LigaChem Bio Appoints Former Merck (MSD) Expert Dr. Jin-hwan Han as Head of New Drug Research Center… Strengthening Immuno-Oncology and New Platforms

LigaChem Biosciences Inc. (141080.KS, hereinafter ‘LigaChemBio’) announced on the 5th that it has recruited Dr. Jin-hwan Han as the Head of its New Drug Research Center.

Along with the recruitment of Dr. Jin-hwan Han, LigaChemBio is reorganizing its R&D structure into a dual system consisting of the 'ADC Research Center' and the 'New Drug Research Center'. Existing Director Chul-woong Chung will focus on advancing the company’s core technology, the ADC pipeline, as the Head of the ADC Research Center. Meanwhile, the new Head of the New Drug Research Center, Dr. Jin-hwan Han, will lead the development of innovative new drugs, including immuno-oncology, and the development of new platforms.

This organizational restructuring is a strategic decision to further strengthen LigaChemBio's expertise in the ADC field while accelerating its expansion into next-generation anticancer treatments. The two research centers will operate independently while establishing a cooperative system that creates synergy to maximize R&D efficiency.

Dr. Jin-hwan Han is an expert who worked at the global pharmaceutical company Merck (Merck & Co., MSD) for about 11 years, leading various anticancer drug development programs such as Antibody-Drug Conjugates (ADC), Peptide-Drug Conjugates (PDC), and immune checkpoint inhibitors. As a core leader of Merck’s ADC drug development program, Dr. Han was responsible for the entire cycle of ADC treatment development, from molecular design to efficacy, pharmacokinetics, and safety evaluation. Based on his experience leading research in numerous innovative drug fields, including new platforms and immuno-oncology, he will spearhead the development of LigaChemBio's next-generation pipelines and platforms.

His representative achievements include serving as the joint research leader for the PDC project, a different form of ADC technology between Merck and PeptiDream, where he led the research team and oversaw the discovery of drug candidates. He also led the development of new therapeutic candidates using TLR7 agonists, which are Targeted Immune Agonists. Additionally, he led the program for Merck's anti-TIGIT antibody, 'vibostolimab', from the early preclinical stages to the late-stage Phase 3 clinical trials. He also participated as a key member in the research for the IND application of the IL-2 program 'MK-1484'.

Based on this diverse experience in developing new platforms and immuno-oncology drugs, Dr. Han is expected to play a crucial role in building LigaChemBio's next-generation pipeline. His joining is also expected to accelerate global partnerships beyond R&D. Dr. Han served as a member of the external collaboration review committee for Merck's representative immuno-oncology drug, Pembrolizumab (Keytruda), reviewing clinical trial collaborations with more than 15 global pharmaceutical companies annually and participating in decision-making processes. In particular, his experience participating in dozens of partnership meetings while supporting Merck’s Business Development (BD) team at various global conferences, such as the JP Morgan Healthcare Conference and BIO USA, is expected to be a great help for LigaChemBio to accelerate its global expansion in the immuno-oncology field.

Yong-zu Kim, CEO of LigaChemBio, stated, 'Dr. Jin-hwan Han is an expert with world-class R&D capabilities in the fields of ADC and immuno-oncology'. He added, 'With the recruitment of Dr. Han, we will maintain our strengths in the ADC field while simultaneously expanding our business into new platforms to leap forward as a comprehensive anticancer drug development company'.

The new Head of the New Drug Research Center, Dr. Jin-hwan Han, expressed his ambitions, saying, 'Based on the experience in developing next-generation platforms such as immuno-oncology and PDC and the know-how in building global partnerships accumulated at Merck, I will lead the development of innovative new drugs for LigaChemBio'. He further noted, 'In particular, I aim to provide new treatment options for cancer patients through the development of immuno-oncology and new drug delivery platforms'.

Meanwhile, Dr. Jin-hwan Han obtained his Ph.D. in Immunology from Tufts University. He was awarded the Irvington Postdoctoral Fellowship from the Cancer Research Institute (CRI) and worked as a postdoctoral researcher at Rockefeller University and Emory University.