Torrey Pines in San Diego, California. Under a summer sky framed by deep blue Pacific waters and palm trees, global biotech companies and research institutes are clustered together. This is Lilly Gateway Labs (LGL), operated by Eli Lilly, part of one of the United States’ leading biotech clusters.
Korean journalists gathered for BIO USA visited LGL on the 25th to examine Lilly’s open innovation strategy. LGL provides R&D advisory support and access to investment networks in one place, allowing early-stage biotechs to focus on research.
The San Diego LGL site, opened about a year ago, spans 11,150 square meters and consists of 18 modular units. Next door, global CRO Charles River Laboratories is located, allowing tenant companies to access nearby CRO services at discounted rates. The site can accommodate up to 15 companies, and 10 biotechs are currently based there.
Upon entering the building, security procedures were stricter than expected. Internal photography was restricted to protect tenant companies’ research results and technologies, and visitors were required to follow designated pathways.
In the corridors, researchers in white lab coats were fully focused on experiments. Behind glass walls, cutting-edge laboratory equipment operated continuously.
On one wall of the lobby, the phrase “By Supporting Bold Innovation” was inscribed, underscoring Lilly’s strategic direction.
High-cost research equipment that early-stage startups would typically struggle to acquire stood out. High-performance imaging systems, sequencers, plate readers, and other instruments are shared across tenants, along with supporting infrastructure such as sterilization facilities and washing rooms. Reagents are also supplied more efficiently through Lilly’s global procurement network.
The San Diego site currently hosts biotechs across neuroscience, oncology, immunology, and cell and gene therapy. Tenant companies highlight their access to Lilly researchers as a key advantage. Regular networking events and scientific seminars allow them to exchange views during R&D and gain insights from global drug development experience.
For early-stage companies, continuous access to the R&D expertise of a global pharmaceutical company is considered a major competitive advantage.
Samsung Biologics and Lilly to nurture biotechs through “C-Lab Outside”
Lilly plans to expand this model to Korea. Together with Samsung Biologics, it will establish an open innovation center called “C-Lab Outside” at the second bio campus in Songdo, Incheon.
Scheduled for completion in July 2027, C-Lab Outside will consist of five above-ground floors with a total floor area of approximately 12,000 square meters. It will include research facilities, office space, and meeting rooms, and is expected to house about 30 biotech companies.
Selection of tenant companies and operations will be jointly handled by Samsung Biologics and Lilly. Recruitment will begin in the fourth quarter of 2026, targeting early-stage biotechs at Series B or below. The standard occupancy period is two years, extendable up to four years. Companies already in strategic partnerships with global big pharma will be excluded.
This collaboration marks the first case in which a global pharmaceutical company’s open innovation program will operate in partnership with a domestic company. It will also become Lilly Gateway Labs’ second base outside the United States, following China.
Samsung Biologics plans to combine Lilly’s drug development expertise with its own world-class CDMO capabilities to support the global expansion of Korean biotechs. The strategy aims to strengthen the domestic biotech ecosystem by building an end-to-end system linking candidate discovery, process development, and manufacturing.
Samsung Biologics also plans to establish a $16.7 million industry development fund alongside the C-Lab Outside project. The initiative will be linked with existing programs such as the Samsung Life Science Fund, domestic biotech investments, and talent development programs to further expand ecosystem support.
Industry observers expect the Songdo C-Lab Outside site to become a new hub for Korean biotechs to expand research collaboration and investment opportunities with global pharmaceutical companies. However, occupancy alone does not guarantee investment or technology transfer, making companies’ technological capabilities and research outcomes key success factors.
At the site, Samsung Biologics Vice President Lee Sang-myung said, “Lilly and Samsung Biologics will jointly select tenant companies. The selection criteria will follow Lilly’s global standards.” He added, “If companies are strong enough, both Lilly and Samsung Biologics may consider investment and collaboration. This program provides a network and training strategy to help biotechs grow.”
