Senior/Executive Director, Nonclinical Pharmacology

Position Overview:

Astria Therapeutics is dedicated to bringing hope with life-changing therapies to patients and families affected by allergic and immunological diseases. Astria’s pipeline includes our lead program, Navenibart, a monoclonal antibody inhibitor of plasma kallikrein in clinical development for the treatment of hereditary angioedema, as well as STAR-0310, an OX40 monoclonal antibody antagonist currently in pre-clinical development for atopic dermatitis (AD) and being explored for other allergic and immunological diseases.

As a senior leader within Astria’s expanding team, the Senior/Executive Director, Nonclinical Pharmacology will be instrumental in shaping our R&D strategies and advancing critical pharmacology milestones across both our existing programs and future pipeline candidates. This role offers the opportunity to lead innovative collaborations with top-tier CRO partners and collaborate with a high-performing team of scientists and cross-functional leaders. This individual will be scientifically curious who excels at multitasking, leading & mentoring scientists, maintaining meticulous documentation, and thrives in a collaborative, cross-functional environment.

Responsibilities:

• Establish and build in vitro and in vivo pharmacology models and assays.
• Leads development, optimization and execution of in vitro and in vivo nonclinical pharmacology studies and implement rigorous data analysis techniques to elucidate pharmacodynamic effects.
• Partner with research project team leaders, CMC, Clinical Pharmacology, Toxicology, Bioanalytical and Biomarker teams in the design and interpretation of nonclinical pharmacology and efficacy studies as they relate to the assessment of PK/PD.
• Manage nonclinical development studies for Astria to support pre-candidate and early/late development programs in-house and at CROs/academic institutes.
• Identify CRO and academic partners for in vitro and in vivo pharmacology studies and lead collaboration efforts.
• Manage associate scientists and scientific team members.
• Maintain clear technical records and prepare summary presentations and reports of ongoing activities for both internal and external audiences.
• Foster a culture of collaboration, innovation, discovery, and innovative research culture focused on scientific excellence, open communication, and continual improvement.

Qualifications:

• PhD in immunology, biochemistry, biology, or related discipline with at least 8+ years of relevant experience in the pharmaceutical industry in preclinical drug discovery and development.
• Experience with in vitro and in vivo preclinical disease models and developing medium- to-high-through put assay formats to support drug development.
• Experience with managing and/or conducting studies with CROs.
• Demonstrated experience and expertise in monoclonal antibodies preferred.
• Experience working with cell penetrating peptides, nucleic acids, and/or oligonucleotides conjugates in drug discovery and development is a plus.
• Ability to partner with Business Development and provide scientific expertise with pipeline asset evaluation.
• Proven experience leading, developing and mentoring teams of scientists.
• Highly motivated scientist with ability to multitask and prioritize work. Demonstrated ability to thrive in a fast-paced environment and working within timelines.
• Proven ability to work independently, think strategically and be self-motivated.
• Excellent interpersonal skills, ability to work in a matrix environment and develop relationships with key stakeholders.
• Excellent communication and presentation skills to efficiently relay information to project teams, senior management team.
• Experience working with external contract labs is essential.

Astria’s Commitment:

At Astria, we are committed to building a diverse team where every Astrian endorses the idea that people bring their authentic self to work. We embrace a patient-first, people-always culture which strives to ensure all Astrians and our collaborators have a sense of belonging and receive the support they need to thrive. We invest in our people through our words, our actions, and our values. We are working to develop and implement initiatives that promote diversity, equity, and inclusion throughout the organization and foster a culture of openness, respect, and collaboration, where all voices are heard, and everyone is valued for their unique perspectives and contributions.

People are our greatest asset, and only with a diverse team can Astria shine brighter. Together we can bring our passion and compassion to the work of delivering life-changing therapies to patients, families, and communities.

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