VP, Translational Medicine

About Formation Bio

Formation Bio is a tech and AI driven pharma company differentiated by radically more efficient drug development. 

Advancements in AI and drug discovery are creating more candidate drugs than the industry can progress because of the high cost and time of clinical trials. Recognizing that this development bottleneck may ultimately limit the number of new medicines that can reach patients, Formation Bio, founded in 2016 as TrialSpark Inc., has built technology platforms, processes, and capabilities to accelerate all aspects of drug development and clinical trials. Formation Bio partners, acquires, or in-licenses drugs from pharma companies, research organizations, and biotechs to develop programs past clinical proof of concept and beyond, ultimately helping to bring new medicines to patients. The company is backed by investors across pharma and tech, including a16z, Sequoia, Sanofi, Thrive Capital, Sam Altman, John Doerr, Spark Capital, SV Angel Growth, and others. 

You can read more at the following links:

• Our Vision for AI in Pharma
• Our Current Drug Portfolio
• Our Technology & Platform

At Formation Bio, our values are the driving force behind our mission to revolutionize the pharma industry. Every team and individual at the company shares these same values, and every team and individual plays a key part in our mission to bring new treatments to patients faster and more efficiently.

About the Position

Formation Bio is seeking a leader to head up the Early Development function (pharmacology, toxicology and clinical pharmacology) with significant drug development experience to join our vision of re-imaging drug development.  Our approach to drug development is to license clinical stage assets - usually phase 2 ready and beyond - and develop them with a goal of commercialization.  This is a new position that will increase our experience and expertise to enable our licensing and development efforts as well as build and lead the Early Development team.  As a key member of the Development Leadership Team they will provide significant contributions to the company’s effort to harness the promise of AI into revolutionizing all aspects of the drug development process.  They will use their non-clinical  and translational science development experience to drive our mission of bringing medicines to patients faster and more efficiently.

This is a foundational leadership role for the company and reports to the Chief Development Officer.

Responsibilities

• Drive non-clinical/early development strategy across all therapeutic areas, focusing on clinical stage development through registration
• Build and provide strategic leadership for the Pharmacology, Toxicology, and Clinical Pharmacology teams within the Development organization
• Support the business development team in the diligence process for new assets, providing critical non-clinical and translational science expertise
• Oversee design and execution of early development  studies, leveraging Formation Bio's tech-enabled platform to optimize efficiency where appropriate
• Collaborate closely with cross-functional teams including Clinical Development, Regulatory Affairs, Quality Assurance, CMC and Business Development
• Ensure Early Development  activities are compliant with all relevant regulations (e.g., GLP, GCP, FDA, EMA guidelines)
• Manage resource allocation and budget for non-clinical development activities
• Represent Formation Bio's Early development capabilities to external partners, regulatory agencies, and at scientific conferences
• Foster a culture of innovation, open communication, and continuous improvement within the non-clinical development organization
• Contribute to the creation and protection of intellectual property related to non-clinical development
• Synthesize and communicate complex scientific concepts clearly to various stakeholders, both internally and externally

About You

• PhD or MD/PhD in a relevant scientific field (e.g., Pharmacology, Toxicology, Clinical toxicology or translational medicine ) with at least 10 - 15 years of experience in the biopharmaceutical industry
• Proven track record of successfully leading non-clinical and translational development efforts in clinical-stage drug development,
• Extensive experience in supporting business development activities, including due diligence for in-licensing opportunities 
• Deep understanding of drug development processes through registration
• Strong knowledge of regulatory requirements and guidelines for non-clinical development across multiple therapeutic areas
• Demonstrated ability to build and lead high-performing scientific teams within a Development organization
• Experience in managing CROs and external collaborations
• Excellent communication and interpersonal skills, with the ability to influence and collaborate effectively across functions and with external partners
• Strategic thinker with the ability to balance scientific rigor, business needs, and operational efficiency
• Proven ability to make data-driven decisions in a fast-paced, dynamic environment
• Experience in leveraging innovative technologies and approaches to enhance non-clinical development processes
• Track record of contributing to successful NDA submissions
• Strong publication record and scientific reputation in the field of non-clinical drug development
• Embraces open conversations and challenges to status quo thinking
• Innovative mindset and enthusiasm for leveraging technology to transform drug development

We offer competitive compensation because we want to hire the best people and reward them for their contributions to our mission. We pay all employees competitively relative to the New York City market, regardless of their location. In compliance with NYC’s pay transparency law and in pursuit of pay equity and fairness, we publish salary ranges for all open roles at Formation Bio. The target salary range for this role is $350,000 - $400,000.

On top of base salary, we also offer equity, generous perks, location flexibility, and comprehensive benefits – learn more about them and our compensation philosophy here.

If this range doesn’t match your expectations, please still apply because we may have something else for you.

You will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, gender, gender identity or expression, sexual orientation, national origin, genetics, disability, age, or veteran status.