About Us
Our leadership and Scientific Advisory Board are comprised of individuals at the forefront of innovative drug discovery and development with expertise in biochemistry, medicinal chemistry, pharmacology, and business development. Alongside R&D network and collaboration with academia, hospitals, CRO’s and investors worldwide, we plan to use our experience and knowledge to discover and develop effective molecular therapeutics for patients.
Our leadership and Scientific Advisory Board are comprised of individuals at the forefront of innovative drug discovery and development with expertise in biochemistry, medicinal chemistry, pharmacology, and business development. Alongside R&D network and collaboration with academia, hospitals, CRO’s and investors worldwide, we plan to use our experience and knowledge to discover and develop effective molecular therapeutics for patients.
We believe our unwavering focus and scientific discipline will guide us to discover and develop effective molecular therapeutics for patients.
Management Team

Jamie Jae Eun Kim, Ph.D.
President and CEO, Founder

Jamie Jae Eun Kim, Ph.D.
President and CEO, Founder
Jamie Jae Eun Kim has founded 1ST Biotherapeutics, Inc. in 2016 and has served as CEO since then, bringing a wealth of scientific leadership and business expertise. She has been engaged in all aspects of drug discovery and development as well as business development, with a particular focus on cancers, metabolic diseases and orphan diseases. Jamie has deep experience brokering R&D strategies and portfolio management in pharma R&D, with a track record of over 50 successful R&D alliances among biotech, academia, clinical research units and industry throughout her career.
Previously, Jamie was Director of the Biotherapeutics Research Center at Handok, where she was responsible for several development programs in oncology and rare diseases and for research alliance and investment. She was an Associate Director at Green Cross Corp. (Now GC Pharma), where she has newly established a discovery team in oncology and rare diseases, and, prior to that, she was a Collaboration Project Leader at Sanofi, leading collaborative research efforts in oncology. Jamie spent her early career doing metabolic and oncology research leading discovery projects as a Senior Scientist at Wyeth in Pearl River, NY. She is a current member of the Global Pharma Key Opinion Leader (GPKOL) consultants and a former member of the Korea Drug Development Fund (KDDF) investment committee.
Jamie has a bachelor’s in bioengineering and master’s degree in biological science from KAIST (Korea Advanced Institute of Science and Technology). she graduated with a Ph.D. in cell and structural biology from the University of Illinois at Urbana Champaign, USA.

Jinhwa Lee, Ph.D.
Chief Technology Officer

Jinhwa Lee, Ph.D.
Chief Technology Officer
Jinhwa Lee has an accomplished career in drug discovery spanning academia and industry. He has helped identify and advance novel anti-bacterials, anti-virals, anti-coagulants, and therapies for metabolic syndrome, CNS disorders, and cancer. To date, he has authored 57 scientific papers and has been awarded 37 international and domestic patents.
Prior to joining 1ST Biotherapeutics, Jinhwa served as Director of the New Drug Research Center and acting Director of the Biotherapeutics Research Center at Handok. He served as Director of the Late Discovery Program at Institut Pasteur Korea (IP-K) and prior to that, as Head of Medicinal Chemistry group at Green Cross Corporation (now, GCPharma), leading many drug discovery/development programs and their advancement into preclinical/clinical stages in oncology, metabolic diseases, and infectious diseases. Jinhwa was Senior Investigator at GlaxoSmithKline in Collegeville, PA, where he also earned a five-year service appreciation award.
Jinhwa has a bachelor’s and master’s degree from Seoul National University. He achieved a Ph.D. in chemistry from the University of Alabama and completed his postdoctoral research at Harvard University.

