Chief Medical Officer

Aerogen Ltd.; Raleigh (NC); On-site; USD 250,000 - 500,000; Full time

Job summary

Aerogen Pharma is seeking an accomplished Chief Medical Officer to lead medical, clinical and scientific strategy for neonatal-focused therapies. You will shape portfolio direction, interact with regulators and key opinion leaders, and drive pivotal development programs globally.

The role requires close collaboration with regulatory, research and commercial teams. Ideal candidates have 15+ years in clinical development with late-stage experience, and a proven track record with FDA/EMA

Qualifications

• MD with subspecialty in neonatology or pediatric critical care.
• 15+ years in clinical development and medical leadership, including senior roles.
• Experience leading late-stage/Phase 3 programs and regulatory interactions with FDA/EMA.
• Credibility with investigators, KOLs and advisory boards.
• Leadership across Clinical Development, Regulatory, Safety and Clinical Operations.

Responsibilities

• Direct medical strategy and contribute to portfolio priorities and pivotal decisions.
• Lead regulatory strategy, efficacy data packages and readiness for submissions.
• Provide input on regulatory documentation across INDs, NDAs/MAAs and related reports.
• Oversee safety activities and risk management in collaboration with Pharmacovigilance.
• Communicate scientific strategy through presentations, publications and internal training.
• Ensure compliance with laws, codes and internal policies across functions.
• Collaborate cross-functionally to deliver medical initiatives and consistent messaging.
• Support investor communications and due diligence with medical and regulatory insights.

Skills

Neonatology

Pulmonology

Critical Care Pediatrics

Clinical Development

Education

MD

Board Certification in Neonatology/Pediatrics

Job description

Aerogen Pharma is a US based clinical-stage specialty pharmaceutical company with a mission to develop inhaled drug/biologic and device combination products.

At Aerogen Pharma, our advanced science starts with a deeply human purpose: improving outcomes and access to medicines for preterm infants and other critically ill patients with lifethreatening respiratory diseases around the globe. We bring together patient and healthcare system understanding, pharmaceutical innovation and advanced aerosol delivery technology to develop inhaled therapies designed specifically for the unique needs of the world’s most vulnerable patients.

We are a growing company at an exciting and dynamic stage in our development. Our portfolio includes APC-0101, an aerosolized surfactant currently in phase 3 clinical trial and APC-0201, a synthetic surfactant currently in pre-clinical development. Each of these products are designed to treat respiratory distress syndrome in premature infants and together set a foundation for exciting future opportunities.

Joining Aerogen Pharma means becoming part of an experienced, dedicated team working collaboratively to advancing respiratory and critical care through innovation. Our “We Care” culture is reflected in how we work together creating a welcoming, inclusive environment where people make time to support one another, share their expertise and ensure every team member feels connected and empowered to contribute. At Aerogen Pharma, the work you do every day will have direct impact to the advancement of meaningful development programs as you collaborate with experienced leaders and experts across the pharmaceutical and medical technology industries.

What is the role?

The Chief Medical Officer (CMO) at Aerogen Pharma will serve as a key member of the executive leadership team of a small, innovation-driven pharmaceutical company focused on transforming neonatal care. The CMO will shape the company’s medical, clinical, and scientific strategy while contributing broadly to corporate strategy, portfolio decisions, company building, partnering, and organizational development. As the company’s senior medical leader, the CMO will represent Aerogen Pharma with neonatologists, investigators, key opinion leaders, regulators, professional societies, advocacy groups, strategic partners, investors, and other stakeholders globally. Internally, the CMO will provide collaborative, hands-on leadership across clinical, medical with strong partnership to regulatory, research, and commercial functions, This is a exciting opportunity with a growing company to shape organizational design and culture while transforming the future of surfactant delivery for neonatal respiratory distress syndrome globally.

What are the key responsibilities?

• Accountable for overall medical/clinical strategy while contributing to portfolio priorities, target product profiles and major development decisions
• Accountable for medical registration strategy, benefit-risk, pivotal evidence package and readiness for submission/approval.
• Provide medical input into regulatory strategy and documentation, including clinical sections of INDs, NDAs/MAAs, protocols, investigator brochures, clinical study reports, and responses to health authority inquiries.
• Contribute to safety oversight activities, including review of adverse events, risk management plans, and benefit–risk assessments in collaboration with Pharmacovigilance.
• Develop and deliver scientific communications such as medical presentations, congress materials, publications, abstracts, and internal training content.
• Ensure all activities comply with applicable laws, regulations, industry codes of practice, and internal policies.
• Support continuous improvement of medical processes, governance, and standards to advance the Aerogen Pharma medical function.
• Partner cross-functionally with Clinical Operations, Regulatory Affairs, Pharmacovigilance, Commercial, Market Access, and R&D to deliver product-driven initiatives and ensure consistent medical messaging.
• Act as a scientific resource for internal stakeholders to ensure accurate and compliant dissemination of medical information.
• Accountable medical executive for Board/investor communication, business development diligence and medical recommendations on major investment/go/no-go decisions.

What education and experience are required?

• MD with specialty in neonatalogy, pulmonology, adult/pediatric critical care or pediatrics with 15+ years across clinical development/medical leadership, including senior leadership responsibility for pharmaceutical drug/device combination development programs.
• Prior leadership of at least one late-stage/Phase 3 program, ideally through pivotal data readout and NDA/BLA/MAA preparation or approval. Demonstrated ability to define registrational strategy and interpret benefit-risk.
• Significant direct experience with FDA and/or EMA, ideally including IND/CTA, EOP2/Phase 3 interactions and pre-NDA/BLA/MAA meetings.
• Established credibility with investigators and KOLs in the relevant therapeutic area; experience with advisory boards, steering committees, publications and external scientific communication
• Prior leadership across Clinical Development, Clin Ops, Regulatory, Statistics, Safety, Clin Pharm and nonclinical functions. Experience building/managing teams and external development partners.
• Previous exposure to executive/Board-level decision making and ability to communicate complex clinical risk and value clearly. Experience with investors, partnering/BD and due diligence highly desirable for a startup CMO
• Demonstrable history of making or recommending high-consequence development decisions based on incomplete clinical/scientific evidence and balancing medical, regulatory, operational and commercial considerations

What key skills will make you great at the role?

• Hands on, results oriented with strong initiative, accountability and willingness to take ownership and drive projects to completion.
• Demonstrated strategic capability and ability to see the overall, 'big' picture, along with examples of showing courage and confidence to develop, lead and implement change across disciplines.
• Strong written and oral communications skills.
• Preference for location near Raleigh, North Carolina. Candidates in San Mateo, California will also be considered.
• Must be available for Travel within US, up to 30% of time.

Why Aerogen Pharma?

As a key member of Aerogen Group, the global market leader in high performance aerosol drug delivery, Aerogen Pharma is at a pivotal point in the company’s life cycle. With plans to expand and centralize our US hubs over the next two years, we offer an environment where you can thrive professionally and learn from driven industry leaders in drug development and commercialization, inhaled devices, and neonatology. We foster an inclusive culture that empowers you to contribute to the transformation of Neonatal care, where potential is recognized, and professional development is encouraged.

City

Preference for Raleigh, North Carolina. Candidates in San Mateo, California will also be considered.

Product approvals and set ups may vary by country. Always refer to the user instructions suppliedwith the product for full set up instructions, warnings, cautions andcontraindications.