Full-Time

Vice President – Business Development

Posted on 12/3/2024

Sana Biotechnology

Sana Biotechnology

201-500 employees

Develops engineered cell therapies for diseases

Compensation Overview

$325k - $375k/yr

San Bruno, CA, USA

In Person

Category
Business & Strategy (1)
Requirements
  • At least 9+ years of business development experience in the life sciences sector and 12+ years of experience in drug development are required
  • Experience leading and negotiating complex transactions required (licensing experience required, acquisition experience preferred)
  • Experience with drug development; familiarity within the field of cell and gene therapy is preferred
  • Experience leading cross-functional business development diligence and deal teams, including in areas outside of technical expertise
  • Expert executive communication skills; highly capable of articulating Sana's value proposition and partnering interests to varied audiences
  • Strong influencing skills (e.g. up, down and across), preferably with experience navigating and influencing stakeholders with and without authority
  • Strong decision-maker, able to appropriately articulate and balance tradeoffs in areas of high complexity
  • Excellent analytical and strategic capabilities
Responsibilities
  • Lead the sourcing and negotiation of partnership(s) with pharmaceutical companies for development and commercialization of existing Sana program(s) or platforms
  • Lead the proactive sourcing (including landscaping efforts for prioritized areas of interest), evaluation and negotiation of high-impact collaborations, licensing, equity, and acquisition opportunities
  • Enable and lead robust decision-making through all stages of deals, including seeking approval for transactions from the Executive Team and Board of Directors
  • Oversee negotiations strategies with prospective partners, including creating collaboration structures aligned with scientific and business needs and making deal recommendations to key executive team stakeholders
  • Develop and oversee the execution of short- and long-range business development strategies aligned with the priorities and interests of Sana's corporate strategy
  • Concurrently manage multiple projects of complex business opportunities. Requires prioritizing projects with key stakeholders and aligning with corporate goals
  • Set, communicate, and drive implementation of the partnering strategy in collaboration with executive team stakeholders
  • Oversee ongoing and active development of world-class business development capabilities, processes and practices
  • Establish collaborative relationships with key internal functions (R&D, Tech Ops, Legal and Finance) to ensure strong relationships with and support for the BD transactions
  • Be an ambassador for Sana at external meetings, conferences, and seminars to access new opportunities and develop external networks
  • Ensure high-quality opportunity assessments and due diligence reviews.
  • Accountable for the achievement of important goals that impact and contribute to the mission of Sana
  • Demonstrate ability to engage and effectively influence team members across diverse teams while prioritizing multiple projects and meeting deadlines
  • Drive curiosity, scientific rigor and excellent problem-solving skills across a fast-paced, performance-driven environment
  • Natural ability to assess talent to help grow the organization and add to Sana's culture

Sana Biotechnology researches and develops engineered cells to treat and potentially cure diseases by changing genes inside cells or replacing damaged cells. Its products are cellular therapies that work by repairing, controlling, or replacing cells to address the root causes of disease. The company mainly earns money through R&D partnerships, licensing deals, and collaborations with pharmaceutical companies, with additional potential revenue from direct sales of approved therapies to healthcare providers. Sana differentiates itself by focusing on cellular and genetic medicine to create treatments that target diseases at their genetic and cellular roots, combining deep scientific research with strategic collaborations. The overall goal is to advance new medicines that improve patient outcomes by correcting underlying biological problems.

Company Size

201-500

Company Stage

IPO

Headquarters

Seattle, Washington

Founded

2018

Simplify Jobs

Simplify's Take

What believers are saying

  • Mayo Clinic invested $25M at $3.33/share premium on April 10, 2026, validating platform.
  • HIP-modified islets functioned 14 months without immunosuppression in T1D patient.
  • SC451 Phase 1 trial and SG293 data expected in 2026, extending cash to late 2026.

What critics are saying

  • Securities fraud lawsuit in Western District of Washington alleges SC291 misrepresentations, eroding confidence.
  • Q3 2025 $42M net loss and $35M R&D burn exhaust $153M reserves before Phase 1 data.
  • FDA rejects SC451 IND or trial failures halt progress by late 2026.

