Atsena Therapeutics

Atsena Therapeutics is a clinical-stage ophthalmic gene therapy company that is leveraging novel AAV technologies designed to overcome the unique hurdles presented by retinal disease. Our lead program is evaluating ATSN-201 in an ongoing Phase I/II clinical trial for X-linked retinoschisis (XLRS), a progressive genetic condition affecting boys and men that is typically diagnosed in childhood. We are also advancing ATSN-101 for Leber congenital amaurosis type 1 (LCA1), one of the most common causes of blindness in children, towards a Phase 3 trial. We have additional preclinical programs to treat other forms of inherited retinal disease as well as novel capsid technology.

At Atsena, we are bringing patients into focus. We are passionate about finding cures for visually impaired and blind individuals and are driven by cutting edge science to ensure we achieve the safest and most effective results.

Position Summary:

Atsena is seeking an experienced Vice President (VP) of Medical Affairs. The successful candidate will be responsible for building, managing, and leading a fully functional medical affairs department in anticipation of commercial launch of ATSN-201 for the treatment of XLRS, and to support the launch of ATSN-101 for the treatment of LCA1. The ideal candidate will have a strong background in Medical Affairs, preferably with experience in rare disease, ophthalmology, or gene therapy.

The VP of Medical Affairs will play a key role in pre-launch support and awareness of the Company’s products, including providing strategic guidance for activities related to KOL relationships, clinical trials, publications and overall commercialization preparation. The VP of Medical Affairs will work closely with the leadership of the company’s Clinical, Commercial and Corporate functions to support commercial launch and optimal life cycle management of all products.

Responsibilities:

Build the medical affairs organization: Recruit, hire, train and manage the Medical Affairs team, including medical operations, medical science liaisons, medical communication & publications, medical information, and Health Economics and Outcomes Research (HEOR), to support the commercial launch of ATSN-201 and other pipeline programs. Collaborate with Commercial, Clinical, and Corporate to set the strategic direction for all of Atsena’s program development and commercial launches. Oversee and foster relationships with key opinion leaders (KOLs) to support growth and development of the pipeline and identification of unmet patient needs. This networking will also entail problem solving and identifying best practices for finding patients in a timely fashion as well as raising awareness in the potential prescriber community. Develop communications strategy, including presentation and publication strategy. Oversee management of publication planning and execution, and coordination of presentations (including conferences) to ensure that all data on company products generated in clinical studies is publicly presented in an appropriate and timely fashion and in a fair and balanced manner. Oversee management of funding for Continuing Medical Education (CME) and sponsorships to ensure that funds are allocated appropriately to activities consistent with the clinical development and commercial objectives of the business, and that review and approval processes are in place to maintain strict compliance with all federal regulations. Oversee the management of all grants to ensure that the strategy is clearly defined and consistent with the clinical development strategy objectives for ATSN-201, and that appropriate processes are in place for review, approval, management, and support. Responsibility and accountability for the financial management and reporting requirements for Medical Affairs function.

Qualifications:

MD, PhD, or Pharm D Experience building a medical affairs department from the ground up. 15+ years’ experience in the pharmaceutical/biotech industry. Experience in rare diseases, gene therapies, and/or ophthalmology is highly desired. Excellent communication and management skills Strong collaborator Proficient in the use of Word, Excel, Powerpoint, etc. Ability to travel for conferences, KOL engagements, corporate meetings and other miscellaneous activities is a must. Travel will be 50% on average but will fluctuate throughout the year. Experienced in building relationships to foster the advancement of new therapies.

Since culture is a core component to Atsena Therapeutics, this candidate will need to ensure not only strong collaboration with other department leads but also everyone on their team. This may require frequent coaching and teaching. Scientific expertise is critical for the role, but it is equally important to build a culture of trust and collaboration to optimize the success of Atsena.

Required Skills:

Open-minded & Innovative Self-starter and accountable Perseverance mindset with the ability to stick with a task during challenging times Strong leadership skills and the ability to manage multiple projects independently Strong organizational, written and oral communication skills The ability to handle multiple priorities within matrix environment Strong problem-solving skills Proven track record of fostering creativity, productivity, execution with a sense of urgency, teamwork, accountability, and cross-functional collaboration Team-builder who leads by example, employs expertise and influence to encourage collaboration across departments, levels, and groups to achieve key objectives Highly collaborative and energized to work across global & functional boundaries both internally and externally

Adaptable as priorities and pipelines evolve

Ability to build and maintain relationships with a wide variety of external stakeholders, including KOLs, PAGs, and foundations Expertise in building effective external communication strategies Ability to develop creative solutions to patient identification and outreach

Role Location:

In office or hybrid/remote