Hwa Jin Lee
Chief Development Officer UPPThera
Hwa Jin Lee is an expert in TPD field for several years, heading PLK1 degrader, an UPPThera’s current lead pipeline, to FDA IND clearance for phase 1/2a clinical trial. Also, he is in charge of bioinformatics and AI, which are currently being actively used in novel E3 ligase discovery and degrader pipeline optimization.
Seminars
- Understanding Korean venture capital expectations to tailor fundraising strategies, attract competitive capital and enable sustainable biotech scaling
- Identifying how recent deals highlight investor priorities for emerging modalities including novel ligases, non-oncology-targeted degraders, and DACs to guide platform positioning and increase funding success
- Examining how early-stage proof-of-concept studies validate technology, strengthen investor confidence, and accelerate pharma partnership commitments
- Discussing how to structure successful biotech–pharma–academia collaborations in South Korea to balance expectations and maximize the translational speed of your TPD candidate
As Korean biotechs advance from discovery toward clinical development, the transition often exposes critical gaps in technical standards and strategic planning. This workshop will provide actionable guidance on implementing global best practices for assay design, selectivity profiling, and translational alignment, while addressing the unique challenges faced by emerging TPD companies in Asia. Attendees will gain clarity on what global partners expect, how to structure industry standard compliant data packages, and how to better transition into the clinic.
Key Takeaways:
- Exploring the PLK1 bifunctional degrader for the treatment of SCLC and other cancer types
- Discovering the potent PROTACS and degrader antibody conjugates for “undruggable” targets including KRAS G12D, colorectal and pancreatic cancers
- The discovery of clinical-stage BTK degrader, BGB-16673 and overcoming on-target resistance from BTK inhibitors
