SK Biopharmaceuticals said June 5 it has opened SK Life Science LinX, an open innovation hub designed to help promising Korean pharmaceutical and biotechnology companies enter and grow in the U.S. market.
Located within its U.S. subsidiary, SK Life Science, in New Jersey, LinX aims to serve as a launchpad for Korean life sciences companies seeking to establish a presence in the world’s largest pharmaceutical market.
The approximately 5,700-square-foot facility includes about 4,300 square feet of shared workspace, 10 private offices, conference rooms and other business infrastructure tailored to the needs of early-stage and growth-stage biotech companies. SK Biopharmaceuticals said the center will act as a bridge connecting Asia’s research and development capabilities with North America’s advanced biotechnology ecosystem, industry expertise and investment networks.
The opening ceremony was attended by more than 100 representatives from the Korean and U.S. life sciences sectors, including SK Biopharmaceuticals President and CEO Donghoon Lee, company board members and executives, officials from KOTRA’s New York office, leaders from the New Jersey and New York chapters of the Korean American Society in Biotech and Pharmaceuticals (KASBP), representatives from the Korea Health Industry Development Institute (KHIDI) U.S. office, and Consul General Sangho Kim of the Republic of Korea in New York.
During the event, SK Biopharmaceuticals, KOTRA and the New Jersey-New York chapter of KASBP signed a trilateral memorandum of understanding to support collaboration and strengthen the platform’s role in fostering cross-border innovation.
LinX will host KOTRA’s K-Bio Global Innovation LinX program, a biotechnology collaboration consortium designed to accelerate the international expansion of Korean life sciences companies. Station C, a regional startup support initiative operated by KHIDI and Hallym University, has already committed to participating, while discussions are underway with additional Korean institutions.
SK Biopharmaceuticals said it plans to work closely with KOTRA and other partners to promote open innovation activities and will begin officially recruiting resident biotech companies and startups seeking U.S. market entry later this month.
“SK Life Science LinX will serve as a growth platform that helps promising Korean biotech companies gain a stronger foothold on the global stage,” Lee said. “We aim to build a sustainable ecosystem of shared growth and collaboration with innovative Korean biotech firms.”
The initiative builds on SK Biopharmaceuticals’ U.S. commercial presence. In 2020, the company became the first Korean pharmaceutical firm to establish its own U.S. sales infrastructure after launching its epilepsy treatment Xcopri (cenobamate) directly in the United States.