Eli Lilly, Samsung Biologics to launch Gateway Labs site in Korea

The facility will host up to 30 early-stage biotech companies and support drug development and manufacturing collaboration.

March 16, 2026

2 min read

3D aerial view of new facility to provide research infrastructure for up to 30 biotech companies within Samsung Biologics' Bio Campus II to support the advancement of next-generation therapies

Samsung Biologics and Eli Lilly announced a collaboration to establish a Lilly Gateway Labs site in South Korea designed to support early-stage biotechnology companies advancing drug development and manufacturing.

The new facility will be located at Samsung Biologics’ Bio Campus II in Incheon and is expected to be completed in July 2027. The 125,000-square-foot site will include laboratory space, research infrastructure, and collaborative work areas and is designed to accommodate up to 30 biotech companies jointly selected by Lilly and Samsung.

Under the agreement, Samsung will develop and operate the facility, while Lilly Gateway Labs will provide scientific engagement and support for resident startups. According to the companies, the model is intended to help emerging biotech firms advance research toward development and manufacturing while connecting founders and scientists with Lilly’s global network of experts.

The companies said the initiative is expected to support the broader biotechnology ecosystem in South Korea by attracting global innovation activity and strengthening the country’s role in early-stage life sciences research and development.

In November 2025, Lilly announced the launch of a Lilly Gateway Labs (LGL) site in Philadelphia which will host a select group of early-stage biotechnology companies. At the facility, biotech companies will have access to dedicated, fully equipped wet lab facilities as well as strategic scientific engagement, according to the announcement.

LGL is part of Lilly Catalyze360 — alongside Lilly Ventures, Lilly ExploR&D, and Lilly TuneLab — which support biotech innovation by providing access to strategic capital, lab space and technology, as well as R&D capabilities including artificial intelligence models. In addition to Philadelphia, LGL’s U.S. footprint includes Boston, San Diego, and South San Francisco with two additional sites in China — Beijing, and Shanghai.

Since the first LGL site opened in 2019, resident companies have combined to raise more than $3 billion in capital supporting over 50 therapeutic programs and platforms.