Business Development Director/Senior Director
About Us
Cough Therapeutics is the U.S. subsidiary of Createrna, a commercial-stage biopharmaceutical company developing first and best-in-class therapies in immunology and inflammation (I&I), respiratory and fibrotic diseases. Createrna has eleven clinical programs. The U.S. team leads Createrna's global strategy and partnering outside China. We work hand in hand with R&D and manufacturing in China, which lets us move quickly and cost-effectively. The Opportunity We are hiring a Director or Senior Director of Corporate Business Development for a truly global role. You will report to the Head of Corporate Business Development and work closely with our CFO and with Createrna leadership. The role has three connected parts: Strategy: Shape Createrna's corporate and portfolio strategy to maximize each asset's global value. Deals: Drive ex-China value through out-licensing, NewCo formation and creative structures. Capital: Partner with the CFO to finance global development while preserving Createrna's upside.This is a senior, hands-on role on a small team. You will shape strategy, build the models, write the story, run the process and negotiate the deal.
What You Will Do
Corporate and portfolio strategy Advise the Head of Corporate BD, the CFO and Createrna leadership on corporate strategy and portfolio priorities. Inputs include competitive landscape, external benchmarks, investor views and deal-market conditions. Help build the global portfolio view: which assets to advance, partner, spin out or deprioritize. Translate external market signals into internal investment decisions. Lead ex-China strategy for each asset: out-license, co-develop, form a NewCo, or retain global rights. Licensing, NewCo formation and creative deal-making Find, qualify and engage global pharma, biotech and investor partners. Run competitive outreach and partnering processes from first contact to signing. Originate and execute NewCo transactions: identify investor syndicates, structure the license and the equity terms (retained equity, upfront, milestones, royalties), and design governance and asset transfer. Design creative structures where they optimize value creation. Examples: options, co-development and cost sharing, regional splits, equity-for-asset swaps, royalty monetization and structured or asset-level financings. Structure and negotiate terms, including economics, territory, development and commercial rights, governance and IP. Work closely with Legal, R&D, Clinical and CMC. Write clear, investor-grade materials: teasers, non-confidential and confidential decks, and executive summaries. Coordinate data rooms and due diligence responses. Financing and capital strategy Partner with the CFO and Finance on capital strategy for ex-China development, including NewCo and venture rounds, asset-centric financing and strategic investment. Prepare investor materials and models, and support investor meetings and negotiations. Valuation and analysis Build and own rNPV, DCF, and deal-structure models, commercial forecasts and scenario analyses for I&I, respiratory and fibrosis assets. Track competition in I&I, respiratory and fibrosis, deal comparables and financing markets. External presence and cross-border bridge Represent the company at BIO, J.P. Morgan Healthcare Week and BIO-Europe, and at therapeutic meetings such as AAD, EADV, ACR Convergence, EULAR, ATS and ERS. Build senior relationships with pharma BD leaders and life-science investors. Act as a bridge between Createrna and global partners and investors. Explain each side's priorities, norms and decision processes to the other. Manage the BD pipeline and deal tracker, report to U.S. and Createrna leadership, and support alliance management after deals close. Senior Director: lead complex transactions end to end as primary negotiator, own Createrna portfolio strategy workstreams, and may manage an analyst or associate. What You Bring Required Advanced degree in life sciences, pharmacy or medicine (PhD, PharmD, MD or MS), or an MBA or JD with a strong scientific foundation. Experience at the level described in the Compensation table: BD, corporate development, venture capital, investment banking or life-science strategy consulting, plus biopharma industry experience. A core role on at least 2 closed biopharma transactions, such as licensing, collaboration, M&A, NewCo formation or equity financing. Please bring a representative deal sheet. Strong valuation and financial modeling (rNPV, DCF), deal structuring and term-sheet negotiation skills. Experience advising on corporate or portfolio strategy, such as asset prioritization, portfolio reviews or strategic planning. Working knowledge of drug development and I&I biology, and the ability to explain complex clinical data to partners and investors. Excellent written and spoken English for negotiating, presenting and writing without translation support. Comfort working across cultures and time zones with colleagues in China. Strongly preferred Closed cross-border transactions, especially out-licensing or NewCo deals for China-originated assets. Hands-on NewCo formation, venture fundraising or other creative structures (options, royalty monetization, structured financing). Therapeutic experience in I&I, respiratory and/or fibrosis (e.g., dermatology, rheumatology, asthma/COPD, idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis or other fibrotic diseases), on the business or R&D side. An established network among pharma BD and search-and-evaluation leaders and life-science investors. Experience at a smaller biotech where you covered a broad remit, such as BD, strategy, finance and alliance management. We value breadth as much as tenure. Differentiating skill (not required) Professional proficiency in Mandarin (spoken and/or written). Mandarin is not required to succeed in this role; the working language with partners and investors is English. Mandarin is valued because it speeds collaboration with Createrna leadership and R&D, helps you read source data and internal materials, and builds trust on cross-border deals. It is one of the job-related skills considered in placement within the pay range.
Why Join Us
A proven innovator. Createrna has taken medicines from its own discovery through development to regulatory approval in China, including Lanoracopan. It now has eleven clinical programs and a global partnership with Abbvie for an oral IRAK4 inhibitor clinical program. Strategy and deals in one role. You will shape Createrna's global portfolio strategy and then execute the deals that deliver it. Real deal flow. China-originated assets are now about one-third of global out-licensing activity. You will work on live licensing, NewCo and financing transactions. Visibility and growth. Work directly with the CFO, the CEO and Createrna leadership on strategy, deals and financing. This is broad experience that builds toward senior BD and corporate development leadership. Flexibility. Work from San Diego, the Bay Area or remotely on the West Coast. Upside. Competitive cash, deal and financing success incentives, and long-term incentives tied to the value we create. Pay: $200,000.00 - $250,000.00 per year Benefits 401(k) Dental insurance Health insurance Paid time off Vision insurance Work Location: Remote