CHA Vaccine announced on the 18th that it has appointed Han Sung-il, Head of the Research and Development (R&D) division, as its new CEO. He is set to officially take office on the 25th after an extraordinary general meeting of shareholders and a board meeting.
New CEO Han Sung-il graduated from Korea University with a degree in biology and received his Ph.D. in biochemistry from Purdue University in the United States. He has conducted research at institutions such as the Scripps Research Institute and Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory. He has led vaccine and therapeutic development at the global pharmaceutical company Pfizer for over 20 years and joined CHA Vaccine in June.
At Pfizer, he served as the head of the structural development and new drug development department at the R&D center, contributing to the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approval of the COVID-19 vaccine, respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) vaccine, and therapeutics for immune diseases. He also introduced the world's first cryo-electron microscope to Pfizer.
The company stated it expects Han to contribute to accelerating the development of key pipelines, including the shingles vaccine, expanding global technology transfers, and strengthening strategic partnerships.
Han noted, "I will quickly establish and execute a clear roadmap for technology transfer, clinical advancement, and commercialization of the pipelines the company holds," adding, "I will maximize the company's potential and propel it to become a competitive R&D corporation on the global stage."