Director, Medical Affairs – Obesity and CachexiaKalohexis | Northbrook, Illinois | Full-time, on-site
Company Overview
Kalohexis is a clinical-stage biotechnology company that recently spun out of Endevica Bio to advance a broad portfolio of medicines targeting the central melanocortin system. The company brings together Endevica Bio’s melanocortin agonist and antagonist programs, including clinical and preclinical candidates for cachexia, obesity, and other metabolic conditions. Kalohexis may be a new name, but the science behind it is not new—the programs were discovered and developed by the Endevica Bio team, and the two companies continue to work closely together.Kalohexis is at an unusually exciting moment; our programs are advancing, our team is growing, and there is still plenty of room for each new colleague to shape the company’s future. This is small-biotech work in the best sense: things move quickly, people work across functions, and good ideas do not have to travel through layers of internal decision making.
The Opportunity
We are seeking a Director, Medical Affairs to develop and execute a strategy to promote scientific exchange and cultivate a network of clinician champions in support of our obesity and cancer cachexia programs. This person will bring scientific expertise and a deep understanding of the healthcare provider’s decision-making environment to establish productive relationships with key opinion leaders and investigators, gather insights into clinical practice patterns and unmet needs to inform medical strategy, and support clinical operations’ efforts.
This is a hands-on, individual contributor role with responsibility for defined medical affairs priorities and deliverables. Working closely with colleagues in Communications, Clinical Development, and Clinical Operations, the Director will plan and execute medical activities appropriate to each asset’s stage of development.
The successful candidate will combine scientific acumen and field-based experience in obesity, oncology, or a closely related metabolic disease space with the ability to work independently, communicate complex science clearly, and follow through with internal collaborators and external partners.
Key Responsibilities
- Develop and execute medical affairs strategyDevelop program-specific medical affairs plans in partnership with cross-functional colleagues.
- Translate agreed priorities into activities, timelines, budgets, and measurable deliverables and goals.
- Regularly communicate progress, gathered insights, and resource needs.
- Lead external scientific exchangeEstablish and maintain relationships with key opinion leaders, investigators, and treating clinicians in specialties such as obesity medicine, endocrinology, cachexia, oncology, and supportive care, as relevant to program needs.
- Attend major medical congresses to support scientific presentations, engage with experts, monitor new data, including competitor data, and summarize key findings for internal teams.
- Plan and lead advisory boards, expert consultations, and other scientific exchange activities.
- Gather and synthesize external insights to inform internal medical strategy and support clinical operations and trial recruitment efforts.
- Contribute to clinical development and support clinical operationsIdentify and recommend investigators and sites for company-sponsored trials, support patient recruitment, and serve as a liaison to sites during studies.
- Contribute medical insights to discussions of protocol concepts, endpoints, patient populations, and investigator engagement in partnership with Clinical Development and Clinical Operations.
- Work with Clinical Operations to understand clinical-practice barriers affecting site participation and patient enrollment, and develop plans to help address them.
- Identify evidence gaps and contribute to plans for addressing them as programs advance.
Qualifications
Required
- MD, DO, PharmD, PhD, or another relevant advanced scientific or clinical degree.
- At least eight years of relevant biopharmaceutical industry experience, including five years in Medical Affairs.
- Medical Affairs experience in obesity and/or oncology, or experience in another closely related metabolic area, with a strong understanding of current treatment, payer dynamics, and the evolving therapeutic landscape.
- Demonstrated responsibility for medical planning, external scientific engagement, and delivery of medical affairs projects.
- Experience planning and conducting advisory boards, scientific meetings, or congress activities.
- Ability to critically evaluate clinical data and discuss disease biology, trial design, and treatment approaches with healthcare professionals.
- Working knowledge of requirements governing scientific exchange, medical information, and medical review.
- Strong project management, communication, and cross-functional collaboration skills.
- Ability to prioritize competing needs and work independently within a small, evolving organization.
Preferred
- Experience supporting clinical-stage programs or working in a small or mid-sized biotechnology company.
- Experience contributing medical insights to clinical development and evidence-generation planning.
- Prior field medical or clinical practice experience.
- Familiarity with melanocortin biology, incretin-based therapies, or peptide therapeutics.
- Experience supporting late-stage development or medical launch preparation.
This is an on-site position in Northbrook, IL. Travel is required, including in-person KOL meetings, advisory boards, congresses, and research site visits.
The expected salary range for the position is $210,000–$280,000. Full-time employees may also be eligible for an annual bonus based on company and individual performance.
Kalohexis also provides eligible employees with an opportunity to enroll in a variety of benefit programs, generally including health, vision, and dental insurance, flexible spending accounts, health savings accounts, retirement savings plans, life, and disability insurance programs, equity incentive plans, and paid and unpaid time away from work. Relocation assistance is available for eligible candidates relocating to the Northbrook, IL area.
Kalohexis is an equal employment opportunity employer. We evaluate applicants without regard to race, religion, color, national origin, sex (including pregnancy, childbirth, or related medical conditions), sexual orientation, gender identity, gender expression, transgender status, sexual stereotypes, age, status as a protected veteran, status as an individual with a disability, or any other legally protected characteristics. We also consider applicants with criminal histories, consistent with applicable federal, state and local law.Kalohexis is committed to working with and providing reasonable accommodations to individuals with disabilities. If you need a reasonable accommodation because of a disability for any part of the employment process, please send an e-mail to people@kalohexis.com and let us know the nature of your request and your contact information.
