Derek Johnson
Managing Director and General Counsel
As a Managing Director and General Counsel, Derek loves working at the dynamic intersection of science and law, dedicating his expertise to drive innovation and create meaningful impact for patients. Derek has over 20 years of industry and law firm experience, working in both large pharma and start-up environments to support projects with small molecules, biologics, cell therapies, biotechnology, and devices. As in-house counsel at Takeda, Baxter, and Myeloid Therapeutics, Derek handled a wide range of legal matters, including intellectual property, litigation, transactions, and legal operations. Earlier in his career, he worked with McDermott Will & Emery and Locke Lord, representing pharmaceutical companies in patent litigations. Prior to law, Derek worked various jobs related to the life sciences, including as a cGMP engineer and a research assistant.