), also known as MMP-14, which is highly expressed in many solid tumors.
Our strategic collaborations are based on the ability of Bicycles to address a wide variety of targets. Through collaborations with AstraZeneca, Oxurion, Innovate UK and the Dementia Discovery Fund, we work with companies that have deep therapeutic expertise outside of oncology to enable us to more efficiently develop novel medicines for patients.
