Ligachem Bio Appoints Former Merck Expert Hanjin Hwan as Head of New Drug Research Institute

Ligachem Bioscience announced on January 5 that it has appointed Dr. Hanjin Hwan, formerly of Merck, as the new Head of the New Drug Research Institute.

With the recruitment of Dr. Hanjin Hwan, Ligachem Bio will restructure its research and development organization into a dual system comprising the "ADC Research Institute" and the "New Drug Research Institute." The previous head, Jung Chulwoong, will now serve as the Head of the ADC Research Institute, focusing on advancing the company's core ADC pipeline technology. Dr. Hanjin Hwan, as the new Head of the New Drug Research Institute, will lead the development of innovative new drugs, including immuno-oncology therapeutics, as well as new platform technologies.

Hanjin Hwan, Head of New Drug Research Institute at Ligachem Bio. Ligachem Bio

This organizational restructuring is a strategic decision aimed at further strengthening Ligachem Bio's expertise in the ADC field while accelerating the expansion of its business into next-generation cancer therapies. The two research institutes will operate independently but will establish a collaborative system to generate synergy and maximize research and development efficiency.

Dr. Hanjin Hwan is an expert who worked for approximately 11 years at the global pharmaceutical company Merck & Co. (MSD), where he led various oncology drug development programs, including antibody-drug conjugates (ADC), peptide-drug conjugates (PDC), and immune checkpoint inhibitors.

As a key leader of Merck's ADC new drug development program, Dr. Hanjin Hwan was responsible for the entire cycle of ADC therapeutic development, from molecular design to efficacy, pharmacokinetics, and safety evaluation. He also led research in multiple innovative new drug areas, including new platforms and immuno-oncology drugs. Based on this experience, he is expected to spearhead the development of Ligachem Bio's next-generation pipeline and platforms.

Among his notable achievements, Dr. Hanjin Hwan served as the joint research leader of the PDC project, a different form of ADC technology, in collaboration between Merck and PeptiDream, overseeing the entire process of identifying new drug candidates. He also led the development of new therapeutic candidates utilizing TLR7 agonists, a targeted immune agonist. Additionally, he led the program for Merck's anti-TIGIT antibody "vibostolimab" from the early preclinical stage through to Phase 3 clinical trials, and was a key member of the research for the IND application of the IL-2 program "MK-1484." With such diverse experience in developing new platforms and immuno-oncology drugs, he is expected to play a pivotal role in building Ligachem Bio's next-generation pipeline.

With Dr. Hanjin Hwan joining the company, not only is research and development expected to be enhanced, but the acceleration of global partnerships is also anticipated. As a member of the external collaboration review committee for Merck's flagship immuno-oncology drug pembrolizumab (Keytruda), he participated in reviewing and making decisions on clinical trial collaborations with more than 15 global pharmaceutical companies each year. In particular, his experience supporting Merck's business development team at major global conferences such as the JP Morgan Healthcare Conference and BIO USA, participating in dozens of partnership meetings, is expected to greatly facilitate Ligachem Bio's global expansion in the immuno-oncology field.

Kim Yongjoo, CEO of Ligachem Bio, stated, "Dr. Hanjin Hwan is an expert with world-class research and development capabilities in the fields of ADC and immuno-oncology. With his recruitment, our company will maintain its strengths in the ADC field while expanding into new platforms, ultimately advancing as a comprehensive cancer drug development company."

Dr. Hanjin Hwan, the new Head of the New Drug Research Institute, said, "Based on my experience in developing next-generation platforms such as immuno-oncology drugs and PDCs at Merck, as well as my expertise in building global partnerships, I will lead the development of innovative new drugs at Ligachem Bio. In particular, I aim to provide new treatment options for cancer patients through the development of immuno-oncology drugs and novel drug delivery platforms."

Meanwhile, Dr. Hanjin Hwan earned his Ph.D. in Immunology from Tufts University, received the Irvington Postdoctoral Fellowship awarded by the Cancer Research Institute, and worked as a postdoctoral researcher at Rockefeller University and Emory University.