Koo Lee PhD, CEO of Interpark Bio Convergence:
Bachelor's degree in Chemistry Education from
Seoul National University
Master's degree in Chemistry from KAIST
PhD in Chemistry from Iowa State University
Postdoctoral Fellowship at Princeton University
Research Fellow at LG Life Sciences
Head of R&D Innovation Center and Quality Management Center
at LG Life Sciences
Head of Drug Discovery Research Institute at
Bridge Biotherapeutics
Executive Vice President at Kainos Medicine
CEO of Interpark Bio Convergence (present)
What comes to mind
when you hear the word “Interpark”? Most likely, it would be an e-commerce
platform known for selling tickets to events and concerts. With Yanolja
recently securing management rights to Interpark's e-commerce division, many
are curious about Interpark's future main business model.
Its founder,
Chairman Ki-hyung Lee, is now exploring new growth opportunities in the
biotechnology and healthcare sectors through venture company Interpark Bio
Convergence. The protagonist leading Interpark's entrepreneurial spirit is CEO
Koo Lee PhD. After taking the helm in March 2021, he broadened the company’s scope
from organoids to new drugs, and relocated from the International Vaccine
Research Institute near Seoul National University to Moonjeong-dong to expand
the research institute’s capabilities.
"Organoids are
so-called artificial organs. It involves harvesting patient tissues and
culturing them to make them capable of performing actual organ functions. A
distinguishing factor is that we research cells derived from cancer patients at
Severance and Bundang Seoul National University Hospitals. Research on cancer-related
organoids is an area that has not advanced significantly worldwide, making it a
field worth investing in.”
Following
organoids, CEO Koo Lee PhD, is focusing on new drug discovery. At present, the
company has approximately five pipelines in the research and development stage,
with the goal of one new drug candidate for development every year.
“Our primary new
drug pipeline includes the solid tumor immunotherapy agent ‘IBC-1131’, which
was in-licensed from BiSiChem. It’s currently in the late preclinical
development phase, with plans for applying for IND in the second half of 2022.”
"We
particularly focus on lung cancer, which has a large market size. We are
receiving strong support from Advisor Dr. Byoung Chul Cho, renowned leader in
lung cancer research in Korea and the head of the Lung Cancer Center at Yonsei
Cancer Hospital. We have a competitive advantage in this area, as we have been
concentrating on the development of small-molecule anticancer drugs. Having
already achieved promising results in animal experiments, we are confident that
IBC-1131 will be recognized in the global market in the near future. We plan to
secure at least three or more clinical Phase 1 and Phase 2 pipelines within
five years, while also promoting out-licensing to global pharmaceutical
companies."
“The project ‘IBC-2121’
is also promising. It targets non-small cell lung cancer with drug resistance.
We are currently engaged in preclinical studies in collaboration with Professor
Taebo Sim's team at Yonsei University, and we anticipate the discovery of a
drug candidate in the near future.”
▶Focused on
Discovering New Drug Candidates... Striving for Success with Lung
Cancer-Targeted Anticancer Agents.
The CEO will also
be dedicated to PROTAC (PROteolysis Targeting Chimera), a targeted protein
degradation technology. Conventional drugs prevent diseases by binding to
disease causing proteins. PROTAC completely degrades and removes
disease-causing proteins. The research on PROTACs is so active that it is considered
a "game changer" in recent drug development.
The reason CEO Koo
Lee PhD is confident in new drug development can be seen from his research
career. He graduated from Seoul National University with a BS degree in
Chemistry Education, and received his master's and doctoral degrees in
Chemistry from KAIST and Iowa State University, respectively. Initially
focusing on organic synthesis, his interest shifted to medicinal chemistry
during his postdoctoral fellowship at Princeton University. Here, he conducted
research under a professor who had invented the lung cancer treatment drug
Alimta. He’s also held key positions such as Head of R&D Innovation Center
and Quality Management Center at LG Life Sciences, a company recognized for
laying the foundation for biotechnology in Korea.
"Most
medicinal chemists are only involved in research, but I believe my strength
lies in having experience in both research and drug development. I have direct
and indirect experience in drug design, drug synthesis, efficacy evaluation,
toxicity testing, preclinical research, clinical trials, and production."
During his time at
LG Life Sciences, he led research collaboration with global pharmaceutical
companies such as Takeda and Astellas, acquiring advanced research methods. He
joined Interpark Bio Convergence in 2021 after working at Bridge
Biotherapeutics and Kainos Medicine. CEO Koo Lee PhD stated, "Interpark
Bio Convergence has protein structure and drug design experts, giving us a
competitive edge in discovering anticancer drug candidates that are more
effective with fewer side effects."
Interpark Bio
Convergence received 10 billion won in funding from its holding company in 2021
and plans to actively attract external investments from 2022. Additionally, it
aims to be listed on the KOSDAQ by 2025. CEO Koo Lee PhD remarked, "We are
growing with the full support of our holding company," and expressed his
ambition to establish Interpark Bio Convergence as a global biotech company
with a market capitalization exceeding 1 trillion won within the next five
years.
Source: Maeil Business Newspape (https://www.mk.co.kr/economy/view.php?sc=50000001&year=2022&no=20515)