Ying Huang
Chief Executive Officer, K2 Therapeutics | Former CEO, Legend Biotech
Ying Huang is chief executive officer of K2 Therapeutics, a Singapore-based biotech founded in 2024 that licenses drug candidates from around the world, including China, and develops them to global standards. He joined K2 in 2026 after more than seven years at Legend Biotech, where he was chief financial officer from 2019 and chief executive officer from 2020, and helped lead the development and launch of the cell therapy Carvykti with Johnson & Johnson.
Before Legend he spent more than a decade on Wall Street, most recently as managing director and head of biotech equity research at BofA Securities, after roles at Wells Fargo, Credit Suisse, Gleacher and Barclays. He began his career as a principal scientist in chemical research at Schering-Plough, working on small molecule drug discovery. He holds a PhD in bio-organic chemistry from Columbia University.
On Open Door Salon, alongside Ansbert Gadicke of MPM BioImpact, he described the diligence Johnson & Johnson ran before backing Legend’s data from China. He explained why K2 favors assets that have already been tested in patients and why it is incorporated in Singapore, and said the first test for any asset is a differentiated benefit for patients with an unmet need.
Frequently Asked Questions About Ying Huang
Who is Ying Huang?
Ying Huang is chief executive officer of K2 Therapeutics, a Singapore-based biotech founded in 2024. He was previously chief executive officer of Legend Biotech, where he helped lead the development and launch of the cell therapy Carvykti with Johnson & Johnson.
What did Ying Huang do before Legend Biotech?
Ying Huang spent more than a decade on Wall Street, most recently as managing director and head of biotech equity research at BofA Securities. He began his career as a principal scientist in chemical research at Schering-Plough and holds a PhD in bio-organic chemistry from Columbia University.
How does Ying Huang approach licensing drug candidates from China?
Ying Huang favors assets that have already been tested in patients in China. On Open Door Salon he said that when a partner has completed a phase one study, “the safety, the PKPD, and also maybe even a preliminary efficacy signal” are already established, which raises the likelihood of success in global development.
Why is K2 Therapeutics based in Singapore?
Ying Huang said K2 Therapeutics is incorporated in Singapore because the location offers a buffer for cross-border collaboration, letting the company combine development in China with global trials run to US and European standards.
On Open Door Salon
“Ying Huang and Ansbert Gadicke on China Biotech Licensing, Deal Prices and Trust in Trial Data”
Ying Huang & Ansbert Gadicke · November 4, 2026
Episode page & show notes on Open Door Salon
In this episode
- Why no one believed Legend’s China data
- From Legend to K2: a Singapore hub-and-spoke model
- Why licensed Chinese assets lower development risk
- China’s biotech ecosystem, and whether India can match it
- Licensing over acquisition, and the end of the bargain era
- Founder expectations, and how US biotechs can compete
- New rules on Chinese assets in Washington and Beijing
- Diligence when a partner could become restricted
- Trial deaths, FDA audits and what has to go right
- What drew them to this work
- The hardest challenges of their careers
Topics
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