ArGENX

Toxicologist late stage clinical development and established Assets

Gent, Belgium Full time

Join us as we transform immunology and deliver medicines that help autoimmune patients get their lives back. argenx is preparing for multi-dimensional expansion to reach more patients through a rich pipeline of differentiated assets, led by VYVGART, our first-in-class neonatal Fc receptor blocker approved for the treatment of gMG, and with the potential to treat patients across dozens of severe autoimmune diseases.

We are building a new kind of biotech company, one that maintains its roots as a science-based start-up and pushes our commitment to innovate across all corners of our business. We strive to inspire and grow our company, our partnerships, our science, and our people, because when we do, we deliver more for patients. 

argenx is looking for a Toxicologist in the PharmTox group to lead product risk assessments of late stage and established assets. The role will be instrumental in shaping our approach to safety for programs that have established nonclinical safety programs and expand their global regulatory and marketing footprint.  argenx works with an outsourcing model where scientific and quality oversight from the sponsor is an important part of our work.

This role is based in Ghent, Belgium, and requires some on-site presence. Therefore, candidates must be located in Belgium or be willing to relocate to Belgium, as remote work from outside Belgium is not an option. Along with your CV, we kindly ask that you submit a motivation letter that demonstrates why you're a great fit for this role.

Key Accountabilities and Responsibilities:  

You will be collaborating cross-functionally to drive program success and regulatory alignment, in a dynamic environment with bold corporate objectives. This is a critical role within our PharmTox team, requiring a strong scientific background and excellent communication skills to collaborate across various capabilities. You will play a key role for the safety assessments of impurities and extractables/leachables throughout late stage clinical development, as well as for established medicines, in compliance with the most current regulatory guidelines. You support the lifecycle of established products including presentation changes and license renewals. 

We expect you to be the point of contact for our colleagues in CMC /Technical operations, Regulatory, EHS and outside partners and be the bridge that will collaborate with project toxicologists on response to questions from Health Authorities.  

You will lead product risk assessments and work with peers to develop best practices, identify resources, gaps and opportunities. An important part of the role will consist of ensuring that risk assessments remain contemporaneous of industry trends and staying abreast of regulatory requirements.   

The ideal candidate will have direct experience in writing risk assessment reports and answer to inquiries from Health authorities. The candidate must be scientifically independent and able to articulate implications and risks from toxicology assessments to a broader audience. 

Your primary areas of focus are:  

Toxicology risk assessment 

  • Provide expert scientific advice on risk assessment of potential impurities of argenx products 

  • Be the single point of contact for impurity and E&L risk assessments in drug substances and drug products across the entire argenx portfolio 

  • Be a single point of contact and support EHS by managing toxicological risk assessments linked to safety datasheets 

  • Outsource, guide and approve toxicological evaluations of E&L profiles associated with container closure systems, devices, and manufacturing components 

  • Oversee the appropriate application of risk assessment methodologies (e.g. PDE, TTC, OEL) in accordance with ICH and EMA/FDA guidelines 

  • Together with our expert partners, interpret in silico (Q)SAR analyses and, where appropriate, propose and evaluate in vitro/in vivo studies 

  • Collaborate with cross-functional teams to elaborate compliant and scientifically sound control strategies  

  • Develop best practices, identify resources, gaps and opportunities for improvement. Ensure that risk assessments remain contemporaneous of industry trends and regulatory requirements 

Support Regulatory processes for mature product (geographic expansions and license maintenance) 

  • Be the main partner for colleagues in the regulatory groups and support with expert advice on toxicology aspects of assigned projects 

  • Have excellent knowledge of the non-clinical part of the initial dossier of assigned projects and advise on best paths forward. Support medical writing during the authoring stage and be responsible for review of nonclinical parts of regulatory documents for license maintenance, geographic expansion or supplementary submissions.  

  • Responsible for non-clinical aspects of periodic safety reporting of assigned projects 

  • Together with expert partners and CMC, support biological safety risk assessments of medical devices 

  • Lead the toxicology team in answering questions from Health Authorities during geographic expansion

Coaching and leading 

  • Coach and guide young colleagues in the team 

  • Lead network of external partners, together with Global Sourcing, maintain and expand productive relationships.  

Desired Skills and Experience

  • Ph.D degree or equivalent by experience 

  • Degree in toxicology or equivalent, professional board certification preferred 

  • At least 5 years of industry experience in a relevant position 

  •  Board certification (ERT, DABT) is a plus 

  • Lead the argenx way- servant leadership, humble is one of our cultural pillars.  

  • Effective in organizing self and others, highly structured 

  • Strong literature mining and excellent authoring skills of technical and regulatory documents 

  • Clear communication, can influence stakeholders effectively, both internally and externally, with outstanding presentation, written and verbal communication skills 

  • You resonate with the values of argenx and you are ready to drive the Company Culture 

Offer

  • You’ll work in a successful and rapidly growing biotech company, where we foster a dynamic and supportive work environment.

  • This is a full-time position, you’ll be part of a growing team with plenty of opportunities to make an impact.

  • We offer a competitive salary package that comes with a broad range of benefits. The level assigned to this position will be determined based on the relevant experience of the final candidate.

  • We also provide the possibility of working remotely, combined with part-time on-site presence in Zwijnaarde (Ghent), offering you flexibility in your work routine.

  • If needed, we provide support for relocation and obtaining a work visa to ensure a smooth transition.

At argenx, all applicants are welcomed in an inclusive environment. They will receive equal consideration for employment without discrimination on the basis of race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, protected veteran status, disability, or any other applicable legally protected characteristics. argenx is proud to be an equal opportunity employer.

Before you submit your application, CV or any other personal details to us, please review our argenx Privacy Notice for Job Applicants to learn more about how argenx B.V. and its affiliates (“argenx”) will handle and protect your personal data. If you have any questions or you wish to exercise your privacy rights, please contact our Global Privacy Office by email at privacy@argenx.com.