Astellas Korea names ex-Novartis exec Kang as head of medical affairs

Astellas Pharma Korea said Wednesday it appointed Kang Yeh-rim, former Medical Director and Head of Solid Tumor at Novartis Korea, as its new Head of Medical Affairs. In this role, Kang will oversee the development and implementation of medical affairs strategies for Astellas Korea’s portfolio, which includes oncology, urology, and immunosuppressive drugs, as well as its pipeline of innovative medicines.

Before entering the pharmaceutical industry, Kang worked as an internal medicine specialist at Samsung Medical Center, where she gained extensive experience while earning her medical degree with a specialization in respiratory and critical care medicine. She later held roles at Boehringer Ingelheim Korea and Novartis Korea, where, over the past decade, she successfully led and contributed to projects delivering clinical value across the product lifecycle -- from clinical trial planning to therapeutic introduction and product launches.

Since joining Novartis Korea in 2016, Kang has led the medical strategy and execution for the company’s oncology portfolio, covering key indications such as lung cancer, breast cancer, melanoma, and neuroendocrine tumors (NETs). In recognition of her strong leadership and expertise, she was appointed Head of Oncology, Medical Affairs, at the company’s Hong Kong branch, serving from 2019 to 2023. She has also held senior regional and global roles, including Medical Affairs Oncology Director for Asia-Pacific and the Middle East & Africa, and Global Oncology Director at Novartis headquarters in Basel, Switzerland. 

Astellas Pharma Korea launched two innovative oncology therapies in the second half of 2024.

In July, the company introduced Padcev first-line combination therapy -- the first antibody-drug conjugate (ADC) treatment for urothelial carcinoma, which represents the majority of bladder cancer cases. Korea became the third country globally, after the U.S. and Brazil, to offer this treatment.

In September, Astellas launched Vyloy, the first targeted anti-cancer therapy aimed at Claudin 18.2, making Korea the fourth country worldwide to introduce the drug. Vyloy marks a major milestone as the first targeted therapy approved in Korea for metastatic gastric cancer in 14 years since Herceptin, and the first approved treatment for HER2-negative gastric cancer patients.