Full-Time

Director – Intellectual Property

Axsome Therapeutics

Axsome Therapeutics

501-1,000 employees

Biopharmaceutical company developing CNS disorder therapies

Compensation Overview

$245k - $270k/yr

+ Annual bonus + Equity

New York, NY, USA

Hybrid

Three days on-site per week required: Monday, Tuesday, and Thursday.

Bachelor's, Master's, PhD, JD

Category
Legal & Compliance (1)
Required Skills
Biochemistry
Pharmacology

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Requirements
  • At least 5 years of relevant experience.
  • A Juris Doctor degree and admission to practice in at least one state bar.
  • A scientific degree in Chemistry, Biology, Pharmacology, or Biochemistry.
  • Registration to practice before the United States Patent and Trademark Office.
  • Ability to work on site Monday, Tuesday, and Thursday.
  • Strong experience supporting small-molecule pharmaceutical or biotechnology products, including experience developing small-molecule patent strategy.
  • Comfort working on cross-functional projects with scientific, clinical, and regulatory colleagues.
  • Strong communication skills.
Responsibilities
  • Work closely with external counsel to manage prosecution of a portfolio of patents and trademarks and applications in the United States and globally, including patent term extensions and supplementary protection certificates.
  • Provide legal support in negotiating, drafting, and reviewing licensing, co-promotion, co-development, co-marketing, and clinical trial collaboration agreements.
  • Work closely with development teams to monitor research and development results, new uses, and new formulations, and manage disclosures and publications to ensure that appropriate patentable matter is protected through timely filing and prosecution of patent applications.
  • Work with teams for pipeline and marketed products to manage patent term extensions, Orange Book listings, and claims for regulatory exclusivity, and ensure that new patent protections are obtained for new uses and different results.
  • Provide freedom-to-operate, patentability, and infringement/validity analyses.
  • Monitor developments in key legal areas and provide updates to the Executive Leadership Team.
  • Work with the Principal Patent Counsel to recommend strategic policies and procedures to maximize intellectual-property protection in view of new legal and regulatory developments.
  • Work with the Principal Patent Counsel to develop intellectual-property policy, procedures, and training on intellectual-property law and topics.
Desired Qualifications
  • A Ph.D. or Master’s degree is a strong plus.
  • Experience drafting patent applications covering composition-of-matter, formulations, polymorphs, salts, dosing regimens, and methods of treatment.
  • Prior law-firm and in-house experience at a pharmaceutical or biotechnology company.

Axsome Therapeutics develops therapies for central nervous system disorders. Its focus is on research, development, and commercialization of treatments for conditions such as major depressive disorder, treatment-resistant depression, Alzheimer's agitation, migraine, narcolepsy, fibromyalgia, and smoking cessation. The flagship product candidate, AXS-05, is an oral NMDA receptor antagonist intended to treat MDD and TRD; it works by blocking NMDA receptors to influence brain signaling involved in mood and depression, and has received FDA Breakthrough Therapy Designation. The company earns revenue from the commercialization of its drugs, partnerships, and potential licensing deals as its pipeline progresses through clinical trials and regulatory approvals. Axsome aims to provide effective CNS therapies, advance its drug pipeline, and improve patient outcomes and quality of life.

Company Size

501-1,000

Company Stage

IPO

Headquarters

New York City, New York

Founded

2012

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Simplify Jobs

Simplify's Take

What believers are saying

  • Q2 2026 revenue reached $218 million, up 46%, led by AUVELITY.
  • AUVELITY prescriptions rose 34% year over year; geriatric starts jumped 126% after launch.
  • SUNOSI patent litigation ended June 3, 2026, securing U.S. exclusivity into 2040.

What critics are saying

  • Q2 2026 SG&A hit $208.1 million, pressuring profits and prolonging losses.
  • AUVELITY drove $180.3 million of Q2 sales; one product still dominates execution.
  • AXS-12 faces a May 1, 2027 FDA decision; rejection kills a growth pillar.

What makes Axsome Therapeutics unique

  • Axsome owns three marketed CNS drugs and an unusually broad late-stage neuroscience pipeline.
  • AUVELITY is first-in-class oral NMDA therapy, now approved for Alzheimer’s agitation, April 2026.
  • AXS-12 reached FDA filing July 15, 2026, extending Axsome into narcolepsy cataplexy.