Young-Joo Ahn
Chief Development Officer

Young-Joo Ahn
Chief Development Officer
Young-Joo has experienced more than 30 years in the pharmaceutical industry, dedicating 25 years, particularly to the clinical trial field. She was responsible for advancing small molecules and biological medicines in all phases of clinical trials for both domestic and global studies. Young-Joo held roles with responsibilities not only for clinical operations but also for developing key strategies and designs across multiple early- and late-stage clinical programs.
Prior to joining 1ST Biotherapeutics, Young-Joo served as a Director of the Medical Division at JW Pharmaceutical. She was a Director of Clinical Research Division at Handok and prior to that, Head of Clinical Team at Green Cross Corp. (Now GC Pharma), responsible for leading various clinical trial programs for drugs in the therapeutic areas of anti-cancer, anti-diabetic, vaccines, cardiovascular, and CNS disorders.
Young-Joo has a bachelor’s degree in Pharmacy from Ewha Women’s University and a masters’ degree in Clinical Pharmacy from Sookmyung Women’s University and holds an M.B.A. from Ewha Women’s University.

Sungkyu Lee
Chief Operating Officer

Sungkyu Lee
Chief Operating Officer
Sungkyu Lee is a professional with a unique combination of expertise in both law and biological sciences. With a background in intellectual property and corporate law, Sungkyu has demonstrated his ability to provide strategic legal counsel to companies across various industries and stages.
Before joining 1ST Biotherapeutics, Sungkyu held a key role at Ilias Biologics as the Director of R&D strategy and head of legal affairs. Prior to that, he was at Orum Therapeutics where he was responsible for handling legal, patent, and compliance matters at Orum Therapeutic.
Sungkyu holds bachelor’s and master’s degrees in biological sciences from KAIST. Additionally, he passed the Korean bar exam and received training at the Judicial Research and Training Institute.

Junhee Lee
Chief Financial Officer

Junhee Lee
Chief Financial Officer
Junhee is KICPA(Korea Institute Certified Public Accountant) and a financial professional with more than 15 years of experience in the financial field.
Prior to joining 1ST Biotherapeutics, Junhee performed accounting audit and consulting work at Samil Accounting Firm, and was involved in corporate investigations as a prosecution investigator at the Central Investigation Department of the Supreme Prosecutor’s Office. Since then, he successfully conducted an IPO as a CFO at Optipharm, an affiliate of Easyholdings Group.
Junhee has a bachelor’s degree in Business Administration and Economics from Sungkyunkwan University.
Board of Directors

Jamie Jae Eun Kim, Ph.D.
President and CEO, Founder

Jamie Jae Eun Kim, Ph.D.
President and CEO, Founder
Jamie Jae Eun Kim has founded 1ST Biotherapeutics, Inc. in 2016 and has served as CEO since then, bringing a wealth of scientific leadership and business expertise. She has been engaged in all aspects of drug discovery and development as well as business development, with a particular focus on cancers, metabolic diseases and orphan diseases. Jamie has deep experience brokering R&D strategies and portfolio management in pharma R&D, with a track record of over 50 successful R&D alliances among biotech, academia, clinical research units and industry throughout her career.
Previously, Jamie was Director of the Biotherapeutics Research Center at Handok, where she was responsible for several development programs in oncology and rare diseases and for research alliance and investment. She was an Associate Director at Green Cross Corp. (Now GC Pharma), where she has newly established a discovery team in oncology and rare diseases, and, prior to that, she was a Collaboration Project Leader at Sanofi, leading collaborative research efforts in oncology. Jamie spent her early career doing metabolic and oncology research leading discovery projects as a Senior Scientist at Wyeth in Pearl River, NY. She is a current member of the Global Pharma Key Opinion Leader (GPKOL) consultants and a former member of the Korea Drug Development Fund (KDDF) investment committee.
Jamie has a bachelor’s in bioengineering and master’s degree in biological science from KAIST (Korea Advanced Institute of Science and Technology). she graduated with a Ph.D. in cell and structural biology from the University of Illinois at Urbana Champaign, USA.

