Kim Dong-gun named Elevar Therapuetics CEO to prepare for US drug launches

Kim Dong-gun, newly appointed head of Elevar Therapeutics (HLB)
Kim Dong-gun, newly appointed head of Elevar Therapeutics (HLB)

Korean biotech company HLB said Thursday its US subsidiary Elevar Therapuetics has appointed Kim Dong-gun as its new CEO in a leadership reshuffle aimed at bolstering the firm’s focus on obtaining regulatory approval for its two new drug candidates and commercializing them.

The appointment came after HLB recently submitted new drug applications for liver cancer and bile duct cancer therapies to the US Food and Drug Administration over the span of a week.

According to HLB, Kim, who has already been overseeing HLB's US subsidiaries’ management, financial strategies, technology transfers and business development, will continue to lead HLB’s US businesses.

Bryan Kim, former chief of Elevar Therapeutics, will focus on leading the development of Chimeric Antigen Receptor T, or CAR-T, cell therapy at Verismo Therapeutics, another US subsidiary of HLB.

Kim Dong-gun, a graduate of Harvard Law School with experience at US law firm Latham & Watkins and German-based international bank Deutsche Bank, has served as the CEO of Eugene Asset Management, chief financial officer at E-Land Group and vice chair at Danal before joining HLB in 2020.

“Based on my experiences in global business, finances and management, I will do my best to seamlessly push for Elevar’s commercialization preparations and bring a meaningful result after the approval of new drugs,” he said.


hwkan@heraldcorp.com