Samsung Biologics will establish a domestic base of “Lilly Gateway Labs (LGL),” a program to foster and support Korean bio startups in partnership with U.S. company Eli Lilly.

Samsung Biologics announced on the 10th that it has signed an open innovation partnership with Lilly to nurture promising Korean bio companies. Under this agreement, the two companies will establish a new LGL site in the Songdo International City area of Incheon. This marks the first case in which a global pharmaceutical company’s open innovation program enters Korea in cooperation with domestic companies. Korea will be Lilly’s second overseas LGL base after China.

LGL is a global open innovation program launched by Lilly in 2019 to identify and nurture outstanding bio companies. It provides state-of-the-art facilities such as office space and laboratories, and offers wide-ranging support including R&D collaboration, mentoring, direct investment, and assistance in attracting external investment.

Industry observers expect this collaboration to significantly help vitalize the Korean bio ecosystem. Through LGL, companies can receive direct and indirect support from Lilly, increasing opportunities to pursue global expansion. According to Samsung Biologics, since LGL was established, its resident companies have collectively raised more than USD 3 billion (approximately KRW 4,412.1 billion) in investment, and more than 50 new drug programs are under way.

The new LGL base is scheduled to be located at “C-Lab Outside,” a new open innovation center to be completed in 2027 within Samsung Biologics’ Second Bio Campus in Songdo, Incheon. The two companies plan to jointly manage overall operations, including the selection and development of 30 resident companies at C-Lab Outside.

John Rim, CEO of Samsung Biologics, said, “This collaboration with Lilly will serve as an opportunity to provide a foundation for growth to promising Korean bio companies through the strong open innovation capabilities of a global big pharma.”

Julie Gilmore, head of LGL, also said, “This collaboration is an important turning point in accelerating LGL’s global expansion,” adding, “The new LGL base in Korea, which has excellent scientific talent, will become a hub that provides startups with essential resources, expertise, and a global network.”

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