Associate Director - Device Development

ABOUT THE COMPANY

Marea Therapeutics is a clinical-stage biotechnology company based in South San Francisco with a growing pipeline of first-in-class therapies to address genetically validated cardioendocrine disease targets. Our therapies have the potential to serve as transformative treatment options for significant patient populations living with cardioendocrine diseases.  

The company’s lead program, MAR001, is being developed for the treatment of severe hypertriglyceridemia (sHTG), a condition characterized by very high triglyceride levels and elevated risk of acute pancreatitis. Preclinical models with MAR001 demonstrated reduction in triglycerides, remnant cholesterol and ectopic fat, and improved insulin sensitivity. MAR001 has demonstrated strong and a differentiated profile in patients and is approaching Phase 3 development. Our second clinical asset, MAR002, is a monoclonal antibody targeting excess growth hormone produced by the pituitary gland in the rare hormonal disorder, acromegaly.  MAR002 has potential to become best-in-disease and is quickly progressing into Phase 2/3 clinical development.  We also have a third asset that is swiftly advancing through research discovery, with DC nomination expected this year. 

At Marea, we believe in the power of collaboration and the importance of leading by example. We are a tight-knit team that values the contributions of every member, from interns to senior leaders. Our environment is dynamic, with each day presenting new challenges and opportunities for growth. Every role is “Hands-On”, and the successful candidate will be able to work alongside team members, regardless of level, to understand challenges and drive results.  

ABOUT THE ROLE

This is a key role within our Technical Operations team as we aggressively advance our two lead assets into mid- and late-stage clinical development. Both assets include a transition from vial to prefilled drug delivery devices with a subcutaneous route of administration.

The Associate Director, Device Development will be Marea’s technical lead for the device constituent of both programs, responsible for driving development of combination product configurations through Phase 3 clinical readiness and on toward the BLA and commercial readiness. The role owns device design controls end-to-end: user needs and design input requirements, risk management, design verification, human factors, and the device content of regulatory submissions. It also carries primary and secondary packaging development, container closure integrity, and shipping and distribution testing for both programs. The individual will work closely with the Drug Product, Analytical, Quality, Regulatory, Clinical Development, and Supply Chain teams and will direct the day-to-day technical work of Marea’s external combination product partners.

Marea operates a lean, outsourced model. External partners support combination product design and development, device platform supply, verification testing, and clinical assembly and packaging under Marea’s design controls. This role is Marea’s technical owner across all of them. We expect the candidate to be hands-on: writing and reviewing requirements, protocols, and reports; running technical reviews with partners; and working at partner sites during critical builds and studies.

This is a full-time, South San Francisco-based position with the expectation of working on-site at least three days per week.

KEY RESPONSIBILITIES

• Serve as Marea’s technical lead for combination product development of these programs, owning the design and development files for all product configurations
• Define user needs and design input requirements that integrate drug product attributes, such as viscosity, fill volume, and container closure, with device performance, and keep them traced through verification and validation
• Lead device risk management to ISO 14971:2019, including the use-related risk analysis, design FMEA, and process risk assessments with partners
• Plan and oversee design verification for Phase 3 clinical readiness to ISO 11608-1:2022 and program requirements: test method development and validation, statistically justified sample sizes and acceptance criteria, preconditioning and aging, and review of protocols and reports executed by partners and test laboratories
• Work with human factors specialists to plan formative and summative studies to IEC 62366-1:2015 and FDA human factors guidance, and carry the findings into design, labeling, and the instructions for use
• Direct the day-to-day technical work of external design and development partners, device constituent suppliers, and test laboratories, including statements of work, technical reviews, deliverable acceptance, and tracking against timeline and budget
• Support selection and technical oversight of the clinical assembly and packaging CMO, including design transfer, assembly process development, equipment qualification, and on-site support during clinical builds
• Lead primary and secondary packaging development, covering container closure integrity strategy and testing as well as shipping and distribution simulation testing
• Define the device portion of combination product stability and shelf-life studies with the Drug Product and Analytical teams
• Author and review device content for IND amendments, IMPDs, and the BLA and represent combination product development in meetings and correspondence with FDA and other health authorities
• Work with Quality on nonconformance, investigations, and CAPAs arising from development and clinical builds
• Plan and develop scope of work for external partners in alignment with internal CMC team and project team, work with the partners on execution and on-time delivery of the SOW scope.
• Travel to partner sites in the U.S. and abroad, approximately 10% of the time (with potential peaks during builds and critical studies.

• B.S. in Mechanical, Biomedical, Chemical Engineering, or a related discipline with 10+ years of relevant experience, an M.S. with 8+ years, or a Ph.D. with 6+ years, in combination product or drug delivery device development in the biotech, pharmaceutical, or medical device industry
• Hands-on development of prefilled syringe and autoinjector combination products through design verification into Phase 3; BLA or NDA device experience strongly preferred
• Working command of design controls under 21 CFR Part 4 and 21 CFR Part 820, ISO 13485:2016, ISO 14971:2019, IEC 62366-1:2015, and the ISO 11608 series
• Track record of directing external design firms, platform suppliers, test laboratories, and CMOs in an outsourced model, including scoping statements of work and holding partners to technical deliverables
• Demonstrated ability to write technical protocols, reports, and regulatory content, including statistically justified sample sizes and acceptance criteria
• Excellent written, oral, and interpersonal communication, especially with device partners and CMOs

In compliance with applicable pay transparency laws, the expected base salary range for this position is $190,000 to $220,000 annually. This range represents the Company's good faith estimate of the salary range for this role at the date of hire and is subject to change.

We do not discriminate on the basis of race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, national origin, age, disability, veteran status, marital status, or based on an individual’s status in any group or class protected by applicable federal, state, and local law. We invite applications from minorities, women, the disabled, protected veterans, and all other qualified applicants.