# Soongyu Choi

> Soongyu Choi is the co-CEO and co-founder of Avelos Therapeutics, a Seoul-based clinical-stage precision oncology company chasing first-in-class small molecules in synthetic lethality, DNA damage response, and cell cycle control. A Harvard-trained chemist who spent a decade at PTC Therapeutics and led R&D at Yuhan and Hana Pharm, he co-founded Avelos in 2021 and was elevated from CTO to co-CEO in January 2024. His flagship program, AD1208, is a first-in-class MASTL kinase inhibitor he frames as a precise strike on cancers that have stopped responding to standard therapy.

- **Role:** Co-CEO and Co-founder at Avelos Therapeutics
- **Organizations:** Avelos Therapeutics, Hana Pharm, Yuhan Corporation, Yuhan USA, PTC Therapeutics, Bayer HealthCare, University of Chicago, Harvard University
- **Nationality:** South Korean
- **Education:** Ph.D., Harvard University, Research Staff (postdoctoral), University of Chicago
- **Known for:** Co-founded Avelos Therapeutics in 2021 and helped raise roughly KRW 30 billion (~$21.7M) across seed, Series A and Series B, Led discovery of AD1208 (AVS1001), a first-in-class MASTL kinase inhibitor targeting multiple cancers, Promoted from CTO to co-CEO in January 2024

## Career timeline

- **1995** — Completed Ph.D. at Harvard University
- **1996** — Research Staff at University of Chicago
- **1998** — Senior Research Scientist at Bayer HealthCare
- **2003** — Group Leader at PTC Therapeutics
- **2018** — CEO at Yuhan USA; CSO/EVP of R&D at Yuhan Corporation
- **2019** — CTO and Head of R&D at Hana Pharm
- **2021** — Co-founded Avelos Therapeutics as CTO (September 1)
- **2024** — Promoted from CTO to co-CEO (January); closed KRW 17 billion Series B (April)
- **2025** — Secured strategic investment from Hyundai Pharmaceutical

## Achievements

- Co-founded Avelos Therapeutics in 2021 and helped raise roughly KRW 30 billion (~$21.7M) across seed, Series A and Series B
- Led discovery of AD1208 (AVS1001), a first-in-class MASTL kinase inhibitor targeting multiple cancers
- Promoted from CTO to co-CEO in January 2024
- Closed a KRW 17 billion Series B in April 2024 led by Stassets Investment
- Decade of drug discovery leadership at PTC Therapeutics (2003-2012)
- Former CSO and EVP of R&D at Yuhan Corporation and CEO of Yuhan USA

## Latest updates

- **2024-01** — Promoted from CTO to co-CEO of Avelos Therapeutics.
- **2024-04** — Closed KRW 17 billion Series B led by Stassets Investment, pushing total raised past KRW 30 billion.
- **2025-01** — Secured strategic investment from Hyundai Pharmaceutical.
- **2026-06** — Outlined a strategy prioritizing technology transfer and ADC payload integration, with technology evaluation targeted by end of 2026 and a KOSDAQ listing planned after 2027.

## Links

- Website: https://avelostx.com
- LinkedIn: http://www.linkedin.com/in/soongyuchoi

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Profile page: https://yespress.io/soongyu-choi
Published by YesPress — https://yespress.io
Last updated: 2026-06-04