Jinhwa Lee, Ph.D.
Chief Technology Officer

Jinhwa Lee, Ph.D.
Chief Technology Officer
Jinhwa Lee has an accomplished career in drug discovery spanning academia and industry. He has helped identify and advance novel anti-bacterials, anti-virals, anti-coagulants, and therapies for metabolic syndrome, CNS disorders, and cancer. To date, he has authored 57 scientific papers and has been awarded 37 international and domestic patents.
Prior to joining 1ST Biotherapeutics, Jinhwa served as Director of the New Drug Research Center and acting Director of the Biotherapeutics Research Center at Handok. He served as Director of the Late Discovery Program at Institut Pasteur Korea (IP-K) and prior to that, as Head of Medicinal Chemistry group at Green Cross Corporation (now, GCPharma), leading many drug discovery/development programs and their advancement into preclinical/clinical stages in oncology, metabolic diseases, and infectious diseases. Jinhwa was Senior Investigator at GlaxoSmithKline in Collegeville, PA, where he also earned a five-year service appreciation award.
Jinhwa has a bachelor’s and master’s degree from Seoul National University. He achieved a Ph.D. in chemistry from the University of Alabama and completed his postdoctoral research at Harvard University.

Myung kee, Kim
CEO, LSK Investment

Myung kee, Kim
CEO, LSK Investment
Myung kee, who is widely considered as the first generation of bio-industry evaluators, has more than 25 years of investment experience in various careers and has recently been investing in companies in the fields of new drug development, diagnostic devices, and medical services.
Previously, Myung-ki worked at LG Chem, Q Capital Partners, Green Technology Investment, Intervest, and since 2016, has been the CEO of LSK Investment, a venture capital company specializing in healthcare.
Myung-gi received B.S from Seoul National University and holds a Ph.D. in Philosophy in Biological Science from KAIST.

Si young, Yang
Auditor

Si young, Yang
Auditor
Si young is a financial expert with more than 30 years of experience in the finance and the pharmaceutical sector, bringing considerable expertise in business planning and business management.
Previously, Si young has worked for Korea Exchange Bank, Ssangyong Securities, and Deutsche Asset Management, and worked as a CFO of Chong Kun Dang and a CFO of OSCOTEC.
Si young received B.A of Economics at Seoul National University.
Scientific Advisory Board

Soon Myung Paik, M.D.

Soon Myung Paik, M.D.
Soon Myung Paik is a leading pathologist and Professor at Yonsei University College of Medicine, where he heads the Severance Biomedical Science Institute, the Yonsei Genome Center, and the Yonsei Institute for Personalized Cancer Therapy.
Prof. Paik has co-authored more than 120 peer-reviewed scientific articles, evaluating current protocol and therapies for breast and bowel cancers and the role of hormones and genes in driving tumor biology. In 2017, he was awarded the HOAM Prize in medicine and the Presidential Medal (South Korea).

Phil Hyu Lee, M.D., Ph.D.

Phil Hyu Lee, M.D., Ph.D.
Phil Hyu Lee is a practicing neurologist and Professor at Yonsei University’s Department of Neurology and Severance Biomedical Science Institute. He is an expert on Parkinson’s disease and has been recognized as a top Young Investigator by the Korean Neurological Association and the Korean Movement Disorders Society.
Prof. Lee is first or corresponding author on more than 100 peer-reviewed papers and serves on the editorial board of the Journal of Clinical Neurology.

Ae Nim Pae, Ph.D.

Ae Nim Pae, Ph.D.
Ae Nim Pae heads the Convergence Research Center for Diagnosis, Treatment and Care System of Dementia (DTC) at the Korea Institute of Science and Technology (KIST). She oversees both basic research and drug discovery for Alzheimer’s disease and dementia; conditions that are becoming and more and more prevalent with the aging of developed nations, but that still lack effective treatments.
Prior to joining the Convergence Research Center in 2012, Dr. Pae was the Head of the KIST Center for Neuro-Medicine. She is widely published in top journals and has received a Ministry of Science and ICT award, a Presidential Award (Korea), and a Prime Minister Award (Korea) for her scientific achievement.