Sonata Therapeutics: VP, Translational Medicine

VP, Translational Medicine

About Sonata:

Sonata Therapeutics is pioneering the development of Network Medicines, a new class of therapeutics that reprogram diseased cells to release a defined array of signals that precisely coordinate multicellular networks to drive disease resolution.

In cancer, fibrosis and many other disorders, diseased cells are programmed to send pathologic signals to a network of other cell types-immune cells, fibroblasts, healthy tissues cells, etc.-perpetuating a cycle of dysfunction and disease progression. Sonata's Network Medicines are designed to have both a direct effect on diseased cells themselves and a network effect by reprogramming those diseased cells to release a specific mix of therapeutic signals that coordinate the key cells in the network to drive disease resolution. We turn diseased cells into the coordinators of cure.

Sonata Therapeutics was founded by Flagship Pioneering, an organization dedicated to the origination and development of first-in-category life sciences companies. Since 2000, Flagship has originated and fostered the development of nearly 100 scientific ventures resulting in $20+ billion in aggregate value, 500+ issued patents, and more than 50 clinical trials for novel therapeutic agents.

The Right Candidate:

As Sonata starts to deliver exciting Network Medicines, we are seeking an innovative, strategic, and highly collaborative VP, Translational Medicine who will be a key contributor to support the Sonata pipeline and help us transition to a patient-centric and clinical stage company. This person will be joining a team of exceptional scientists with a strong track record of bringing new thinking to complex challenges and sharing a clear purpose of treating disease in new ways.

The successful candidate will be a hands-on leader with translational sciences and clinical biomarker expertise, with a thorough understanding of experimental medicine and drug development and can thrive in a proactive collaborative matrix organization. This individual will contribute to nonclinical data generation strategies, assess the utility of internal and external data sources, develop a translational medicine and clinical biomarkers strategies, and then enact that strategy to drive scientifically robust decision making and create value for the company.

This position is based in our Watertown, MA headquarters.

Here's What You'll Do:

Drive scientific understanding in multiple areas to support our translational science efforts, including:

• Provide Translational Medicine leadership to oncology drug discovery programs across Sonata's pipeline, driving translational projects that answer key program questions from discovery through clinical development

• Develop preclinical plans and assays to generate and test hypotheses to i> identify patients most likely to respond and ii> determine biomarkers for early indicators of treatment success

• Lead the translational strategy and clinical assay development to i> validate/modify patient selection and ii> validate/modify early indicators of response

• Direct efforts at both CROs and Sonata to support clinical biomarker studies, driving real-time analysis of clinical trial laboratory data to enable time-sensitive decision making on key trial parameters

• Develop and lead reverse translational strategy to enable research and development.

• Work with other matrix functional areas to define key aspects of the integrated development plans, including the assessment of medical need, proposal of clinical development pathways, and review of preclinical data for clinical implications.

• Provide translational leadership to early development project teams, including serving as a key representative for clinical development areas both internal and external facing.

• Work closely with Clinical Development colleagues to align preclinical and clinical biomarker strategies.

• Identify and consult with external and internal subject matter experts to all major go/no-go development decision criteria to enable best decisions for the program.

• Works with Scientific leads to ensure efficient implementation of all key deliverables and provides frequent project status updates to the cross-functional development teams.

• As the translational medicine leader, shape the future of the translational medicine function at Sonata.

Here's What You'll Bring to the Table:

• Advanced scientific degree (MD, PhD, DVM, PharmD), with a minimum of 10+ years of relevant work experience developing translational medicine strategies, developing, and testing hypotheses in the clinic, biomarker identification and development, biomarker data interpretation.

• A strong background in translational medicine, biomarker identification, experimental design, clinical biomarker data analysis and interpretation, development of high impact scientific publications

• A robust external network of scientific thought leaders and biomarker partner relationships

• Proficiency in emerging diagnostic and biomarker technologies

• Outstanding verbal and written communication skills, problem solving, and excellent interpersonal partnering and influence skills, ability to mentor scientists around the enterprise.

• Demonstrated track record in leading successful cross-functional teams and work streams that overcome obstacles to deliver.

• A thorough understanding of the drug development process, including non-clinical and clinical study design, preclinical experiments, clinical protocol development, clinical study delivery, clinical study reports

• Experience partnering with commercial and medical affairs to develop translationally informed target product profiles and medical education

Sonata Therapeutics and Flagship Pioneering are committed to equal employment opportunity regardless of race, color, ancestry, religion, sex, national origin, sexual orientation, age, citizenship, marital status, disability, gender identity, or veteran status.