KGI School of Pharmacy and Health Sciences Partners with AveXis, Inc., for Fellowship Program

The Keck Graduate Institute (KGI) School of Pharmacy and Health Sciences is proud to partner with AveXis, Inc. to offer a Biopharmaceutical Industry Fellowship Program. The 12-month program is designed to provide Doctor of Pharmacy (PharmD) graduates an in depth specialized training in the biopharmaceutical industry.

“There has been a rapid growth in the number of PharmD Industry fellowships over the last few years,” said Bernard Tyrrell, the KGI School of Pharmacy associate dean for pharmacy and industry relations. “This speaks to the critical demand for a specialized transition period to accelerate career pathways for pharmacists to satisfy industry leadership needs.”

The Biopharmaceutical Industry Fellowship Program will provide an exceptional experience by preparing pharmacists for careers in the biopharmaceutical industry, providing a learning environment that stresses both mentoring and accountability, and offering continuous assessment and improvement.

AveXis Medical Information Fellowship

The one-year Medical Information Fellowship provides an opportunity to learn the skills and experiences necessary to excel as a pharmacist in scientific communication, a key function in any biopharmaceutical company. The fellowship will be based out of the AveXis offices in Bannockburn, IL (suburb of Chicago, IL).

AveXis, Inc. is a clinical-stage gene therapy company, dedicated to developing and commercializing novel treatments for patients suffering from rare and life-threatening neurological genetic diseases. Their initial product candidate, AVXS-101, is a proprietary gene therapy product candidate currently in development for the treatment of spinal muscular atrophy, or SMA, Type 1, the leading genetic cause of infant mortality, and for the treatment of SMA Type 2. The U.S. Food and Drug Administration, or FDA, has granted AVXS-101 Orphan Drug Designation for the treatment of all types of SMA and Breakthrough Therapy Designation, as well as Fast Track Designation for the treatment of SMA Type 1. In addition to developing AVXS-101 to treat SMA Type 1 and Type 2, AveXis, Inc. also plans to develop other novel treatments for rare neurological diseases, including Rett syndrome (RTT), and a genetic form of amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) caused by mutations in the superoxide dismutase 1 (SOD1) gene.

The core responsibility of Medical Information at AveXis is to generate and communicate clinical and scientific data as well as engage in scientific discussions with key stakeholders, including healthcare providers (HCPs), patients, and payers. By doing so, the overarching Medical Affairs division actively supports the development and delivery of therapies to patients with a high unmet need.

Fellows will spend 90% of their time on duties specific to the industry site and 10% of time on professional development activities with Keck Graduate Institute School of Pharmacy. All fellows will be eligible for adjunct faculty status.   

Fellowship Eligibility Requirements  

A candidate must be:

• Must be a PharmD graduate from an accredited institution
• Must be eligible to work in the United States and on-site in the Chicago area