This job posting from March 2021 convinces me that the Aristea deal (and perhaps others) were already incubating (Yes I know, Amit stated more recently that this deal has been in the works for double digit months but some do not necessarily trust Amit). At least we know from the timing that the deal wasn't due to some upcoming trial disappointment.
Senior Director, Corporate Development at Arena Pharmaceuticals (March 2021)
Boston, MA or San Diego, CA
Arena is a rapidly growing pharmaceutical company that is focused on advancing several potentially “best in class” drugs to market. It’s an exciting time for Arena, and this is an opportunity to join a dynamic team focused on significantly impacting the lives of patients and their families.
The Senior Director, Corporate Development will work collaboratively with Corporate Development colleagues and senior executives to build external innovation networks and leverage internal cross-functional expertise in pursuit of a wide range of business development objectives. As Senior Director, you will be involved in translating corporate and therapeutic area objectives into actionable business development plans aimed at building a sustainable pipeline through portfolio expansion and developing comprehensive partnering plans for Arena’s programs. You will also participate in “incubating” bold and disruptive concepts for transformation, including novel M&A strategies and creative deal structures to accelerate the value of Arena as well as consider opportunities for rapidly scaling the organization.