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Benefits

Performance Bonus

Company Equity

Growth & Insights and Company News

Headcount

6 month growth

28%

1 year growth

28%

2 year growth

28%
Ticker Report
Aug 17th, 2026
OneDigital Investment Advisors LLC Makes New Investment in Axsome Therapeutics, Inc. $AXSM

OneDigital Investment Advisors LLC purchased a new position in Axsome Therapeutics, Inc. (NASDAQ:AXSM – Free Report) in the second quarter, according to its most recent Form 13F filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission. The fund purchased 7,787 shares of the company’s stock, valued at approximately $1,906,000. Several other institutional investors and hedge funds have […]

Yahoo Finance
Aug 10th, 2026
Axsome revenue up 46% to $218M as AUVELITY sales hit $180M in Q2

Axsome Therapeutics reported Q2 2026 revenue of $218 million, up 46% year over year, driven primarily by AUVELITY sales of $180.3 million. The company posted a net loss of $51.3 million, or $0.99 per share, compared with a loss of $48 million a year earlier. AUVELITY prescriptions rose 34% year over year, with new-to-brand prescriptions among patients aged 65 and older increasing 126% during the first eight weeks of its Alzheimer's disease agitation launch. The drug now has access to 89% of covered lives. The FDA accepted Axsome's AXS-12 application for cataplexy in narcolepsy, with a decision expected by 1 May 2027. The company plans to initiate a Phase II/III smoking-cessation trial for AXS-05. Axsome ended the quarter with approximately $320 million in cash and expects existing funds to support operations through cash-flow positivity.

Axsome Therapeutics
Jul 15th, 2026
Axsome Therapeutics announces FDA acceptance of New Drug Application for AXS-12 for the treatment of cataplexy in narcolepsy.

Axsome Therapeutics announces FDA acceptance of New Drug Application for AXS-12 for the treatment of cataplexy in narcolepsy. July 15, 2026 FDA sets PDUFA target action date of May 1, 2027 NEW YORK, July 15, 2026 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) - Axsome Therapeutics, Inc. (NASDAQ: AXSM), a biopharmaceutical company leading a new era in the treatment of central nervous system (CNS) disorders, today announced that the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has accepted for filing the Company's New Drug Application (NDA) for AXS-12 (reboxetine) for the treatment of cataplexy in narcolepsy. The FDA has set a Prescription Drug User Fee Act (PDUFA) target action date of May 1, 2027. The FDA also indicated that it does not currently plan to hold an advisory committee meeting to discuss the application. About Narcolepsy Narcolepsy is a serious and debilitating orphan neurological condition that causes dysregulation of the sleep-wake cycle and is characterized clinically by excessive daytime sleepiness, cataplexy, hypnagogic hallucinations, sleep paralysis, and disrupted nocturnal sleep.[1-3] Cataplexy is seen in an estimated 70% of narcolepsy patients and is a sudden reduction or loss of muscle tone while a patient is awake, typically triggered by strong emotions such as laughter, fear, anger, stress, or excitement.[4-5] Narcolepsy is a life-long condition that interferes with cognitive, psychological, and social functioning, increases the risk of work- and driving-related accidents, and is associated with a 1.5-fold higher mortality rate.[6-8] About AXS-12 AXS-12 (reboxetine) is a highly selective and potent norepinephrine reuptake inhibitor and cortical dopamine modulator under development for the treatment of narcolepsy. AXS-12 is thought to modulate noradrenergic activity to maintain muscle tone during wakefulness, and noradrenergic and cortical dopaminergic signaling to promote wakefulness and cognition function. AXS-12 has been granted U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) Orphan Drug Designation for the treatment of narcolepsy. AXS-12 is not approved by the FDA. About Axsome Therapeutics Axsome Therapeutics is a biopharmaceutical company leading a new era in the treatment of central nervous system (CNS) conditions. Axsome Therapeutics, Inc. deliver scientific breakthroughs by identifying critical gaps in care and develop differentiated products with a focus on novel mechanisms of action that enable meaningful advancements in patient outcomes. Its industry-leading neuroscience portfolio includes FDA-approved treatments for major depressive disorder, agitation associated with dementia due to Alzheimer's disease, excessive daytime sleepiness associated with narcolepsy and obstructive sleep apnea, and migraine, as well as multiple novel product candidates addressing a broad range of serious neurological and psychiatric conditions that impact over 150 million people in the United States. Together, Axsome Therapeutics, Inc. is on a mission to solve some of the brain's biggest problems so patients and their loved ones can flourish. For more information, please visit Axsome Therapeutics, Inc. at www.axsome.com and follow Axsome Therapeutics, Inc. on LinkedIn and X. Forward Looking Statements Certain matters discussed in this press release are "forward-looking statements". The Company may, in some cases, use terms such as "predicts," "believes," "potential," "continue," "estimates," "anticipates," "expects," "plans," "intends," "may," "could," "might," "will," "should" or other words that convey uncertainty of future events or outcomes to identify these forward-looking statements. In particular, the Company's statements regarding trends and potential future results are examples of such forward-looking statements. The forward-looking statements include risks and uncertainties, including, but not limited to, the commercial success of the Company's SUNOSI(R), AUVELITY(R), and SYMBRAVO(R) products and the success of the Company's efforts to obtain any additional indication(s) with respect to solriamfetol and/or AXS-05; the Company's ability to maintain and expand payer coverage; the success, timing and cost of the Company's ongoing clinical trials and anticipated clinical trials for the Company's current product candidates, including statements regarding the timing of initiation, pace of enrollment and completion of the trials (including the Company's ability to fully fund the Company's disclosed clinical trials, which assumes no material changes to the Company's currently projected revenues or expenses), futility analyses and receipt of interim results, which are not necessarily indicative of the final results of the Company's ongoing clinical trials, and/or data readouts, and the number or type of studies or nature of results necessary to support the filing of a new drug application ("NDA") for any of the Company's current product candidates; the Company's ability to fund additional clinical trials to continue the advancement of the Company's product candidates; the timing of and the Company's ability to obtain and maintain U.S. Food and Drug Administration ("FDA") or other regulatory authority approval of, or other action with respect to, the Company's product candidates, including statements regarding the timing of any NDA submission; the Company's ability to successfully defend its intellectual property or obtain the necessary licenses at a cost acceptable to the Company, if at all; the Company's ability to successfully resolve any intellectual property litigation, and even if such disputes are settled, whether the applicable federal agencies will approve of such settlements; the successful implementation of the Company's research and development programs and collaborations; the success of the Company's license agreements; the acceptance by the market of the Company's products and product candidates, if approved; the Company's anticipated capital requirements, including the amount of capital required for the commercialization of SUNOSI, AUVELITY, and SYMBRAVO and for the Company's commercial launch of its other product candidates, if approved, and the potential impact on the Company's anticipated cash runway; the Company's ability to convert sales to recognized revenue and maintain a favorable gross to net sales; unforeseen circumstances or other disruptions to normal business operations arising from or related to domestic political climate, geo-political conflicts or a global pandemic and other factors, including general economic conditions and regulatory developments, not within the Company's control. The factors discussed herein could cause actual results and developments to be materially different from those expressed in or implied by such statements. The forward-looking statements are made only as of the date of this press release and the Company undertakes no obligation to publicly update such forward-looking statements to reflect subsequent events or circumstances. Investors: Ashley Dong Senior Director, Investor Relations (929) 687-1614 [email protected] Media: Darren Opland Senior Director, Corporate Communications (929) 837-1065 [email protected] References * American Academy of Sleep Medicine. The International Classification of Sleep Disorders. Third Edition (ICSD-3). 2014. * National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke. Narcolepsy. https://www.ninds.nih.gov/health-information/disorders/narcolepsy. Accessed September 2024. * España RA, Scammell TE. Sleep neurobiology from a clinical perspective. Sleep. 2011 Jul 1;34(7):845-58. * Narcolepsy Network. About Narcolepsy. https://narcolepsynetwork.org/about-narcolepsy/. Accessed September 2024. * Swick TJ. Treatment paradigms for cataplexy in narcolepsy: past, present, and future. Nat Sci Sleep. 2015 Dec 11;7:159-69. * Tadrous R, O'Rourke D, Mockler D, Broderick J. Health-related quality of life in narcolepsy: A systematic review and meta-analysis. J Sleep Res. 2021 Dec;30(6):e13383. * Patil SP, Ayappa IA, Caples SM, Kimoff RJ, Patel SR, Harrod CG. Treatment of Adult Obstructive Sleep Apnea With Positive Airway Pressure: An American Academy of Sleep Medicine Systematic Review, Meta-Analysis, and GRADE Assessment. J Clin Sleep Med. 2019 Feb 15;15(2):301-334. * Ohayon MM, Black J, Lai C, Eller M, Guinta D, Bhattacharyya A. Increased mortality in narcolepsy. Sleep. 2014 Mar 1;37(3):439-44.

