Senior Director, Patent Counsel
PTC Therapeutics, Inc.
Summary
The Senior Director, Patent Counsel supports PTC's global Intellectual Property (IP) legal needs. Working under the supervision and direction of the in-house, Global Head of Intellectual Property and in close partnership and collaboration with PTC's research organization and with the internal IP legal team, the role is responsible for the preparation and prosecution of patent applications to support PTC's Research and Development (R&D) goals.
Job description
The incumbent works cross-functionally with internal departments and external resources on IP-related issues. The role ensures adherence to relevant regulatory requirements and company Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) as appropriate.
Responsibilities
- Prepares and prosecutes patent applications as needed to support PTC's R&D goals.
- Manage product related international patent docket.
- Interacts cross-functionally to gather and analyze information necessary to prepare patent applications.
- Performs FTO and patent portfolio analyses for prospective BD activities.
- Attend internal meetings with key stakeholders to obtain subject matter background.
- Provides direction and support to ensure patentability requirements for applications drafted are met and aligned with the strategic timing of filing goals.
- Contributes expertise to R&D and IP team discussions to develop and execute strategy(ies) for patent preparation and filing efforts.
- Reviews examination communications from US and ex-US patent offices.
- Consults with IP team personnel as needed to provide instructions to external IP counsel regarding potential responses. Reviews draft responses provided by external IP counsel and provides direction or instructions as appropriate.
- Performs additional duties as requested or required.
Qualifications
- JD degree and a minimum of 8 years of progressively responsible, related legal experience, at least 3 of which include patent preparation and prosecution (in-house or at a law firm) for pharmaceutical, biotechnology or related environments.
- Admission to at least one state bar.
- Registered to practice before the United States Patent Office.
- Demonstrated experience preparing, filing and prosecuting patent applications.
- Understanding of the role of patents in drug related regulatory environments.
- High degree of integrity and ability to handle confidential information with discretion.
- Strong attention to detail and the ability to adhere to strict deadlines and guidelines.
- Reliable self-starter with the ability to influence without direct authority.
- Demonstrated proficiency using the advanced functionality of Microsoft Office (PowerPoint, Excel and Word).
- Excellent verbal and written communication skills.
- Ability to work independently and collaboratively, as required, in a fast-paced, matrixed, team environment consisting of internal and external team members.
- Analytical thinker with excellent problem-solving skills and the ability to adapt to changing priorities and deadlines.
- Excellent planning, organization and time management skills including the ability to support and prioritize multiple projects.
Preferred Skills
- Experience in a drug discovery role within a pharmaceutical, biotechnology or related environment.
- Hands-on, laboratory-based scientific experience.
- Experience filing patent applications with the USPTO or related entity.
- Experience with SharePoint, ChemDraw, EFS Web and/or Adobe.
Requirements
- JD degree
- Minimum 8 years of progressively responsible, related legal experience
- At least 3 years of patent preparation and prosecution experience (in-house or law firm) for pharmaceutical, biotechnology or related environments
- Admission to at least one state bar
- Registered to practice before the United States Patent Office
- Demonstrated experience preparing, filing and prosecuting patent applications
- Understanding of the role of patents in drug related regulatory environments
- High degree of integrity and ability to handle confidential information with discretion
- Strong attention to detail and ability to adhere to strict deadlines and guidelines
- Reliable self-starter with ability to influence without direct authority
- Proficiency using advanced functionality of Microsoft Office (PowerPoint, Excel and Word)
- Excellent verbal and written communication skills
- Ability to work independently and collaboratively in a fast-paced, matrixed team environment
- Analytical thinker with excellent problem-solving skills and ability to adapt to changing priorities and deadlines
- Excellent planning, organization and time management skills
- Advanced degree in a relevant chemistry discipline, pharmacy, or PharmD (preferred)
- Experience in a drug discovery role within pharmaceutical, biotechnology or related environment (preferred)
- Hands-on, laboratory-based scientific experience (preferred)
- Experience filing patent applications with the USPTO or related entity (preferred)
- Experience with SharePoint, ChemDraw, EFS Web and/or Adobe (preferred)
Benefits
- Medical, Dental & Vision
- Retirement savings plans
- Short-term incentives
- Long-term incentives
Company overview
PTC Therapeutics, Inc. is a patient-centered biopharmaceutical company founded in 1998 and headquartered in Warren, New Jersey. The company specializes in discovering, developing, and commercializing innovative medicines for children and adults living with rare and serious diseases. PTC focuses on orally administered small molecule drugs and gene therapies that regulate gene expression by targeting post-transcriptional control mechanisms. The company's therapeutic areas include orphan and ultra-orphan disorders, oncology, and anti-infectives, with a particular emphasis on genetic disorders affecting metabolism and neurology. PTC's commercialized products include treatments for Duchenne muscular dystrophy, aromatic L-amino acid decarboxylase deficiency, spinal muscular atrophy, and other rare conditions. The company operates globally with a dedicated team of approximately 939 employees and maintains a robust pipeline of investigational therapies. PTC is publicly traded on NASDAQ under the symbol PTCT and has established itself as a leader in rare disease therapeutics through its commitment to scientific innovation and patient-focused approach.