What makes Sana Biotechnology unique

  • Sana pioneers hypoimmune (HIP) technology evading immunosuppression in cell transplants.
  • SC451 develops scalable iPSC-derived islet cells for type 1 diabetes cure.
  • SG293 enables in vivo CAR T generation targeting B-cell diseases without ex vivo manufacturing.

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Benefits

Health Insurance

Paid Vacation

Paid Sick Leave

Paid Holidays

Disability Insurance

Life Insurance

401(k) Retirement Plan

401(k) Company Match

Tuition Reimbursement

Student Loan Assistance

Employee Stock Purchase Plan

Commuter Benefits

Growth & Insights and Company News

Headcount

6 month growth

-9%

1 year growth

-3%

2 year growth

-2%
Bitget
Apr 13th, 2026
Mayo Clinic invests $25M in Sana Biotechnology at $3.33 per share premium

Sana Biotechnology has raised $25 million through a private placement of 7.5 million common shares to Mayo Clinic at $3.33 per share, according to a US Securities and Exchange Commission filing. The share price represents a significant premium to recent market trading levels. The strategic investment from America's leading medical institution reflects confidence in Sana's cell engineering technology platform. The funding will support the biotechnology company's gene therapy research and development programmes whilst strengthening Mayo Clinic's collaborative relationships with innovative biotechnology firms. The transaction signals institutional endorsement of Sana's technological approach and long-term value proposition in the cell engineering sector.

Yahoo Finance
Feb 28th, 2026
Sana Biotechnology appoints Brian Piper as CFO ahead of key diabetes and cancer trial data

Sana Biotechnology has appointed Brian Piper as executive vice president and chief financial officer, effective 17 February. Piper brings over 25 years of biopharmaceutical experience, most recently serving as CFO of Scorpion Therapeutics and Antares Therapeutics, with previous roles at Prelude Therapeutics and Shire Pharmaceuticals. The appointment comes as Sana approaches major clinical milestones over the next 12 to 18 months. The company expects initial clinical data for SC451, a hypoimmune-modified islet cell therapy for Type 1 diabetes, and SG293, an in vivo CAR T therapy for B-cell related diseases. Sana recently raised approximately $133 million in equity financing, extending its cash runway into late 2026. Piper will oversee capital allocation and financial strategy as the company advances its cell therapy portfolios.

GlobeNewswire
Feb 17th, 2026
Sana Biotechnology Appoints Brian Piper as Executive Vice President, Chief Financial Officer

