Jeil Pharmaceutical overhauls drug development organization, brings in global experts

[Financial News] Jeil Pharmaceutical is strengthening its research and development (R&D) competitiveness by reorganizing its Central Research Institute around projects and bringing in external drug development experts. The strategy is to combine its existing capabilities in developing synthetic drugs with research into biological mechanisms and artificial intelligence (AI)-based technologies to improve its prospects for discovering globally innovative new drugs and exporting technology.
Jeil Pharmaceutical said on the 2nd that it had reorganized its Central Research Institute effective as of the 1st and appointed Executive Vice President Park Jun-seok as its new head. It brought in Managing Director Seong Gi-sa to head the Innovative Drug Center and Director Kim Hye-jeong to lead the Innovative Drug Team.
The core of the reorganization was to replace the existing structure of three labs—the Drug Discovery Lab, the Pharmacology and Toxicology Lab, and the Synthetic Chemistry Lab—with two centers: the Innovative Drug Center and the Synthetic Research Center. The aim is to integrate research teams that had been divided by function around projects, fostering collaboration across fields and speeding up decision-making.
The Innovative Drug Center will combine medicinal chemistry with cell- and animal-based pharmacology research and handle the discovery of drug candidates. The Synthetic Research Center will add early-stage formulation research to its work on synthesis and processes, strengthening its capabilities in chemistry, manufacturing, and controls (CMC). Toxicology research has been consolidated into a nonclinical research team reporting directly to the head of the institute. The research support organization has also been restructured as the Research Management Team, and its quality assurance (QA) function has been strengthened to put in place the management systems needed for global technology exports and engagement with overseas regulatory agencies.
Jeil Pharmaceutical is also seeking to strengthen its research leadership by bringing in external experts. New institute head Park Jun-seok previously led the Drug Discovery Center at Daewoong Pharmaceutical Co., Ltd. and served as chief strategy officer (CSO) at I&N Therapeutics. An expert in drug development, he took part in developing Pexuclu and Enblo, Korea’s 34th and 36th domestically developed new drugs, respectively. He has 30 years of experience across R&D, from drug candidate discovery through clinical development and regulatory approval.
Innovative Drug Center head Seong Gi-sa is an expert who has researched cancer biology for more than 20 years. He worked at the U.S. drug development company Arvinas and led the discovery of novel target-based molecular glue (MGD) candidates at a domestic biotech company. Director Kim Hye-jeong, an expert in AI-based drug development and molecular design, has also joined the company. Kim led drug research at C&C Research Institute and HK inno.N Corp. During her time at C&C Research Institute, she also had experience licensing out a drug candidate for atopic dermatitis to LEO Pharma.
Jeil Pharmaceutical plans to expand next-generation drug research, focusing on cancer and complex diseases associated with aging, among other areas, based on the reorganization. Its solid tumor drug candidate JP9441 is currently undergoing preclinical studies ahead of entering Phase 1 clinical trials, while JP10259, a candidate for idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF), has completed candidate selection and entered the preclinical stage.
“The purpose of this reorganization is to build on our existing capabilities in developing synthetic drugs, complement them with research into biological mechanisms, and create an environment where researchers can focus on their projects,” said Park Jun-seok, head of the Central Research Institute. “Through the new research organization, we will deliver results in developing innovative new drugs and exporting technology globally.”

[email protected] Jung Sang-hee Reporter