HLB's U.S. Subsidiary Elevar Appoints Brian Kim as New CEO

HLB announced that its U.S. subsidiary, Elevar Therapeutics, has appointed Dr. Brian Kim as its new CEO.

Brian Kim also serves as co-CEO of HLB Innovation and is the CEO of the U.S.-based Verismo Therapeutics.

The company explained that the appointment of Kim was a strategic decision aimed at restructuring leadership to match the capabilities required at each stage of new drug development. This move is intended to prepare for collaboration with major pharmaceutical companies and entry into the commercialization phase. HLB determined that leadership capable of meticulously formulating and boldly executing future growth strategies-including organizational expansion and operational system enhancement for commercialization, global partnership expansion, and securing finance and investment-was necessary for the next stage.

An HLB official stated, "Elevar has grown steadily so far, but we decided to change leadership to prepare for the next phase of accelerating global business expansion and organizational growth."

Kim has extensive experience in finance and management strategy through founding several biotech companies. He is recognized as a business leader with a broad network across the global biotech industry and a proven track record in developing innovative new drugs, including CAR-T therapies, making him the right person to lead Elevar through a significant transition.

The ability to quickly adapt to the role and deliver tangible results based on a global network was also a key factor in his appointment.

Kim is a former tenured clinical professor at the University of Pennsylvania School of Dental Medicine and a founding member of the Nasdaq-listed Inovio Pharmaceuticals. In 2006, he acquired a domestic KOSPI-listed company and led it into the KOSPI 200 within two years. He later established a biotech startup investment firm in the U.S., successfully exiting investments in three companies and demonstrating his management capabilities.

In 2020, he co-founded Verismo together with Professor Carl June and Professor Michael Milone of the University of Pennsylvania, who co-developed the CAR-T therapy Kymriah, and Professor Donald Siegel, head of the university's Cell and Vaccine Production Facility (CVPF). He has been recognized for his fundraising abilities, securing research and development funding from multiple organizations, including the Institute for Lymphoma Innovation (IFLI).

Brian Kim, the new CEO of Elevar, stated, "I feel a great sense of responsibility to take on such a significant role at this critical time, as we approach new drug approval and global commercialization." He added, "Based on my experience and global network, I will do my utmost to successfully complete the approval process for our liver cancer drug and meticulously execute commercialization and growth strategies to help Elevar reach the next level."