Sana Biotechnology appoints Brian Piper as Executive Vice President, Chief Financial Officer. SEATTLE, Feb. 17, 2026 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) - Sana Biotechnology, Inc. (NASDAQ: SANA), a company focused on changing the possible for patients through engineered cells, today announced the appointment of Brian Piper as Executive Vice President, Chief Financial Officer. Mr. Piper brings to Sana a breadth of biopharmaceutical financial and operational expertise with over 25 years of experience in various positions in the industry. Mr. Piper was most recently CFO of Scorpion Therapeutics and its post-acquisition spin-off, Antares Therapeutics. "I am thrilled to welcome Brian to Sana and to our leadership team," said Steve Harr, President and Chief Executive Officer of Sana. "He brings deep expertise in capital formation and disciplined capital allocation along with a proven track record of driving financial and operational excellence. Over the next 12-18 months, we expect to generate initial clinical data for SC451 in the treatment of type 1 diabetes and SG293 in a B-cell related disease, helping us better understand these therapies and creating important value inflection points for the company. We have meaningful momentum in our type 1 diabetes and in vivo CAR T programs, and his leadership will be critical as we continue to advance our portfolio, optimize long-term value creation, and work to deliver these transformative therapies for patients." Mr. Piper was previously Chief Financial Officer of Scorpion Therapeutics until its acquisition by Eli Lilly in 2025, and thereafter was Chief Financial Officer of Antares Therapeutics, following its spin-off from Scorpion. Prior to that, he was Chief Financial Officer of Prelude Therapeutics, a public biotech company. Earlier, he served as Chief Financial Officer of Aevi Genomic Medicine. He also spent 13 years at Shire Pharmaceuticals, holding senior roles across investor relations, corporate venture capital, and other finance functions. Mr. Piper began his career at Celera Genomics and Otsuka Pharmaceuticals, Inc. He obtained his M.B.A. from the University of Maryland and his B.B.A. from the University of Notre Dame. Mr. Piper added, "I am delighted to join the Sana team at a pivotal time as we build on the demonstrated clinical potential of hypoimmune-modified pancreatic islet cells in type 1 diabetes and start clinical development for the in vivo CAR T platform. I look forward to working closely with the team to ensure a strong balance sheet, drive operational excellence, and apply disciplined capital allocation in support of our vision for patient impact and shareholder value." About Sana Biotechnology Sana Biotechnology, Inc. is focused on creating and delivering engineered cells as medicines for patients. We share a vision of repairing and controlling genes, replacing missing or damaged cells, and making our therapies broadly available to patients. We are a passionate group of people working together to create an enduring company that changes how the world treats disease. Sana has operations in Seattle, WA, Cambridge, MA, and South San Francisco, CA. For more information about Sana Biotechnology, please visit https://sana.com/. Cautionary Note Regarding Forward-Looking Statements This press release contains forward-looking statements about Sana Biotechnology, Inc. (the "Company," "we," "us," or "our") within the meaning of the federal securities laws, including those related to the Company's vision, progress, and business plans; expectations for and the potential timing, significance, and impact of data from its development programs, product candidates, and technology platforms, including its preclinical, clinical, and regulatory development plans; expectations regarding the Company's value creation and inflection points, balance sheet, operations, and capital allocation and the potential impact for patients and shareholders; and statements by the Company's President and Chief Executive Officer and Executive Vice President, Chief Financial Officer. All statements other than statements of historical facts contained in this press release, including, among others, statements regarding the Company's strategy, expectations, future operations, and prospects, are forward-looking statements. In some cases, you can identify forward-looking statements by terminology such as "aim," "anticipate," "assume," "believe," "contemplate," "continue," "could," "design," "due," "estimate," "expect," "goal," "intend," "may," "objective," "plan," "positioned," "potential," "predict," "seek," "should," "target," "will," "would," and other similar expressions that are predictions of or indicate future events and future trends, or the negative of these terms or other comparable terminology. The Company has based these forward-looking statements largely on its current expectations, estimates, forecasts, and projections about future events and financial trends that it believes may affect its financial condition, results of operations, business strategy, and financial needs. In light of the significant uncertainties in these forward-looking statements, you should not rely upon forward-looking statements as predictions of future events. These statements are subject to risks and uncertainties that could cause the actual results to vary materially, including, among others, the risks inherent in drug development such as those associated with the initiation, cost, timing, progress, and results of the Company's current and future research and development programs, preclinical and clinical trials, as well as economic, market, and social disruptions. For a detailed discussion of the risk factors that could affect the Company's actual results, please refer to the risk factors identified in the Company's SEC reports, including but not limited to its Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q dated November 6, 2025. Except as required by law, the Company undertakes no obligation to update publicly any forward-looking statements for any reason.

Finimize Limited
Nov 7th, 2025
Sana Biotech Raises $115.8M for Diabetes

Sana Biotechnology is focusing on diabetes and gene therapy, raising $115.8 million and prioritizing its programs SC451 for type 1 diabetes and SG293. Despite a Q3 2025 net loss of $42.15 million and R&D spending tripling to $35.5 million, the company ended September with $153.1 million in reserves. By pausing other projects, Sana aims for efficiency, with Wall Street optimistic—analysts rate the stock a 'buy' with a 12-month price target 49% above its current level.

Yahoo Finance
Aug 26th, 2025
Sana Biotechnology to Present at September 2025 Investor Conferences

Sana will present at Citi's 2025 Biopharma Back-to-School Conference at 3:15 p.m. ET on Tuesday, September 2, 2025.

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