Dong-A ST is accelerating its global expansion strategy by pursuing early-stage licensing-out deals for preclinical drug candidates. Vice President Oh Yoon-seok, who leads R&D at the company, said the goal is to deliver meaningful licensing achievements by the end of 2027.
Oh spoke to reporters on the sidelines of the BIO International Convention 2026 (BIO 2026), held at the San Diego Convention Center in California on the 22nd (local time), outlining the company’s strategic direction.
“We are seeing increasing demand from global pharmaceutical companies to secure assets even at the preclinical stage,” Oh said. “Our goal is to achieve meaningful results, whether through licensing-out or co-development, by the end of 2027.”
Among Dong-A ST’s key pipeline candidates are the oral EGFR targeted protein degrader DA-4701, the oral PARP7 inhibitor DA-4531, and DA-7505, a neurodegenerative and inflammatory disease candidate currently under consideration for partnership discussions.
Oh said the company believes these assets are well aligned with global market trends.
“The EGFR targeted protein degrader has shown potential for lower skin toxicity compared to competing drugs, and PARP7 inhibitors are also attracting strong global interest,” he said. “These are assets that align well with current market demand and have strong competitive potential.”
Dong-A ST is holding more than 40 partnering meetings during the conference, exploring both licensing-out and licensing-in opportunities.
Oh described the company’s R&D strategy as having moved beyond “selection and focus” into an execution phase.
“In the past, we had many research projects underway,” he said. “Now the portfolio has been streamlined around core programs. The priority is no longer what to select, but how quickly and efficiently we can turn selected assets into results.”
Oh, who joined Dong-A ST in March, brings extensive global experience. He holds a Ph.D. in neuroimmunology from McGill University in Canada and previously spent 14 years leading drug discovery research at global pharmaceutical companies including Vertex Pharmaceuticals and Human Genome Sciences.
He also worked for more than six years at the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA), gaining regulatory expertise in drug approval processes, and most recently served as CEO of Neurimmunetech, where he oversaw pipeline development strategy.
Drawing on his FDA experience, Oh emphasized the importance of early regulatory engagement in drug development.
“Regulatory approval is not about asking the agency for answers,” he said. “It is about presenting a development strategy and obtaining agreement. Early and active communication with the FDA can significantly reduce both time and cost.”
He added, “All of our pipelines are being designed with accelerated approval and conditional approval pathways in mind.”
Dong-A ST is currently expanding its pipeline to include EGFR targeted protein degraders, PARP7 inhibitors, and bispecific ADCs.
“Good ideas and data alone do not make a drug,” Oh said. “At this stage, we must prove results through execution.”