Vice President, Translational Medicine

Responsibilities

• Translational Medicine Leadership & Strategy
• Serve as the Translational Medicine Lead across Annexon programs, setting an integrated, portfolio-level strategy that links mechanism of action to clinical outcomes in complement-mediated diseases of the body, brain, and eye
• Partner with Program Team Leaders, Clinical Development leads, and program teams to define translational hypotheses, proof-of-mechanism and proof-of-concept strategies, and key decision criteria for each stage of development
• Lead translational prioritization, resource planning, and execution in a fast-paced, dynamic environment consistent with a lean biotech operating model
• Build and lead a high-performing Translational Medicine organization spanning biomarker science, translational bioinformatics/omics, assay development/operations, and sample/data strategy
• Biomarker & Evidence Generation (Human Biology)
• Develop and execute biomarker strategies to demonstrate:
• Target engagement and pathway modulation (e.g., classical complement pathway/C1q biology)
• Pharmacodynamic effects and dose/interval rationale
• Patient stratification and enrichment approaches
• Disease biology, progression, and treatment response
• Guide biomarker integration into clinical protocols across neurology and ophthalmology programs, including fluid biomarkers, imaging endpoints, functional measures, and exploratory omics
• Oversee the development, qualification, and fit-for-purpose validation of translational assays (internal and external), including vendor selection, governance, and quality oversight
• Lead translational interpretation and integration of multi-modal datasets (clinical, biomarkers, imaging, omics), working closely with Biometrics and Data Sciences to enable actionable insights
• Program Support Across Flagship and Next-Wave Pipeline
• Provide translational leadership for:
• GBS: tanruprubart (ANX005), an IV anti-C1q monoclonal antibody designed to inhibit the classical complement pathway
• Ophthalmology/GA: vonaprument (ANX007), an intravitreal Fab designed to locally block C1q in the eye while preserving other complement pathway activity
• Neurodegeneration: programs including Huntington’s disease and ALS leveraging C1q biology and neuroinflammation/synaptic injury frameworks
• Acute Injury/Functional Decline: programs including traumatic brain injury or myasthenic crisis
• Autoimmune Neuromuscular: programs including myasthenia gravis, multifocal motor neuropthy, chronic inflammatory demyelinating polyneuropathy (CIDP), and others
• Ensure translational strategies are aligned with clinical endpoints, regulatory expectations, and differentiation objectives, including competitive landscape awareness and scientific positioning
• Regulatory, Scientific Communication & External Engagement
• In collaboration with Regulatory Affairs and Clinical Development, contribute to translational sections of regulatory documents and briefing packages (e.g., IND/CTA updates, BLA/MAA modules as appropriate), supporting robust scientific rationale and biomarker justification
• Provide scientific leadership and oversight for abstracts, manuscripts, and study reports to ensure quality, integrity, and clarity of translational evidence
• Represent Annexon for external engagements with KOLs, academic collaborators, consortia, CROs, and scientific meetings; help educate and advance the field regarding Annexon’s approach to classical complement biology
• Cross-Functional Collaboration
• Foster strong collaboration and alignment across functions, including Discovery, Translational Sciences, Clinical Development, Clinical Operations, Biometrics, Regulatory Affairs, Medical Affairs, and Commercial
• Serve as a key liaison between Translational Medicine and executive leadership, providing regular updates on biomarker strategy, human biology learnings, and program implications
• Cultivate a culture of teamwork, innovation, accountability, and high scientific standards across the translational organization

Qualifications

• MD, PhD, or MD/PhD required; advanced clinical/scientific training strongly preferred
• Minimum of 15 years of experience in pharma or biopharma with leadership responsibility in Translational Medicine, Biomarkers, and/or Clinical Development interfaces
• Proven track record leading translational medicine organizations (strategy + execution), including building teams, developing biomarker plans, and influencing clinical development decisions
• Deep domain expertise in one or more of the following required; experience in Immunology/Rheumatology greatly preferred as well as experience across multiple areas:
• Immunology/Rheumatology (autoantibody biology, complement-mediated disease)
• Neurology / Neuroimmunology (e.g., peripheral neuropathies, neuroinflammation, neurodegeneration)
• Ophthalmology (retinal disease drug development; imaging/functional endpoints)
• Experience partnering with Regulatory Affairs and interacting with regulatory authorities in support of biomarker or translational strategy; experience supporting successful filings is a plus; experience with companion diagnostic development desirable
• Strong leadership and interpersonal skills, with the ability to inspire and influence cross-functional teams at all levels of the organization
• Excellent communication and presentation skills, with the ability to clearly articulate complex scientific and clinical concepts to diverse audiences
• Business acumen and strategic thinking, with a focus on maximizing clinical differentiation and long-term value creation through human biology evidence