Yahoo Finance
Jul 9th, 2026
Revolution Medicines soars 135% as phase 3 oncology results trump Axsome's 34% gain

Axsome Therapeutics and Revolution Medicines have delivered strong returns this year, with shares climbing 34% and 135% respectively in the first half. Both biotechnology companies attracted investors seeking growth opportunities beyond artificial intelligence. Axsome specialises in central nervous system disorders and has three marketed products. In the recent quarter, Auvelity sales rose 59% to $153 million, whilst Sunosi revenue increased 34% to $33 million. The company recently secured approval for Auvelity in treating Alzheimer's agitation and has five phase 3 programmes underway. Revolution Medicines, whilst earlier-stage with no commercialised products yet, has candidates in registrational trials for pancreatic cancer and non-small cell lung cancer treatment. The company recently announced positive phase 3 results for its lead oncology candidate.

Yahoo Finance
Jul 8th, 2026
Axsome doses first child in phase III ADHD study of solriamfetol drug Sunosi

Axsome Therapeutics has dosed the first patient in its phase III FOCUS-2 study evaluating solriamfetol for treating attention deficit hyperactivity disorder in children aged six to less than 12 years. The randomised, double-blind, placebo-controlled study will assess the drug's safety and efficacy, with the primary endpoint measuring change in ADHD Rating Scale total score from baseline to week six. Last month, Axsome initiated a similar phase III study for adolescents aged 12 to less than 18 years. The company is also conducting a phase III study evaluating solriamfetol for ADHD in adults. Axsome currently markets solriamfetol as Sunosi for treating narcolepsy. The drug generated sales of $33.9 million in the first quarter of 2026, up 34% year-on-year.