# Young Whan Park

> Young Whan Park is the Seoul-based co-founder, CEO and president of Avelos Therapeutics. A chemist by training, he previously led programmes at Merck, research at Daewoong Pharmaceuticals, and National OncoVenture; his career also includes the 2005–2006 presidency of KASBP. He founded Avelos with Soongyu Choi and Kangsik Yun in September 2021.

- **Role:** Co-founder, CEO and President at Avelos Therapeutics
- **Organizations:** Avelos Therapeutics, Merck & Co., Daewoong Pharmaceuticals, National OncoVenture, Korean American Society in Biotech and Pharmaceuticals (KASBP)
- **Education:** Bachelor’s degree in Chemistry, Kyung Hee University, Master’s degree in Chemistry, University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee, Ph.D. in Chemistry, Rutgers University, Postdoctoral research, University of California, Berkeley
- **Known for:** KASBP-Daewoong Scholar Award, 2007., Led a Daewoong research organisation of about 200 members, according to his company biography., Co-founded Avelos Therapeutics on September 1, 2021.

## Career timeline

- **1994–2008** — Research team/programme leadership at Merck Research Laboratories, Rahway, New Jersey.
- **2005–2006** — Second president of KASBP.
- **2007** — KASBP-Daewoong Scholar Award recipient, affiliated with Merck.
- **2009–2011** — Research leadership at Daewoong Pharmaceuticals; SVP and CSO.
- **2011–2017** — Business development head at the national development programme.
- **2017–2021** — President of National OncoVenture.
- **2021-09** — Co-founded Avelos Therapeutics with Soongyu Choi and Kangsik Yun.
- **2024-01** — Soongyu Choi became co-CEO; Park continued as CEO/President.

## Achievements

- KASBP-Daewoong Scholar Award, 2007.
- Led a Daewoong research organisation of about 200 members, according to his company biography.
- Co-founded Avelos Therapeutics on September 1, 2021.
- Avelos closed a KRW 17 billion Series B on April 30, 2024; its May 2024 announcement reported more than KRW 30 billion raised in total.
- His Avelos biography credits his National OncoVenture tenure with global licensing transactions whose total stated values exceeded US$1 billion; this is reported deal value, not personal wealth.

## Latest updates

- **2026-06** — At BIO USA in San Diego, Park reported about 35 business meetings and deeper discussions with four or five companies under confidentiality agreements; he anticipated due diligence or term-sheet milestones before year-end.
- **2025-06** — Co-CEO Soongyu Choi discussed partnership efforts and plans for a technology evaluation by the end of 2026, followed by a possible KOSDAQ listing after 2027; these were plans, not completed events.
- **2025-03** — Hyundai Pharm announced a strategic investment and joint research agreement with Avelos, reached in February 2025.

## Links

- Website: http://www.avelostx.com/en/sub/company/leadership.asp
- LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/young-whan-park-56b66ab

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Profile page: https://yespress.io/young-whan-park
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Last updated: 2026-10-08