A clinical-stage biotechnology company was focused on the discovery and development of engineered T-cell therapies that have the potential to provide a deep and durable, perhaps curative, treatment for patients with autoimmune diseases.

Challenges

1. Licensed technology but lacking critical leadership and key scientific hires to progress programs toward IND and beyond.

2. Niche talent pool with high demand in cell therapy.

3. Small local pool talent.

4. No Internal Talent Acquisition or hiring process was established.

Solutions

1. Dedicated GQR resources integrated into the team to manage all recruitment activities.

2. Centralize all process management, managed GQR candidates, candidates applying directly, and candidates through other agencies.

3. Advisory covering hiring plans, job descriptions, archetype diversity, and timelines to ensure company milestones can be met.

Benefits

Milestone Accomplishment

Quick kick-off and delivery of top talent enabled the organization to file and receive its IND application from the FDA in early October 2019. A month later, they rang the opening bell as the NYSE announced their IPO and a raise of $75m.

Decrease Cost, Enhance Culture

Utilizing a centralized point of contact through GQR allowed consistency in talent quality and uniformity of overall company culture, without spending on contingent agency fees.

Long-Term Integration

The flexibility of GQR's model allowed for a tailored annual model that works with the ebbs and flows of recruitment needs year over year.

Results

The biotech company was able to save a significant amount of money on agency fees and additional HR support, as well as hit key hiring milestones in a faster-than-expected timeframe.

Highlights:

• 3.8 weeks average time to fill

• $445k in projected agency savings

• 46 hires from March 2019-July 2022 (ongoing project)

In summary, their strategic hiring approach exemplifies the critical role of talent acquisition in biotechnology success. Overcoming challenges through dedicated resources, centralized processes, and advisory support, they achieved remarkable milestones, including FDA filing and IPO. With impressive results like reduced hiring times and significant cost savings, this case underscores the transformative power of effective hiring strategies in advancing treatments for autoimmune diseases.