Senior Director, Intellectual Property Counsel

ABOUT US

Invivyd is on a mission to rapidly and perpetually deliver antibody-based therapies that protect vulnerable people from the devastating consequences of circulating viral threats, beginning with SARS-CoV-2. Our mission is also centered around developing products for use within vulnerable populations, such as the immunocompromised.

By leveraging state-of-the-art viral surveillance, predictive modeling and advanced antibody engineering techniques, we are committed to developing a robust pipeline of product candidates which could be used in prevention or treatment of serious viral diseases, starting with COVID-19 and expanding into influenza and other high-need indications.

THE HEART OF INVIVYD: OUR EMPLOYEES

Our team is motivated by a collective mission-driven sense of urgency that permeates Invivyd’s culture. We make decisions quickly, trust employees in their areas of expertise, and collaborate efficiently. As a result, Invivyd employees are both quick thinkers and motivated doers.

Invivyd is a company comprised of motivated biopharmaceutical experts who are driven to make an impact on public health. Each employee sees working at Invivyd as a once-in-a-lifetime career opportunity to bring differentiated products to the market—for COVID-19, influenza and beyond.  Our company operates as a hybrid company with employees working at our corporate headquarters in Waltham, Massachusetts and remotely. We have employees in over 25 states, with a critical mass in the greater Boston area and many employees in the northeast as well as California.  

Summary:   

Invivyd, Inc. is seeking an experienced and driven intellectual property attorney to lead the company’s IP efforts. Reporting to our Chief Legal Officer, you can significantly impact the company’s scientific breakthroughs by leading our IP strategy and execution for Invivyd’s pre-clinical, clinical and authorized/approved monoclonal antibody therapeutics, as applicable. The ideal candidate will have specific expertise in biotech patents and a deep understanding of fundamental patent law and familiarity with other key areas of IP including trademark/branding issues and trade secrets.  Responsibilities include the full scope of global biotechnological IP issues including client counseling; patent portfolio management including preparation and prosecution; rendering legal opinions with respect to patentability, trademark registrability, validity, and freedom to operate; due diligence reviews; and intellectual property-related transactional work.   You will partner with internal stakeholders and external collaborators including scientists, clinicians, manufacturing, commercialization and program teams to identify and evaluate new inventions and oversee drafting, file and prosecute patent applications, and develop a deep understanding of the product pipeline and development priorities. You will interface regularly with executive leadership on strategic IP questions including portfolio management, alliance management, publication strategy and adversarial proceedings, as needed. 

The ideal candidate is someone who thrives in a fast-paced environment, is a strategic problem solver, and who is proactive, flexible, detail-oriented, and hands-on. 

 Responsibilities:

• Develop, implement and manage global IP strategies in collaboration with the leadership team and external IP counsel
• Build and maintain a strong intellectual property portfolio to support the Company’s R&D, manufacturing, and commercialization efforts
• Serve as a strategic partner and IP thought leader for Invivyd in discovery, research, manufacturing, development and commercial on patent, regulatory data exclusivity, trademark, and other intellectual property issues
• Develop and implement IP strategies across the organization and manage the relevant IP portfolio to recommend expansion, retention, abandonment or portfolio cutbacks in collaboration with discovery and clinical team, executive leaders and external IP counsel
• Supervise, direct and support outside patent counsel in drafting, prosecuting and managing global patent portfolio as well as other types of IP including trademarks, and monitoring competitive intellectual property
• Work closely with research and development team (internally and externally) to identify and protect intellectual property, and counsel and educate scientists, product development and manufacturing teams on intellectual property matters and coordinate with IR team and Disclosure Committee on protecting IP before public disclosures
• Review and analyze third party intellectual property, including conducting patentability, prior art and freedom to operate assessments for discovery, development and commercial related activities. Identify any potential issues and advise research and development team accordingly 
• Review intellectual property aspects of technical manuscripts, posters, and other materials intended for publication and other scientific exchange. Review intellectual property aspects of promotional materials
• Support the company’s business and licensing activities, including assisting with IP due diligence, IP agreement review and negotiation for investment, M&A and partnering activities. Provide transactional IP support for various types of agreements including licensing agreements, SRAs, MTAs, CDAs, etc.
• Collaborate with leadership team to summarize and communicate IP strategy/status with Board and external stakeholders (investors, partners, etc.)
• Identify training needs within the organization and assist in the development and presentation of training materials on relevant IP laws and related business issues
• Assist with developing company-wide IP policies and procedures
• Develop and continually expand a thorough understanding of the Company’s current and planned business activities, products, competitors, and markets and keep abreast of developing legal trends, laws and regulations
• Provide litigation support, including validity and non-infringement analysis
• Work collaboratively with the Legal and Compliance team to provide consistent, comprehensive legal advice and business support
• Support other projects in the Legal department and business, as required.
• Directly and/or indirectly manage legal resources to complete projects in a timely and high-quality manner 

Requirements:

• J.D. from an accredited law school required, with advanced scientific degree (MS or PhD in molecular biology, biochemistry, immunology or a related life sciences field) preferred
• Admitted to practice before US Patent and Trademark Office, admitted to practice law in the state of residence, and the ability to obtain Massachusetts in-house counsel registration
• 10+ years of relevant IP experience in the biotech/pharmaceutical industry with at least 5 years of practice in a reputable law firm with highly regarded life sciences practice; in-house experience preferred. Trademark experience and experience supporting the drafting and negotiation of IP-related transactions preferred
• Previous experience and in-depth understanding of biologic therapeutic patents, including experience with antibodies; previous experience in Infectious Diseases preferred
• Demonstrated experience in leading and supporting the interrelationship between the legal, scientific, and business aspects of intellectual property and the use of IP to further the company’s business goals
• Demonstrated experience in drafting and prosecuting applications and leading global IP strategy and portfolio management
• Ability to educate and support the organization on IP-related matters
• Excellent organizational skills, attention to detail and ability to handle and prioritize multiple time sensitive projects
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills and demonstrated ability to work collaboratively with scientists to identify and protect new inventions. Ability to communicate complex issues clearly and succinctly
• Commitment to integrity and ethical conduct; ability to handle confidential and proprietary information using excellent discretion
• Demonstrated sound judgment and decision-making abilities
• Ability and motivation to work both independently and in a team environment with people at different levels within the company
• Must be a team player and able to earn the trust, credibility, and respect of colleagues across multiple functions in a remote environment
• Ability to periodically travel

At Invidyd we strive to create a welcoming and inclusive environment.   Here all applicants will receive equal consideration for employment without discrimination on the basis of race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, protected veteran status, disability, or any other applicable legally protected characteristics.

Invivyd is proud to be an equal opportunity employer.