What are the responsibilities and job description for the Chief Intellectual Property Officer position at Alnylam Pharmaceuticals?
Overview
Reporting to the Chief Legal Officer and serving in a senior leadership role, the Chief Intellectual Property Counsel ("CIPC") will be responsible for overseeing all aspects of intellectual property protection for Alnylam, including patent strategy, prosecution and enforcement, litigation, publication review, due diligence, portfolio management, trademark matters, and opinion work. The CIPC will work in partnership with other senior leaders to design, develop, implement, and drive IP strategy aligned with Alnylam's overall strategic directives, and will also manage a team of experienced patent professionals including attorneys and non-attorney legal professionals.
The successful candidate will have a minimum of 15 years of intellectual property experience with a strong background in patent law and a proven track record of successfully navigating complex IP challenges. Broad senior level in-house legal experience within the biotechnology and / or pharmaceutical industries is required, including experience managing people / teams, significant patent litigation, high-volume intellectual property workflow, and a large and complex IP portfolio. A bachelor's degree in the life sciences, a JD with admission to at least one state bar in good standing and registration to practice before the USPTO are required; an advanced science degree (ideally PhD) in biology, biochemistry or chemistry and familiarity with oligonucleotide-based therapeutics are strongly preferred.
Alnylam accommodates remote and hybrid work styles; however, the expectations for this position require a successful candidate to be onsite in Alnylam's offices in Cambridge, MA on a regular basis. This is a national search and relocation is available.
Key Responsibilities
- Intellectual Property Strategy Development and Execution
Partner with senior leadership to drive intellectual property strategy aligned with Alnylam's business objectives.
Maximize IP protection of all marketed products throughout their life cycle by using patent, trademark, copyright and trade secret protection.
Oversee the preparation, filing, and prosecution of trademark applications in the United States and internationally to protect the Alnylam brand.
Monitor competitor activities and provide guidance where appropriate.
Lead and manage patent litigation and disputes in conjunction with the internal team, including coordinating with outside counsel and internal stakeholders.
Collaborate closely with R&D, regulatory, and commercial teams to provide IP insights that support product development and commercialization, including overseeing IP due diligence projects, competitive landscape reviews and FTO analyses in support of potential strategic transactions, supporting corporate and business development from an IP perspective.
Ensure compliance with all relevant IP laws and regulations, including those related to patent filing and maintenance.
Serve as member of the Legal Leadership Team.
Select, evaluate, and manage a strong network of external intellectual property counsel to support the Company's IP initiatives.
Qualifications
Interpersonal Competencies & Success Factors
About Alnylam : Alnylam Pharmaceuticals (Nasdaq : ALNY) has led the translation of RNA interference (RNAi) into a whole new class of innovative medicines with the potential to transform the lives of people afflicted with rare and more prevalent diseases. Based on Nobel Prize-winning science, RNAi therapeutics represent a powerful, clinically validated approach to treating diseases at their genetic source by "interfering" with mRNA that cause or contribute to disease. Since our founding in 2002, Alnylam has led the RNAi Revolution and continues to turn scientific possibility into reality.
Our culture : Our people-first culture is guided by our core values : fiercely innovative, open culture, purposeful urgency, passion for excellence, and commitment to people, and these values influence how we work and the business decisions we make. Thanks to feedback from our employees over the years, we've been fortunate to be named a top employer around the world. Alnylam is extremely proud to have been recognized as the #1 Large Employer by Boston Globe Top Places to Work in 2023 for the third consecutive year, one of Science Magazine's Top Biopharma Employers, one of America's Most Responsible Companies for 2024 by Newsweek, a Fast Company Best Workplace for Innovators, and a Great Place to Work in Canada, France, Italy, Spain, Switzerland, and UK - among others.
At Alnylam, we commit to an inclusive recruitment process and equal employment opportunity. We are dedicated to building an environment where employees can feel that they belong, can bring their authentic selves to work, and achieve to their full potential. By empowering employees to embrace their unique differences at work, our business grows stronger with advanced and original thinking, allowing us to bring groundbreaking medicines to patients. Qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to their race, color, religion, age, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, national origin, ethnicity, marital status, protected veteran status, disability, or any other characteristics prohibited by law.
