Biogen Korea has appointed Kim Chul-woong as its new general manager, tapping an executive with extensive expertise in rare and intractable diseases as the company seeks to introduce new therapies and expand patient access in South Korea.
Founded in 1978, Biogen is a global biotechnology company focused on neuroscience, immunology, and rare diseases. The company established its footprint with treatments for multiple sclerosis and spinal muscular atrophy (SMA), and has recently expanded its research and development scope into neurodegenerative conditions such as Alzheimer’s disease.
Biogen Korea announced on the 20th that Kim will oversee domestic business strategy, organizational operations, and patient-centered initiatives while strengthening the company’s neuroscience and rare-disease portfolio.
Kim brings a deep background in global pharmaceuticals, having led rare-disease business units, product launches, and access expansion programs at companies including AstraZeneca and Pfizer.
Most recently, Kim served as executive director and head of the Rare Disease Business Unit at AstraZeneca Korea. In that role, he led efforts to connect clinical research for ultra-rare diseases with comprehensive patient support programs. Under the initiative "One Patient Counts," he advocated for patients navigating complex diagnosis and treatment pathways while working to bring global clinical research to Korea to improve the local care environment.
Prior to AstraZeneca, Kim served as Regional Therapeutic Area Lead (Senior Director) for rare diseases at Pfizer Emerging Asia, where he directed the launch of rare-disease therapies and spearheaded efforts to broaden patient access across multiple markets.
Biogen Korea stated that it expects Kim to leverage his rare-disease expertise and external collaboration skills to accelerate the domestic launch of next-generation treatments and improve availability for patients with high unmet medical needs.
"I will focus our business capabilities on delivering the specialized therapies rare-disease patients need quickly and reliably," Kim said. "I intend to deepen collaboration with key stakeholders—including government authorities, medical professionals, and patient communities—to create meaningful changes throughout the treatment journey."
Biogen Korea currently supplies treatments across neuroscience and rare diseases, including Spinraza for SMA. A key strategic focus for the company is expanding Korean patient access to Qalsody, a treatment for amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS, or Lou Gehrig’s disease) that received approval from the Ministry of Food and Drug Safety in 2025.
The company noted that it plans to use Kim’s appointment to reinforce its rare-disease capabilities by connecting medicine supply with early diagnosis, clinical research, and patient support.
