Vice President, Clinical Development, Danicamtiv (DANI)

Kardigan, Inc.; Princeton, Northern (NJ, KY); Hybrid; USD 340,000 - 416,000; Full time

Job summary

Kardigan, Inc. is seeking a Vice President, Clinical Development to lead the Danicamtiv program. This role demands an MD or equivalent, with extensive experience directing clinical development in cardiology-focused biotechnology/pharmaceutical settings.

You will shape strategy, oversee protocol design, drive regulatory interactions, and mentor MDs within a high-growth biotech environment. You will liaise with the CMO, CEO, and executive team, present study progress, and represent Kardigan at

Qualifications

• MD (or equivalent medical degree); board certification and clinical practice experience in cardiology strongly preferred.
• 15+ years of experience in clinical development within biotechnology/pharmaceuticals; cardiomyopathy/heart failure focus preferred.
• Demonstrated experience serving as clinical lead for a major drug program through late-stage milestones.
• Strong understanding of cardiovascular trial designs, endpoints, and regulatory strategies.

Responsibilities

• Serve as Clinical Lead for the Danicamtiv program with end-to-end accountability for clinical strategy and execution, including protocol design and regulatory interactions.
• Lead the Danicamtiv Clinical Strategy Team with cross-functional leadership across development activities.
• Own clinical development plans and TPp development with input on indication and target product profile for Danicamtiv.
• Lead clinical decision-making based on emerging data, benefit–risk assessments, and evolving regulatory expectations.
• Act as primary clinical development point of contact for regulatory interactions, investigators, and key opinion leaders.
• Partner with Clinical Ops, Biometrics, Regulatory, and Medical Affairs to oversee trials.

Education

MD (or equivalent medical degree)

Board certification and clinical practice in cardiology

Proven ability to influence and lead cross-functional teams

Experience leading late-stage development or regulatory submissions

Strong understanding of cardiovascular trial designs and endpoints

Job description

Vice President, Clinical Development, Danicamtiv (DANI)

About Us

Kardigan is a heart health company working to make cardiovascular disease preventable, curable and no longer the leading cause of death in the world.

It is Kardigan’s mission to develop multiple targeted treatments in parallel that bring people with cardiovascular diseases to the cures they deserve.

Led by Tassos Gianakakos, Jay Edelberg, M.D., Ph.D., and Bob McDowell, Ph.D., Kardigan’s co-founders have reunited after leading MyoKardia to discover and develop mavacamten, the first cardiac myosin inhibitor, resulting in an acquisition by Bristol Myers Squibb in 2020.

We have a cutting-edge discovery and translational research platform, a pipeline of late-stage candidates, and an industry-leading team that is driven to improve the lives of patients.

At Kardigan, we are motivated by our values which guide how we work, interact, and achieve our goals. Driven by patients and their families, we are deeply committed to improving the lives of patients and prioritizing their needs above all else. We believe in being authentic—leading with truth to bring out the best in others by creating an environment where every person knows they will be fully accepted. With an eagerness to learn, we encourage the highest levels of curiosity and are open to changing our minds. We are committed to winning as a team with urgency, excellence, and intention, and support each other no matter what role we play or where we sit. Lastly, we strive to enable the impossible because patients are counting on us. We are not afraid to take risks to unlock innovation and advance scientific discoveries.

These values are the foundation of our work, empowering us to make a real difference, every day.

The VP, Clinical Development will have direct responsibility as Clinical Lead accountable for clinical development strategy and execution across one or more programs.

The successful candidate will be a highly credible physician leader, a strong people manager, and a trusted thought partner to the programGPH, other VP-CDLs, the CMO, the CEO, and Executive Committee members.

Key Responsibilities

Danicamtiv Program – Clinical Lead

• Serve as the Clinical Lead for the Danicamtiv program, with end-to-end accountability for clinical strategy and execution, including protocol development and approval and regulatory interactions.
• Lead the Danicamtiv Clinical Strategy Team (CST) with cross-functional leadership in development and execution of the Danicamtiv clinical development plan.
• Own clinical development plans, and protocol design, with critical input for indication selection and target product profile (TPP) development for Danicamtiv.
• Lead clinical decision-making based on emerging data, benefit–risk assessments and evolving regulatory interactions and expectations.
• Act as the primary clinical development point of contact for regulatory interactions, investigators, and key opinion leaders related to the Danicamtiv program.
• Partner closely with colleagues from Clinical Operations, Biometrics, Regulatory, and Medical Affairs to ensure seamless oversight and execution of clinical trials across the Danicamtiv program.

Executive & External Engagement

• Act as a senior clinical representative for discussions with the Kardigan Executive Committee, as needed.
• Present clinical strategy, study progress, and risks to internal leadership and, when needed, to the Kardigan Executive Committee and Board of Directors.
• Represent the Kardigan clinical development function externally at scientific meetings, advisory boards, and interactions with Key Opinion Leaders, related to the Danicamtiv programs and potentially for other drug programs, as well.

Qualifications

• MD (or equivalent medical degree); board certification and clinical practice experience in cardiology strongly preferred.
• 15+ years of experience in clinical development within biotechnology and/or pharmaceutical companies– experience in cardiomyopathy and/or heart failure drug development and deep knowledge of cardiomyopathy and heart failure clinical care delivery, clinical research landscape, scientific literature, competitive drug development environment, and regulatory pathways strongly preferred.
• Demonstrated experience serving as clinical lead for a major drug program or asset, ideally through key late-stage development milestones.
• Strong understanding of cardiovascular clinical trial designs, endpoints in cardiovascular trials, and regulatory strategies for cardiovascular drug development.
• Well-developed relationships with key external experts in the cardiomyopathy/heart failure field and demonstrated track record of overseeing external research collaborations for cardiomyopathy/heart failure topics.
• Experience with genetic screening initiatives for clinical research and clinical care delivery purposes desired.
• Proven ability to influence and lead cross-functional teams.
• Experience in late-stage development and/or regulatory submissions.
• Prior experience managing or mentoring other MDs.
• Experience in a high-growth or emerging biotech environment.
• Track record of effective partnership with a CMO or senior medical leadership.

Leadership Characteristics

• Highly credible clinical development leader with strong clinical judgment.
• Strategic thinker who balances rigor with speed and pragmatism.
• Strong collaborator and people leader with extensive experience leading and building teams.
• Comfortable operating in ambiguity and helping design future-state organizations.

Exact Compensation may vary based on skills, experience and location.

Pay range

$340,000 - $416,000 USD

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